We land in San José. Excited by the views of lush mountains and the vibrant flora, I am anxious to get started. I chose to travel to Costa Rica because I was tired from months of backpacking and bus-riding travel. I desperately want to bake in the sun, eat good food and smell fresh air. I wanted a taste of “la pura vida,” or “the pure life.” Although the tourism industry has used this phrase to exhaustion — it’s on T-shirts, coffee mugs, and anything else you can imagine — I still believe it exists. Costa Ricans take great pride in this phrase. Ask any Tico, “¿Cómo Estás?” and they will answer, “¡Pura Vida!” So I am on a quest for a taste of this purer life. With high hopes and all the gusto of a naive American tourist I embark on my journey.