Girl off the Grid

by Jillian Dodd

  “Alright. Lead the way,” I tell him. It isn’t much of a climb before we’re at the top. Just as we sit down in the soft grass, the sun peeks up over the horizon.

  “Wow,” I breathe out, mesmerized by the array of colors. It starts out with a soft yellow then increases until the sky is bathed with vibrant yellow, pink, and blue. It’s a gorgeous contrast to the lush green below.

  Adam is sitting next to me snapping a photo. His khaki shorts fit tightly against his thighs, and his green shirt pulls around his arms and shoulders, but falls loosely around his waist. His hair is still a scruffy mess, but with his tan, his brown hair seems a richer color. Offsetting the warmth that radiates from his body are his cool blue eyes, which are nearly as mesmerizing as the sunrise. He turns his head and meets my gaze.

  “Well, was it worth getting up early for?” he asks, throwing his arms out to showcase the surrounding area.

  “It’s breathtaking. So pretty, I almost can’t believe it’s real. It feels like I’m sitting in a dream.”

  “It does,” Adam says, but he’s looking at me instead of the horizon. “Um, I suppose we better head back down for breakfast.”

  “Do you know what time we’re leaving today?” I ask as we walk down the grassy hill.

  “No, I don’t, but I’m assuming it’s not too early or Diego would have told us last night.”

  “True,” I agree.

  When we arrive in the dining area, we find Floyd, Jimmy, and Vivianne already seated and Diego getting himself a juice.

  “Good morning,” I say as I make my way over to their table.

  “Well, don’t you look bright and happy this morning?” Vivianne smiles at me. “What have you two been up to?”

  “Adam took me to see the sunrise,” I exclaim. “It was magical.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” Vivianne replies, a smile tugging at her lips.

  “Where did you watch it from?” Floyd asks, looking up from his meal.

  “We walked up to the top of the hill behind the rooms,” Adam answers, sitting down next to Jimmy. Floyd gives a nod as Diego sits down.

  “What time do we need to be ready to go?” I ask him.

  “In about thirty minutes. We’ll all go to the Arenal Garden together then head to the hot springs resort and get settled in for the night,” Diego says happily.

  “You’re smiling awfully big, Diego. Does that mean Mariam will be joining you at the resort?”

  “Yes. Her mother is going to watch the children, so it will just be the two of us tonight. Well, unless you and Adam need anything after we’re done with the day’s events.”

  “Of course not. We can handle ourselves, can’t we, Adam?” I say, looking over at him and finding him shoveling food in his mouth. He gives me a smile and nod and continues eating, making Diego chuckle.

  “He is a bottomless pit,” Diego laughs. “Oh, to be a growing boy again.”

  I study Adam, wondering if he still is growing, because he already looks pretty grown to me.

  Once we’ve finished breakfast, I head to my room to pack up my bag and change. I pair an orange cotton wrap skirt with frayed edges and a white, long-sleeved blouse. The top is light and airy. I add chunky brown sandals. They are fairly comfortable and look cute. Since my hair is still curled, I run my hands through it to get the tangles out and then braid my bangs away from my face, clipping them back with gold pins.

  Perfect!

  Once I’m ready, I load everything back into my suitcase, sitting on top of it to get the darn thing shut.

  Adam

  “Can I sit next to you?” Jimmy asks with pleading puppy dog eyes.

  “Yeah, sure. Take a seat,” I say, patting the seat next to me.

  “Can you believe we get to see jaguars today? And frogs? I can’t wait,” he sputters out all at once.

  “Do you like frogs?”

  “I do!”

  “What is your favorite kind?”

  “Green ones. And I love ones with yellow eyes,” he says, giggling with excitement.

  “I bet we will get to see some green frogs today,” I tell him.

  He exaggeratedly nods at me, his eyes bright and hopeful.

