Managua - San Juan Del Sur

Ahhh where do I begin... after 2 hours of sleep on Sunday night- I headed to the airport at 3 am for a 6 am flight to Miami. Scored my own row on the plane, slept like a champ. Got to Miami Airport, got on the jam packed plane to Managua- they sent a smaller plane than needed- and it had some "mainenance issues" so we sat for about an hour before take off. Finally made it to Managua, but my ride did not show. They screwed up the dates- so I waited for 2 hours and finally took a taxi. They wanted 40 bucks, I paid $25. I had a wonderful taxi driver and it was nice to just chill and speak spanish. I forgot the smell when you pass by a mercado. It is very unique to Managua and I instantly remembered it. Funny what comes back to you when you return to a foreign country.

It was 96 degrees that day. We drove for about 2 hours to Granada and the hostel where I wanted to stay was booked. I took my chances and had the driver take me to a decent part of town where I found a hostel for $10 per night. I had a room with a single bed and a bathroom. My 3 amenities were sheets, a mirror, and a fan somehow attached to the ceiling. I did what anyone who is returning to Nicaragua does, I aked the guy at my hostel for a large empty Tona bottle- strolled across the street and traded it in for a discounted, ice cold beer. Incredible.

Granada is beautiful, but in all honestly I was too hot and tired to really appreciate it. I walked around the town square and saw the sights and found a place selling gallo pinto. I had gallo pinto con pollo for 40 cordobas. Thats about 2 dollars. I was feeling a little buzzed from my Tona and decided to by moraccas. My backpack weighs 40 pounds and my camelback is filled to the brim. Room for moraccas? NOPE. They are stil intact right now but who knows if they will survive the trip. Oh and I also bought a little hippy bracelent- its blue and yellow and totally awesome.

I went home while the sun was going down and fell asleep. I woke up around 8 and decided to check out the night life. I watched the street kids breakdance, watched the gringos in the only IRISH pub in Granada- and enjoyed my alone time. There was a band walking around and playing good music, and the street kids were jammin their own tunes on a boom box. A little boy - probably around 8 years old yelled something innapropriate to me in spanish, and I knew exactly what he was saying [doesnt need to be posted here] and responded with "QUE LA VERGA!!!" He and his friends cracked up and they all laughed. Ahh first chance to say Que LA VERGA in Nicaragua is usually the best.

I slept horribly that night. There was an old creepy spanish man who was wasted at the Hostel, almost passed out on the front porch- so I headed directly to my room. My head was going a million miles an hour, and I tried to sleep in the 90 degree heat, but it was impossible. I threw up, I felt like dying but I never once thought to myself, "what am i doing?" I just knew I had to move on in the morning.

The next morning I ate a quick breakfast and caught a chicken bus to Rivas. Met 3 europeans all headed for La Isla de Ometepe. Score. We caught a taxi to the next town over, San Jorge, and took the ferry across to the Island. The ferry was a beater, I literally sat inside a big tire on the roof. Not too bad for 30 cordobas. The ride took about an hour and a half- and we met 2 more peeps on the way. The first was an Italian chick who took off on a motorcycle, and the other-a silly North Carolina guy named Chaz. We all split a cab to Hostel Merida. We got stopped by the police - and our taxi driver didnt have his documents- so we sat on the road and waited for half an hour before the finally let us go. One of our tires was going flat so we had to stop again and fill it up. Finally, 2 or 3 hours later- down a bumpy road - we maded it to Merida.

Isla de Ometepe is unreal. There are 2 huge volcanoes and its on a beautiful fresh water lake. The hostel - i will have to post about later- there is just too much to tell right now- but I can say that it was inspring. The owner has 3 computers and great internet and the local kids are allowed to use the internet all evening if they bring in a giant water bottle filled with trash. These waterbottles are packed with plastic, which are then mixed with concrete to make tables. Its amazing. ANYWAY- im actually writing an article for the hostel owner so Ill be sure to include the link.

I slept like a baby that night. The air was cool, it was raining, and I had a huge powerful fan next to my bunk. I woke up the next morning at 530 am- and watched the beautiful sunrise. Thats when I really got to talk to the owner, Alvaro, and learn about his community. He is making a difference, and his main goal is to help the children of Ometepe learn english.

I took a kayak out to the Isla de Monos, there are actually 2. One of the islands has about 10 monkeys - these are really tiny islands- and the other has 2. They are super cute but they will attack! We are warned not to enter the island, but the local children swam over from shore and played on the island and harassed the monkeys. One of the kids paddled up to me on a piece of wood with a wooden oar, and I was totally jealous of his boat. I got back to the island and relaxed in the shade- then a group of us took a walk around the area.

