Una semana en Nicaragua. 2 May - 10 May

First stop, the colonial city of Granada. After a a 13 hour Tica Bus ride, we were Granada-bound from the capital, Managua. This is where we learnt that there is no such thing as personal space for Nicaraguans. We had our behinds and infronts jammed against peoples top halves as we stood up for a one hour shakey journey. The music was wickidly cheesy and we pretty much lip synced to our hearts content for the one hour journey. Our hearts weren´t very content when we looked at 3 hostels, finally went with the more expensive, less prostitute filled spot and had a terrible night. Cockroaches, cobwebs, prison like, tobacco infused room. Julien passed out. I lay awake. Finally had the balls to go for a midnight pee, only to find a massive cockroach in the sink. This lead to a sweaty couple sitting outside our room in a grotty corridor only to find the hostel worker watching porn on the huge TV. Finally it was 7 a.m and I could justify making loud noises to wake up Julien, after a Tripadvisor search. We found the perfect hostel, which was actually cheaper (Hostel el Momento).

Granada

Hammock makers at work

Central plaza tourist market

Nelson. The 21 year old, Melbourne, poker dealer who had a thick Australian accent (yes, upward inflection on every sentence) has stuck in our memories. He came from a Contiki in Equador to Nicaragua because a Survivor season was filmed there! Crazy. Didn´t speak a word of Spanish (you know the type who think if they speak louder and more slowly in English that they will be understood). Anyway, you get a picture. He hung on a bit. He went on a boat cruise through the Granada isletas with us, which included dinner in a remote hotel! The next night he came out to the Garden Cafe for dinner, and then to a local bar for drinks with us! Its not often there are long silences with Julien about, but after asking him all about his life, it was difficult to engage in any conversation! Anyway, everything in Granada was great and we still enjoy taking off  his accent, which makes time pass on long journeys. It was very hot, so after we sweated when seeing the main sites (the market had something to stimulate every sense. Birds waiting to be killed, ropes of alive craps, fish guts, plantain chips, pinatas, lingere and many pairs of flip flops) we went to a hotel, spent $25 each on all day pool entry and a spa treatment! Bliss!

Enjoying a Tona as we passed the house of the owners of Tona Beer!

Boat tour through 365 volcanic islands in Lake Nicaragua

Ropes of craps for sale!

The very territorial ducks at the day spa. 

Vigaron - local dish of pork crackling, cabbage and yacca

Isla de Ometepe is made up of 2 volcanoes with an isthmus ajoining in Lago de Nicaragua (Central America´s largest lake). Night one we met an hilarious couple, Grant and Bernie from Winchester. They had wicked English humour and we skipped right past the usual travel talk, and got down to the nitty gritty conversations instantly! After a few litres of beer and a pizza, Grant convinced us to walked up Volcan de Conception with him and a guide at 4.45am the following day. A mere 10 hour walk, straight up from sea level to 1610 metres. (The most technically difficult volcano climb in all of Central America).

Moyagalpa, the main town in Ometepe (very small!)

Volcan Conception

The hike was hell on earth.  The first part was relatively flat, but¨watch out for the Coral snakes (deadly) did not warm my mood at 5 in the morning. Nor did the vertical ascent. Watching the inquistive howler monkeys peering from the tree tops at us, and joining their morning monkey song was a highlight! They have the expression of a dreaded hippy after smoking a spliff, but move like athletes. Best of both worlds!! After 3 tedious sweaty hours we made it 1000 metres to the bush line. No time to stop though, as Grant steamed ahead. Ahead was literally up. I was about 400 metres from the top where the rock turned to dust and felt a tad faint so decided to sit it out. I like to think I still knocked the bastard off! Julien kept going, determined as and took off his clothes at the top. He said it was the hardest thing he has ever done.

Almost at 1000 metres. Our guide, Wilton in the background. In high season he walks this 5 days a week!

Bush line.

Knocked the bastard off! Shoes still on ofcourse. As we started the descent, our guide tripped and did a forwards somersault. Enough to get the blood pumping!

Sizing up the mountain as we departed Ometepe on a chicken boat. The one in this picture was much more boat'like than ours!

Worker on the boat pumping water away from the engine!

We felt like seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time, so next stop was to Casa de Olas, San Juan del Sur. This was a brand new, bohemian style hotel which was turned into a hostel because it was right next door to a party hostel (so $13 a night rather than $100, muy bueno). It had free shuttles to town and the surf beaches, and was perched on top of a deserted hill overlooking the sea. Apart from feeling like we´d made it in life by staying here, and froliking about the infinity swimming pool, socialising with awesome people and playing with Buzz, the semi domesticated spider monkey, we had a few great day trips. I has a very special moment with Buzz -  sat next to her when she was sleeping and she climbed onto my knee and looked up at me before falling asleep! She doesn´t warm to females so I was in my element Mareka beach was where we attempted surfing! Julien got up! He threw himself into it. Aside from the thrill of watching him actually surf, his facial expressions and bails were incredible. I am not sure how he can bail in so many odd directions. Well done.

We had a few great nights. I am proud to admit, that in San Juan del sur J.Ho came out. The dance moves were outrageous, and I got blacklisted from ladies night. Felt like I was 21! We found out later that the $1.50 rum and juice specials at the hostel had 2.5 shots of rum in them. Julien found this out later, after being the token slightly inebriated guy at the hostel family style dinner. He was on form, and had everyone crying with laughter! I lost him for a while to the party hostel, but he returned somewhat intact. He was determined to go to the town and beach with me the following morning, where he bought the oddest outfit. Parrot multi coloured boardshorts and a bit of an interesting singlet. What was in that rum, Julien?! Fortunately the odd attire was welcomed back in the stores when we finally realised what had happened that morning.

San Juan del Sur beach

Buzz the monkey!

Sleeping on me!

In the yute on the way to the surf beach

Mereka - surf beach

Jen and Bri surfing

Julien setting off to surf

Mereka. Just two bars and a hostel. Deserted and great surfy vibe. 

Cooling off in the Mexican bar

And we like pina coladas... and getting caught in the rain!

Not just a gourmet burger joint, but a haven in Central America

Day one in paradise - with famous rum in hand

Beautiful sunsets

After all the fun, it was time to leave paradise. We are sad to have only had a little over a week in this awesome country, but also looking ahead to South America and realise it is time to keep moving. Next country, Costa Rica.