Travel, Nature & Us

So how did we get here, and what is going on?

We are a British couple, old enough to know better but frequently find that we don’t….or don’t want to 😜

We left the UK at the end of 2011 for Warwick’s work (and Elizabeth took a career break that evolved into something more). We lived in south-central France, West of Toulouse, for 4 years, then moved to central Switzerland, on lake Lucerne, for 7 years. Two different cultures, languages, and very nice locations, where we made memories and friends for life.

Unfortunately the work environment in Warwick’s department became untenable and we both realised that, very sadly, we had to leave Switzerland. Looking to make the most of the opportunity, we agreed that it was the right time for a new adventure. We have no children and our cats passed in the previous year, so we were free to do anything…

Costa Rica has been one of those ‘bucket-list’ destinations for us, and we both have a lot of respect for the environment and wildlife; we wondered if there was a way to combine these things into an adventure. After a little Googling at the end of 2022 a rough plan quickly formed.

We would take a ‘gap year’ (embracing our midlife crisis!).

Neither of us had taken a gap year (travelling between finishing school/university and starting a career) and we both graduated from university then went straight to work, many years ago… We decided that if we wait until we have retired, we will not have the motivation to travel far or the energy to be able to undertake the physical work that maybe required; so we grabbed this one time opportunity.

The rough plan was leave Switzerland at the end of Feb 2023, a week’s holiday (recovery) in Tenerife whilst our household things were being shipped, then return to the UK to stay with and visit family and friends – some we had not seen for a few years. Then on to Costa Rica: where we will spend 4 weeks at the ‘Rescue Center Costa Rica‘ in April/May. Then back to the UK for a few weeks – reset – then visit Canada. We both loved Canada when we were younger and need to explore it further.

Currently we are approaching the end of our first week in Costa Rica at the Rescue Center. We chose a volunteering holiday because we didn’t want to just spend our time sleeping on a sun lounger or simply tread the usual tourist trails. We wanted to do something constructive for the wildlife, we want to make a difference, and we also needed to do something to distract us from the difficult times we left behind – something beneficial to aid our mental and physical health as well as the animals that need help.

Costa Rica has a number of wildlife rescue centres, that offer volunteer work opportunities around the country. Some focus on specific animals (eg turtles on the coasts), or a mix of every/any animal that needs help. The organisation that we chose to support is one that includes a mix of animals, including a specialised and dedicated sloth team. Also, not so commonly, we have the accommodation and food all provided on-site. This means we did not need to worry about the additional costs or transport to and from hotels etc.

Despite having all the facilities on site, this remains very much a non-profit charity. The key message here from the organisation team is that the animals come first, and any hotel/holiday luxuries are second. This is not a 5* Hotel. That said, we have all we need.

Other non-work benefits include a pool, various evening events (such as karyoke…. no-we didn’t), and organised tours to some of the tourist spots around the country, for your days off; the tours are at an additional cost to ourselves. We get 1 day off per week for these tours and we can request a second day off to relax by the pool if we want one, although this is slightly different whilst we are on the sloth team (to be explained in another post). All volunteers are on a Whatsapp group to get all the latest information, schedule, and ask questions.

The priority is to rehabilitate the animals for release back into the wild, where possible. This means that effort is made to encourage and maintain their “wild” instincts; if they are naturally dangerous to humans, they are kept that way. It would not be good for these animals to be comfortable around humans, nor to associate them with food. For example two baby owls recently brought in are fed by the vet team who wear animal masks, because owls imprint very easily.

Some of the animals, for one reason or another, can never be released. Some animals are too sick and need daily medication or a special diet. A parrot with only one wing would not survive in the wild for long. Similarly, a racoon (Lil’Dahma) was already too attached to humans; the team tried to release him three times but he cried for over an hour and kept coming back to them. He is clearly happy in his enclosure by the kitchen and gets to “play” with humans every day. Once he has grown a little bigger he will be able to join the 3 other racoons in their enclosure.

Currently, we are on the sloth team. Something we are both happy with, it is an experience we will never have again and will remember for the rest of our lives… But that all needs another post.

Ciao for now 😎