I should have hiked the volcano, but its hot as hell and I just wanted to explore. Thats the beauty of traveling alone, you do whatever you wanna do. Hostel Merida has group dinners for 6 dollars- all you can eat. They are amazing. I spoke to some local women who are in the earliest stages of trying to figure out how to do homestays for tourists visiting the area. I threw then 5 dollars for their cause- and tried to give them pointers on what I think that they should do. I realized, I am speaking spanish!!! People in Nicaragua barely speak english, so its a really nice experience for me.

We all got drunk off rum last night and after waking up at 6 this morning I took a boat with a great couple from Nederland, Colorado over to the ferry. For 12 dollars, a 20 minute boat ride seemed like a great option. We took another ferry across- this one was legit. It even had 3 trucks on it. I was sad to leave the island, but thinking about all of my hungover buddies doing the "treck of hell" and the lure of the pacific kept me going.

I told the couple, LET ME DO THE BARGAINING- and we caught a taxi from St. George to San Juan del Sur for $12 dollars. Thats a killer price, if I do say so myself. Our taxi driver put in a mix cd that he had made with 80 songs from back in the day- all in english. We rocked Dust in the Wind, Take my Break Away, the BGs- it was awesome. Finally, at 9:15 this morning we made it to San Juan del Sur.

SAN JUAN DEL SUR- oh my god ive missed you.

I walked up to Casa Feliz, my favorite hostel, and they were booked. Ben was out, Codo was apparently in Canada- and I didnt know the new joint owner. I told him I would sleep in a hammock if I had to, and the new partial owner laughed at me- and said, "youve been here before, havent you? I can always tell". Haha.

He told me that was fine, and asked me if I wanted to come surf. I threw my bags in his room and headed with the guys to Playa Maderas. They let me borrow a 6'8'' Al Merrick- which is a foot shorter than what I rode 6 months ago. Oliver Solis was driving, and hes pretty much one of the best surfers Ive ever met- and they told me the waves were going to be HUGE.

We rode out to Maderas and the waves were hitting at a certain angle- which didnt work out so well. Aparrently at the other beaches - Remanso especially - the swell was UNREAL. Double overhead, if you will. I ate some food with 2 of the 3 guys, and we watched Oliver take some waves. I said some hellos to the 3 hermanos, and then I attempted to surf. I paddled out faster than the 2 guys that i was with, which was nice- but only caught whitewater today. Either it was flat, or HUGE set waves- and even though it was impossible for me to catch them, it was really nice for my first day in 7 months. We headed back at noon to Casa Feliz- where I found out that I had been upgraded from Hammock to best room in the Hostel- the DELUXE room- with a double bed and no roomies- for $7 dollars a night.

I did my laundry, chilled with Josue and some of the other Casa Feliz peeps and then headed to the MERCADO with some guy. I have missed the mercado on a DAILY basis. The mercado has 5 restaurants in the center of a building -surrounded by vegetable vendors and people selling clothes.

I ordered my favorite meal at my favorite resturant in the world- Snapper in a jalepeno cream sauce, topped with onions- con arroz, frijoles ensalada y aguacate- it was even better than I had remembered. Not bad for 4 bucks.

There I ran into France. France probably the only REALLY black guy in San Juan del Sur- and everybody knows him. He is the first person I met on my very first night I visted, and he was like the best tour guide Ive ever had.

As we were talking- I looked up to see a tall tan surfer dude with dred locks. But not just any surfer dude- it was someone I knew very well. His name is Chele. The last time I saw him he was living in Santa Teresa. Apparently he moved here 6 months ago and never looked back.

THIS is what I love about traveling around the world, you run into people you know all the time.

After hangin with the guys for a bit, I headed off to Hotel Joxie- the only place in San Juan del Sur with power right now. The power has been off all day, and will probably turn on within the next few minutes. It happens all the time here, you just have to know where to go. Ive been typing for about an hour an 10 mins now.

Im so excited to be here- and the next four days are going to go by way too quickly. However, I have a date with the Jesus Statue- and I have go pay him a visit today. Afterwards Im going out with the gang.

Tonight is LADIES NIGHT- which apparently means 50 cent rum drinks and free shots of tequila. I cannot party too hard, I MUST RESTRAIN!! I have to re-learn how to surf tomorrow. Moving to a smaller board is like starting all over- but at least I know I can paddle faster than 2 men- one of which has lived here on and off for 6 years.

Life is good, Im safe, happy, and surrounded by some of the best scally-wags on earth.

HASTA LUEGO