A Call For Wonder Woman in the Pura Vida

by Shannon Roqhuett (United States of America)

A leap into the unknown Costa Rica

I had decided to take the kids on a weekend trip to the beach during the rainy season in Costa Rica in Sam’s old 2006 Mitsubishi Montero. We were going to spend the night in a cute hotel owned by a French couple and explore the beaches of Dominical. The weather was overcast on Saturday, but nothing ominous. The trouble started when we turned off the main highway to find our hotel. “Oh Lord!” I said, trying remain as calm as possible. “Oh Lord,” I repeated not so calmly as my eyes were all over the place looking for an answer of what I should do. We were trying to ascend a small, slick, steep road and the tires started spinning. Go backwards down the steep cliff, or gun it into the property that happened to be just a few feet to my left. I gunned it to the property gate. The kids looked at me. “Oh mom, you could have made it up the hill,” said Sara. I glanced out the window and looked at the road continue in an upward spiral. “No, Sara, I really couldn’t have.” “What happened to being Wonder Woman?” Sara questioned, still seriously believing that her mom could do anything. “Sara, there is nothing wrong with knowing your limits.” “I could try to mount this hill and get us up to the hotel, but there are A LOT of things that could possibly go wrong…number one being, sliding off the road and tumbling to our deaths.” Crap!!! Did I traumatize them with that one? Nope, they all looked super excited. “Or, I continued, I could destroy the break pads AND the tires on your father’s car and we will be stuck here until we can get back to Santa Ana.” “Those two reasons should be sufficient for you to realize that I am not going to take those risks.” I glanced at all their faces…nope, that didn’t sink in either. “Sara and Shannon, I need you two to finish walking up this road to the hotel and let the owner know that I need help.” I looked at Google Maps, “It is about 100 meters away, you should be fine.” It was 3:30 in the afternoon and there was no traffic. “Hmmm, I wonder why?” I thought to myself sarcastically. After fifteen minutes, what looked like a little red Fiat came down the road with my two daughters in the back seat. A sigh of relief passed through my lips as, for the first time in a long time, I was ready to release my foot from the break so I could get out of the car. “Gracias por venir,” my eyes teared up as I hugged the unassuming man before me. His brown eyes surveyed the situation as he drew his hand across the graying mustache. “Vamos,” he replied, gesturing for all of us to get into the car so he could drive Sam’s car up the hill. I was assuming that he knew how to put the car into four-wheel drive, but to my horror, he pulled out into the road and tried to continue the insanity. My heart was about to fail me, but I managed to tell him to stop as I insisted that the kids and I get out of the car. There was some guilt in saving myself and the kids as I let the gentleman continue this perilous mission. He again tried to make the car go up the hill and as I watched the event in third person, seeing the tires smoke, the car rolling backwards, the steep hill…all I could do is wring my hands and back away from the situation ….and into the five foot muddy ditch behind me. Thankfully, all ended happily ever after with a delicious gourmet French dinner, chocolate fondue dessert, and funny stories of mom falling into a ditch. We had to leave the car at the bottom of the hill while the Frenchman drove us to his lovely hotel. It truly is a country that celebrates Pura Vida…just make sure that you know how to drive a 4x4 and bring your Wonder Women boots!