After a few days of intense networking and schmoozing in London during World Travel Market, I found myself back in the humid heat of Central America on my way to the beautiful Hotel Casa Luna, located near the majestic Arenal volcano. As soon as I stepped out of the airport, I realized that the contrasts between these places couldn’t have been greater; I went from the crowded and busy streets of one of the biggest capital cities in the world to a place where nature rules, where there are exotic flowers everywhere you look and one wakes up to the sound of birds. I must confess that I felt displaced at the beginning; I was overwhelmed by the jet-lag, the post-conference buzz, and the drastic change of my surroundings. Not to mention the fact that I was the only stranger among a big group of people, some of whom had known each other for many, many years. Needless to say, it was all a little bit intimidating at my arrival.

Fortunately, during my travels I’ve learned to let go of my innate shyness and adapt to other people’s flow. Plus, the process was made much easier by the mellow nature of the Viventura team. It was soon clear to me that these guys aren’t just colleagues, but also good friends. As the days passed, I had a chance to share conversations and laughs with each of the members of the group and got to know them on a more personal level. By the end of this adventure, I’ve made new friends and I’m sure that I will see them again sometime in the future.

In Costa Rica, our days were marked by quite a bit of rain; but I guess that should be expected in the rain forest, right? Besides, that’s what makes the nature in this area so green, exuberant and rich. At the same time, I found that it also made it easier for me to concentrate in getting things done; so I’ve learned to appreciate rainy days, as I don’t feel so guilty to be working in front of my computer. Plus, I was not alone in my obsession; during these days it’s been encouraging to see the viventura team working hard on their strategy and objectives for the coming year. And after some hard working days, it was also nice to decompress in the hot springs or with a cold Imperial, one of the local beers.

Of course, my time in Costa Rica wasn’t all about work, I had also plenty of opportunities to explore and get to know a bit more about the local culture. I did a lot of cycling, hiked around Arenal volcano, and enjoyed photographing the exotic flowers and animals that I found along the way. Also, I got my adrenaline fix doing some white water rafting, canyoning and zip-lining. One weekend, we went to Tamarindo, one of the towns in the Pacific coast; where we enjoyed a bit of sunshine, swam in the sea and got a little taste of the nightlife.

In the end, my time in Costa Rica was made memorable by all the great people I met and the scenic places I saw; I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome back to the Latin American flavors and lifestyle. Once again, my path has given an unexpected turn and brought me back to my roots; and gladly, there will be more latin colors coming in 2013. Stay tuned