  “I want to tell you a bit about the Arenal Gardens,” Diego says. “The gardens are comprised of three miles of walking trails with animal exhibits along the way. These exhibits include a hummingbird garden, an aviary, jungle cats, monkeys, and frogs. Since both Manuel and I know the place well, we will not have a separate guide for this outing. The park is around seventy acres in total with the forested area covering forty of the acres. The other thirty are pastureland that is being reforested. The amazing thing about this park is that they were able to design the hiking trails and viewing platforms without cutting down a single tree. They are committed to the conservation of the land, and they also work closely with the community. More than ninety-five percent of their employees live in the surrounding towns, providing jobs to locals. We’ll have all morning there, we will eat lunch at their restaurant, and then we will want to be on our way to the resort by three to give you plenty of time to enjoy the hot springs.”

  I look over to Camille who is wildly writing notes in her journal. After a short drive, we pull into an open spot in a parking lot and unload from the bus.

  “Even the entrance is amazing,” Camille says, taking in the large trellis arch leading into the Garden. We follow a stone path through the arch and to the reception building. The grass around us is thick and green and tree branches hang low, providing the perfect lush tropical setting. As we enter the reception building, we find a ticket counter on the far wall and a gift shop on the other.

  Both Camille’s and Jimmy’s eyes light up upon seeing the toys, t-shirts, and stuffed animals.

  “If anyone needs to use the facilities, they’re in this building,” Diego says, pointing at a sign. “I’m going to pick up our tickets and then we can head into the garden.”

  Camille grabs a map and holds it out in front of me. “This map shows that we will hit the aviary first.”

  “I bet they have a ton of amazing birds here,” I reply back, looking forward to seeing them.

  After Diego gets the tickets, we follow him and Manuel out the back of the building.

  “Our first stop will be the Aviary. It is a refuge for wild birds that were either donated by their owners, or captured illegally and recovered by the government then brought here. Most of these birds would not be able to survive back in the wild on their own, so they cannot be released. This park has amazing bird watching not only in the aviary, but also outside of it, as it is in a migration corridor for hundreds of species of birds. Many of the birds stop in this forest on their way both north and south. Bird species from Costa Rica will also migrate, but they will migrate to different altitudes,” Diego informs.

  The aviary is a large netted enclosure full of trees. The trees tower above us and thick branches jut out in all directions. Some branches are covered in leaves, others are bare. Some have just one bird resting on them and others have a row of birds perfectly lined up. I spot a tiny blue and yellow bird speeding past and try to capture it on film.

  “Feel free to wander around,” Diego says to us as we all stand frozen, mesmerized by the different birds.

  I spot a beautiful parrot and take a few photos of it. Diego says to me, “That is a red-lored parrot. They are endemic to the tropics of the Americas. These birds normally live in flocks and are usually noisy, having loud, screechy calls. Their bodies are green but their foreheads and lore, the area between their eyes and nose, are red, giving them their name.”

  “I love their coloring,” I say as I snap another photo. I glance over at Camille. She has her notebook out and is jotting down what Diego just said. It makes me laugh for some reason.

  “Hey, don’t laugh.” She scrunches up her nose at me and tries to give me the evil eye, but she starts laughing with me instead. “This is all important stuff I can use for our article. People are going to wa
nt to know what is in your beautiful photos.”

  “You’re right. It’s just cute. You’re so studious.”

  She pokes the back of my neck as she rushes by me, eager to catch up to Diego who has found another parrot. “Tell me about it,” she says to Diego, notebook in hand.

  “This is the scarlet macaw,” he says, pointing to a bird that is red, yellow, and blue. “They are the largest parrots in the world, and they eat nuts, seeds, berries, and leaves. The main threat to the scarlet macaw is habitat loss and exploitation for the pet trade. Many times these birds will be stolen from the wild and sold on the black market.”

  “No. That’s horrible,” she says, saddened for the beautiful creature.

  “It is. They were on the verge of extinction, but authorities and scientists have worked hard to protect them, and their population is on the rise because of awareness.”

  “Adam, you should get a photo of this one,” Camille says. I zoom in and get a great shot of it resting on a thick, dark branch.

