Nomadic Matt and Gap Adventures are giving this trip away! Costa Rica Explorer 2 weeks and airfares!And this is what I'm entering- Enjoy.
I need to go to Costa Rica, and say goodbye to a friend.
The image was not clear. My surroundings unrecognisable. Ropes ran overhead, supporting some structure I could only guess was a wooden swing bridge disappearing into the mist, obscuring the other side of what appeared to be a deep canyon. To my right, higher up, other people clustered at the base of another set of ropes, which also ran into the mists.
The vision spun around as I flew down to the base of the hillside. A body clad in a blue top. Dead. Someone familiar, close to me.
Who? Where? What was all this? So real, but so unclear. Why did I dream this?
Waking, the visions clear in my mind, I move on with life but the memory retained.
A few weeks later, awaking I’m aware of a terrible black cloud in my mind depressing me, affecting my mood all day...depression I’ve rarely experienced. So asking myself what’s wrong, the intuitive response is someone close to me is in distress. It’s January 7th. But what can I do about it? Nothing but hope.
We carry on enjoying the Gold Coasts attractions and glorious weather.Returning home there’s a call from a long time friend, Leo. He relates the news that our friend Neil had died suddenly of a heart attack while on holiday. I ask when this happened.
“January 7th”says Leo. He goes on to tell me, Neil died soon after ziplining in Monte Verde, Costa Rica.
Neil and I had been buddies since way back. Both sales representatives reporting to Leo, our Marketing Manager. Hard to fathom how a friend who you’ve known so long, and travelled countries with, just ain’t going to be around anymore. No chance for farewells.
We’d known Neil and V were off to USA to visit family. And taken notice that they would fly down to Costa Rica to go on a Gap Adventures tour. But that was all we’d known of Costa Rica. And as for ziplines? What are they? We call those flying foxes.
I then remember that vision. I’m not yet convinced it was precognition, but I set out to investigate his death. I google Gap and eventually arrive at their travel forum - The Wateringhole http://wateringhole.gapadventures.com/index.php and register. Around that time, I ask on the forum about ziplining. A member posts a link to Monte Verde where I scroll through photos, coming across one that shows clearly my vision. There is a photo showing a suspended canopy boardwalk, ( my swing bridge or so I had thought it,) and adjacent to it is the zipline, my other set of ropes! Things fell into place. The mist is commonly talked about by those who have ziplined. How do you ‘see’ something you know nothing about?Intuition? Perception?
V arrives home distraught. And we visit. Driving there, I’m talking with my wife about the vision, and I say I’m going to ask V what colour top Neil was wearing when he died. So eventually after talking with V, I ask. She says his green anorak because it was so wet and misty. And he collapsed, in the van soon after completing his turn just before the tour was to leave Monte Verde.
“But I’ve just got pics of our trip developed, and you’ll want to see the last photo I took of Neil in the hut where we waited for everyone to finish!”
V showed me his photo. There was Neil standing there ….wearing a blue sweatshirt! He’d removed his green anorak by then.!
I’m convinced now I’d seen a glimpse of the future. I’m privileged to have been so close to my friend.
But in closing, a special word for Gap.
V tells me, that Gap handled this tragedy so well. Badly upset, unable to wade through the hospital and autopsy bureaucracy alone in a strange country, a special Gap representative flew down to help handle it all. V has only praise for Gap.
So Costa Rica is a special destination for me, and my wife, because we need to say a real farewell. I’ve now read so much about the country. It seems a wonderful destination and we’re drawn to it. And for others, this has taught us that life itself is the journey. Travel slowly, long and far!
http://wateringhole.gapadventures.com/index.php
http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/win-a-free-2-week-trip-to-costa-rica/
http://www.gapadventures.com/
2 comments:
Jim, what an incredibly moving experience. My deepest condolences for your loss and the loved ones of your friend. And deep respect and awe at the powers of perception and 'sight' we are capable of through our web of connection. Travel slowly, long and far indeed.
Thanks for that Lisa.There was a bit more to the eerie events but I've said enough to get the story across.And it's amazing how over a dinner party, or a few drinks with friends ,how many others will then volunteer similar unexplained stories.I feel that many of us, do have senses of perception , that we don't fully understand or utilize.Perhaps as this site develops, we'll talk of more unexplained events.
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