Literally….
Saturday, Jody and I took a tour of Quepos on a “Segway”! I have to tell you this….even though I work out regularly when at home, I am not that athletic…I am also not that coordinated. Honestly, I haven’t even ridden a bike since I was 10. But, when we were walking by a storefront that offers this tour, I just couldn’t resist. As we talked about it, Jody was beside herself in anticipation of observing my learning curve on this. She had a vision of me on my “Segway” laughing uncontrollably as I ran into the back of her “Segway”. I had a vision of the wheels going out from under my feet and cracking my head open! HA! I am happy to report that neither of these things happened. As it turns out, anyone can learn to ride a “Segway”. (Trust me, if I can do it, anyone can!)
We opted for the morning tour, thinking it might be a little cooler in temperature. So, we were up and out and at the “Segway” store at our appointed time. And, guess what?! We were the only ones on the tour! Score!
I have to give the company that does these tours a hand. First, they have you sign your life away just in case the wheels do go out from under you and you crack your head open. They don’t want to be responsible. Then, they do what I would call a very thorough review of how to use the equipment…..and, all of the bad things that can happen to you if you don’t follow the instructions. I think this is the way they weed out the “weenies” that might be afraid and the “trouble-makers” who are too confident! HA! All kidding aside, the instruction they give you is really outstanding.
Anyway, after the video instruction, Diego, our tour guide gave us some hands on training and helped us don some very stylish helmets. I went first, as I had never done this before. He instructed me on how to hold on to the handlebar, step onto the bike and move the bike forward and back, left and right and in a circle. Then, he looked at me and said, “You also need to breathe.” Oh……the video didn’t cover that part! OOPS!
Then, there was a driving test before we could go along on our merry way! Really?! A test?! Doesn’t he know we are on vacation? We had to demonstrate our ability to do all the turns, stop, go as fast as we could in the forward direction (backward is not allowed) and then stop quickly, drive through an obstacle course and then complete the “Segway” equivalent of a three-point turn. You remember those from high school Driver’s Education! It was my most challenging part of learning to drive a car. The “Segway” version is to drive the “Segway” into a square made of plastic cones, keep the “Segway” in the middle of the square and turn in place in a full circle. WOW!
It took me a few times to get this, but I am happy to say that I did it and passed the test (Jody, of course, got it first time around) We were then given full privilege to take the “Segway” off premises. What a relief!
Our tour guide, Diego, was a delightful host. He took us on a practice run to a small fishing alcove at the marina where the shop is located to see some unbelievable scenery. As in all of my travels in the last months, I have been overwhelmed by the color of the water against the sky in these types of areas. This was no different. The colors were just spectacular.
After we mastered this small trek, Diego announced that our “Segways” were in low speed mode and we would need to put them in high speed now for the rest of the tour. I was, again, reminded to breathe……As it turns out, it’s easier to use the “Segway” in the higher speed mode, so it was full speed ahead for us.
We rode our “Segways” on a variety of terrains…..dirt roads, gravel roads, sand, you name it, we went over it. They encourage you not to go over large objects on the road, as it increases the risk for falling. (Really?! ) I did my best, but I did manage to go over several larger rocks, which made my feet rise off of the “Segway” for a second or two. YIKES!
Along the way, we went on a dirt road through a part of town that was what I would call somewhat primitive. There, we met lots of little children who ran alongside the “Segways” calling out “hola”!” and reaching their little hands out for us to “high-five” them. Fun! Then, we got on a small boat, crossed a tiny river and headed to the beach.
One of the best parts of the tour was getting to know our guide, Diego. He was very personable and just a really nice guy. We learned all about his family, and that he is a trained chef. He worked as a chef for awhile, but not any more. He didn’t really care for the atmosphere in the kitchen. Understandable! His father is also a chef and as Diego describes it, “cooks from the heart”. He just opened a restaurant in San Isidro. When Diego learned that I like to cook and that Jody and I both like to eat, he invited us to visit with him next Sunday when he is not working to check it out. There is a hot springs there that he would also like to show us.
So, we have a plan on Sunday to take the bus to San Isidro, have coffee at his Grandma’s house (because she makes coffee the old fashioned way, whatever that means), go to the hot springs with he and his girlfriend and then have dinner at his father’s restaurant. I’m guessing this will be one of the highlights of the trip for us! Jody and I both love people! Can you tell!?
So, I’ll keep you posted as we “segway” into our next adventure. There’s one waiting right around the corner!
Travel With Betsy 
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