I don’t like to carry stuff. I feel hindered whenever I travel somewhere and have to lug around a bag or a bunch of equipment. I need to feel freeeee!!!

For this reason, I’ve been taking all my photos with a point and shoot. I do not have a fancy SLR. My point and shoot fits nicely into my pocket or in it’s tiny case, hanging around my neck. And for this reason, I was surprised when the multi-talented duo, Andrea and John from Inspiring Travelers, nominated me to participate in the HostelBookers 7 Super Shots meme.

While being happily forced to look through the thousands of photos on my hard drive, I realized that the real challenge was not in finding photos, but in narrowing down which photos I would choose. I decided to pick photos that I have not previously published and this is what I came up with. I’m really proud of them and had a blast with the memories they brought up!

A photo that… takes my breath away

white-water rafting costa rica

White-water rafting class 4 and 5 rapids on the Pacuare River, Costa Rica. That’s me on the back right of the raft, about to disappear under that rapid!

I chose this photo over thousands of stunning sunsets and misty volcanic mountainscapes because this is a photo of me one second before I literally had my breath taken away. I would show that photo which is next in the series, but all you can see is water, no raft! Let’s just say that rafting the Pacuare River in the middle of the rainy season, with a raft-full of first-timers, was not the brightest idea. We flipped that sucker and had to be rescued twice. …ahhh good times…

A photo that… makes me laugh or smile

costa rica sloth

Don’t you just want to cuddle with the cute baby sloth?!

Baby sloths! How can you not smile at these adorable creatures?! I shot this at the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo. You can also see tons of baby sloths at the Sloth Sanctuary, north of Puerto Viejo.

A photo that… makes me dream

sleeping on playa hermosa, costa rica

Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica

My absolute favorite spot to take naps is on the beach in the middle of the day. I nestle into the sand and create a perfect sand mattress while the sun warms my skin and the ocean waves lull me into the most relaxing deep sleep. I shot the above photo after waking up from one of these perfect naps one day in Playa Hermosa.

A photo that… makes me think

boats in the Caribbean, Costa Rica

South Caribbean, Costa Rica

The sun is setting and the boats are resting for the day. Calm waters, still air, thunderstorm in the distance. Here on the Caribbean coast, you feel like you are standing on the edge of the world.

A photo that… makes my mouth water

tamales

Best tamales in the world, right here, in this photo, mmmm

Tamales! After three years of trying various tamales, I still believe that Julio’s family makes the absolute best tamales in the world. This photo shows the tamales after the last step – they are ready to eat! I love this because it looks kind of gross, the little packages floating in green slime, but they aren’t gross – they are one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten in my entire life.

A photo that… tells a story

cowboy drinking beer on a horse in the parade

Costa Rican Horse Parade

There is a festival in Costa Rica every weekend. A lot of these festivals boast horse parades as one of the highlights. I have come to love horse parades! A horse parade is a day full of horses, cowboys and cowgirls, dancing in the streets, meat on a stick, and beer.

A photo that… I am most proud of (aka my worthy of National Geographic shot)

colorful crab on the beach

Crabby McCrabberson in Puerto Viejo

Well, I do love this little crab and all the colors on his shell and in the sand. If I saw him in a magazine, I’d cut him out and hang him on my wall 🙂

For more Hostelbookers 7 super shots, check out #7supershots on Twitter. I nominate the following fellow bloggers to play along next:

Erin from La Tortuga Viajera

Laurence from Finding the Universe

Barry and Kim from 10 Degrees Above

Jess and Jamie from Adventures with Cloud People

Megan from On My Way RTW

Which photo is your favorite? Do you feel liked I missed something you’d like to see?