Hiking in Flip Flops: Rainforest Edition

Remember awhile back with I went hiking in 5-dollar flip-flops with Ayngelina in Mexico? Well, I did it again. This time, my over-worked flip-flops got me through a Puerto Rico rainforest.

In my defense, I was supposed to be at the beach

As I have said many times before, I am not a hiker.. The plan for the day was to read a book on the beach. Pedro was giving a speech at an academic conference, so his little brother, Carmelo, and I put on our swimsuits and were headed to the beach for a day in the sun.

And then it rained. All freaking day.

Ok, it didn’t actually rain all day, but it threatened to. There wasn’t a hint of sun, and the dark clouds loomed overhead, daring you to ignore the slight sprinkle. They were just waiting to pour down on you the second you doubted their power. So Carmelo and I drove around more or less aimlessly, until he decided we should go check out the Areceibo Observatory.

Wet plants + steep slopes + flip-flops = a good plan?

Following this guy!

I may not love hiking, but I do love spontaneous adventure. When Carmelo asked if I was up for an impromptu exploration of the hilly area, I grabbed my camera and followed his lead. I climbed moss-covered rocks in my swimsuit and flimsy cover-up, and held onto branches for dear life as I slid down steep hills covered in wet leaves, praying my cheap flip-flops wouldn’t break.

Totally worth it to see the Puerto Rico Rainforest

I don’t even care that I left with a ton of bug bites and dirt on my body. The short hike was beautiful. I would have trekked a bit further, but the clouds were looking especially menacing, and we weren’t sure my flip-flops could handle the terrain during a downpour.

This is seriously how I had to walk down the steep, slippery road on the way back down to make sure I didn’t fall.

So here’s to you, cheap flip-flops, you’ve proved your worth once again.