  As we continue through the aviary, something catches my eye, and I stop to look at a unique bird through my lens.

  “Camille! I think that’s your quetzal bird,” I say excitedly, turning toward her. It has a hairy, greenish blue head and a red chest, and as soon as Camille spots it, she freaks out.

  “Oh my goodness,” she squeals. “It is so adorable. I’m so happy I got to see one in person. This just made my trip. Will you get lots of photos of it?” she asks, her eyes still peering up at the bird.

  After a few shots, I bring the camera down to scroll through the previews.

  Camille stands on her tiptoes trying to see, so I lower the camera to her level, and we look together.

  “Ah!” she exclaims. “It’s so adorable. This is so exciting! I can’t believe all the amazing birds we’ve already seen.”

  “I know,” I say, smiling back at her. I love it when she’s happy like this.

  As we make our way around the perimeter of the aviary, we come to a tall, beautiful tree spotted with toucans.

  “Look at Jimmy!” Camille points. “He’s got a toucan resting on his arm and, look, it’s pecking at the food in his hand.”

  The grin on Jimmy’s face is as big as the one on Camille’s.

  Camille bounds up to Diego and Vivianne who are both watching with delight.

  “He is soaking up the attention,” Vivianne states, smiling down at her son as we cluster around him.

  “He is,” Camille smiles. “What type of toucan is that, Diego?”

  “Those are keel-billed toucans. Their bills are colorful, and green is their most prominent color, but you can also see red, yellow, blue, and orange mixed in. Their bills are made of keratin, which is light but very strong. They are native to South America and live within holes in the trees. Many times they share this hole with other toucans in their group, so to make more space they tuck their beaks under their bodies.”

  “That’s so cute. I can imagine them snuggled up together. Can I do what Jimmy is doing?” she asks Diego.

  “Of course, here.” He takes a treat out of a bin marked bird treats and gives it to her. “Just hold out your hand and one should land on you.”

  “Okay. Adam, are you ready to take pictures? Where should I stand?” she blabbers, eager with anticipation.

  “Why don’t you stand there,” I say, pointing to a spot below the tree. “No one else will be in the photo, and there are a few toucans on the branches behind you.”

  Within a few seconds of holding out her hand, a toucan comes flying up, landing on her arm. The bird has a green bill with a deep red color at the end of it. Its body is all black except for a beautiful yellow patch that runs from its chest to above its eyes. I click my tongue to get the bird’s attention, causing him to look straight at the camera.

  After the bird eats its treat, it returns to a perch on the tree.

  “Your turn,” Camille says, skipping over to me.

  “Alright, but just for one photo,” I say, not able to help myself.

  “Diego, could you get a photo on Adam’s camera?”

  “Sure,” he says, carefully taking my camera.

  I grab one of the treats, hold my arm out, and within a few seconds a toucan is perched on me.

  I think my grin is probably as big as Camille’s was.

  Camille

  We took a quick trip through the hummingbird garden and the monkey exhibit and now we’re waiting for the rest of the group to have lunch. I get my video camera out of my bag and thrust it in Adam’s face, mouthing smile at him before I start filming.

  “Hey, Effortless Girls. We’re back to tell you a little about our morning. We started the day out in the most beautiful way. If you haven’t gotten up early enough to watch the sunrise, set your clock and get it done. There’s nothing like seeing that first morning light to make you know that anything is possible. It’s so uplifting and the colors are gorgeous.” I grab ahold of Adam’s arm and pull him closer to me, putting my head on his shoulder. “And take a friend. It makes the experience that much better when you can share it with someone special.”

  I look up at Adam, batting my eyelashes at him. Why does he have to be so cute? “So, Adam, tell the girls your favorite thing about today.”

  He smiles sweetly at me then narrows his eyes in thought. “I agree with what you said about the sunrise. I’d say my favorite highlight after that was the look on your face when you saw the quetzal bird. This bird is pretty rare and Camille had been hoping to see one on our trip.”

  “And you should have seen Adam,” I add. “A toucan landed on his arm and ate a treat right out of his hand.”

  “That was pretty cool. And what about the hummingbird we saw in the garden?”

  “That was the best,” I agree with him. “Before this trip, I never knew there are fifty-seven species of hummingbirds in Costa Rica. I always just thought there was one kind—like, anywhere.”

  He bumps his shoulder against mine. “That’s because before this trip, your world view was pretty small.” He holds my eyes with his gaze, his tone turning serious. “That’s changed on this trip, hasn’t it?”

  “It most definitely has. You’re a good influence, Adam,” I say adoringly. “You’ve pushed me when I’ve needed it and comforted me when I was having a little meltdown.”

  He smiles back at me. “You’ve raised my awareness, too. For example, I didn’t know they even made blue field pants. Now, I totally want a pair for myself.” He gives me an adorable teasing smirk.

  I narrow my eyes at him in mock annoyance. “See girls, no matter how different you may think you are, you can find common ground with anyone through fashion. And on that note, we are signing off.”

  “You’re bad,” I say, playfully swatting at him, but missing because he grabs my wrist and holds it tight. “What?”

  He doesn’t say anything for a long moment. I watch his chest rise and fall with each breath he takes. I remember the sound of his heart beating when I laid my head on that chest. Finally he kisses my hand sweetly. “I’m going to miss you, Camille. You’ve made this trip a lot of fun.”

  “Thank you,” I swoon.

  “Time for lunch,” Diego yells out, ruining our moment.

  “I am hungry,” I finally say.

  “Yeah, me too. I was surprised you didn’t beg me for a granola bar this morning.”

  “And I’m surprised at what you told my viewers. I thought you would mention the spider and white-faced monkeys we saw after the hummingbird garden. They were so cute the way they were swinging from branch to branch and how they would hang upside down from their tails.”

  “What can I say, I got distracted,” he says.

  “That’s probably why I didn’t ask you for a granola bar,” I laugh. “The monkeys and birds kept my mind off my stomach.”

  “That’s what I thought,” he says as we follow Diego up a hill to the restaurant.

  “I can’t wait to see the waterfalls next. It’s crazy h
ow much beauty there is here. Sometimes I forget that I’m just on a trip. It’s weird, thinking about going back to the city after doing all of this. There isn’t anything like this there, and I don’t know how I feel about it,” I confess, probably referring more to Adam than the landscape.

  “The thought of going home does seem odd after a trip like this. We’ve been doing so many amazing things each day.”

  “Yeah. I can’t imagine going from all of this beauty back to New York. I mean, I think the city is beautiful, but not like this. It is just so different. And it’s hard, because I see the beauty in both. I can’t wait to be back in my own bed. And get takeout from my favorite restaurant around the corner from my place. But I’m having so much fun here,” I say, unsure about the way I’m feeling.

  “All you can do is appreciate both,” Adam says. “That’s the great thing about traveling. It opens you up to new possibilities. New places. New experiences.”

  “True. It’s cool actually getting the authentic experience from a place. I think this would be really fun to do again. I mean, go somewhere different, but get outdoors and learn about the environment and the animals. I thought this kind of stuff would be boring but, honestly, I’m loving everything about this trip.” Including him.

  “Yeah, me too,” he says, causing my heart to soar. “And that says something, because I travel a lot. Even if I’m not on an assignment for work, I get out and take photos. I go on a lot of road trips with my roommate. He makes videos. Maybe sometime you could find a cheap flight and come to England. Or you could fly in somewhere farther north and we could try out the snow.”

  “That would be fun. I’m in!” I notice him holding back a smile. “But—”

  “Oh, come on. What’s your condition?” he says, his voice light, but his gaze intense.

  “My only condition is that if I come to England, next time you’re in New York you have to let me give you a tour. We’ll do it up right. Go see a play, go to the Met. I’ll take you to my favorite coffee shop and give you a tour of the park.”