Day 71+...: Matilda's, Playa Madera, near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

We have made it to the pacific ocean finally! We have journeyed over 7,000 miles in about 70 day (for all of you math buffs out there thats about 100 miles per day)

Our first night here the hostel we wanted to stay at was full so we opted for the misquito infested tent, we woke up in the morning and there were 30+ of these guys floating around to full to eat any more of our blood. We were happy when we moved into our dog houses, a cozy structure four feet in its highest spot and just big enough for two beds.

It is 100 cordobas per night per person ($35 per week buffs), which is not to bad considering that I can look out from my bed through our screen half doors, out the small gate leading to the beach and am just able to make out the size of the waves and what tide it is. By these calculations I can roughly figure out what time it is and if I need to brew some coffee and start another day in paradisimo.

I picked up a surfboard today, meaning i shelled out 200 bucks for a really nice 7'3" piece of foam to take out in to the ocean and play with waves, a phenominon that occures when a serge of water meets a sloaping sand beach and the top of the wave moves at a quicker speed than the bottom of the wave, through friction all of you thermodinamics people, so that the wave curls over, usually when this happens the entire surge breaks all at once, but if you are lucky the serge comes in at an angle and breaks over a period of time either from right to left or vis versa. Depending of the size of the serge and the shape of the ocean floor the waves are unique their area. Going out onto these waves is quite an interesting experience, first you wade out upto your waist and jump up onto your board and paddle out. Paddling seems to be quite easy but I think it is the most difficult thing in surfing, try getting through pounding waves with the only propulsion being your arms. They get buff really quick.

Surfing is like fishing, its not called catching for a reason because most of the time you are not catching but getting pounded by the waves, a nice little reminder that mother nature can still kick you ass. And it is not about how big of a wave you can catch and what sick moves you can throw down, it is about how much fun you are having and how this experience makes you feel. It is a great feeling the power of the wave in a positive way, having it propell me while I am
standing on it even just for a split second, I can only imagine...

At night we cook some dinner and make a fire on the beach, sing and look at the stars, the milkyway, and other planets in our solar system. It is so clear you can see everything and visualize the moon spinning around the earth which in turn is spinning around the sun along with a few other planets, and our sun is just one of many stars in our galexy and I realized that all things are relative, the only real significants of a year or a day is that it is just our reference to the sun that we call time, but there is a universal time that is much "slower" than what we experience, it is one that time is measured by the speed of light and of entire solar systems changing their relative distences from each other over a "long" time. We are lucky that we have the ability to see a "snapshot" of this time. We are significant only in that we make this reality based on the information we are able to access. What is it that we don't know, but is right infront of us waiting for us to discover it, and if we discover it is that when it has an existence or dose this possiblity already exist, and if this is true, that these possibilities exist than this means that everything is possible until we prove it otherwise, and even in this case of proving it we are only using the tools that we understand to prove it and if that is true how can we find something new if don't know that it exists. Why is it not possible to float off of the ground or fly? Because we think that it is not possible or because it is not possible? and how do we know for sure that it is not possible, are we only using what we know to come to this conclusion?

Lots of questions that bring up more questions, I think this is philosophy, but thats only what they tell me, you know those people who say it exists.

Day 70; El Zopilote, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua to Matilda's, Playa Madera, near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua

With our bellies full of a wonderful breakfast of homemade bread, cheese, eggs n'shit (ie a scramble with veggies) and hot coffee we set out from our relaxed accomodations back across the isla to Moyogalpa where the ferry docks. There are many boats running between the mainland and the isla each day although not all of them are car ferrys. The eleven o'clock boat was a large launcha (well it was at least much bigger than the launcha we took to cross the river from Mexico to Guatemala) with passengers sitting in the lower coverd deck and the cargo and our bikes on the open upper deck. With no properly secured ramp for loading up the bikes, the guys helping us load up had to get a bit creative with a wood plank and at least a dozen sets of hands. with the bikes secured we set out for the heavily rocking hour long boat ride back to San Jorge.

Unloading was even more exciting with frothing waves tossing the launcha up and down while we once again manuvered the bikes across a wood plank and onto the solid ground with the help of many hands.

Not wanting to stay right in the center of town in busy San Juan del Sur, we headed north when we reached the ocean (woohoo, the Pacific at last!) to Playa Madera where we heard there was a great hostel and beach in a more pleasing setting. Turns out, as with much oceanside property in central America, the hostel and surrounding land has recently been purchased by a private party who does not want to share so no dice there. Good thing there is still Matilda's: a little compound with a few cabanas, a half dozen private rooms, four "dog houses", ample space for camping, a communal kitchen and the gate opening right out onto Playa Madera. Perfect.

Day 68-69: Hostel Hacienda Merida, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua to El Zopilote, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

Day 68: Today we hike Volcan Madera.

so when hiking up a volcano it is important that you know that it is a volcano and can be dangerous, not only because it is a volcano but because it is a very large object that you are trying to get on top of. This volcano, and many like it, generates its own cloud and has its own cloud forest in which it is extremely muddy. We decide to join up with some other travelers, on peddle bikes, and hike this badboy. The only thing is that we leave out the guide that is meant to protect you from the dangerous volcano. We slowly make our way up some small paths and through farmers yards and we ask directions from these farmers and get mixed looks and expressions like, "el comino is muy peligroso". We ignore these and ask if the top is up, they say yes, and we continue.


Little paths cross big paths and faint paths cross small paths, over bare hills and past farmers and cattle and flowers, a breeze blows the heat off of us, we get up to a little plato and have a view of the lake, white capped and the volcano conception with its top hat cloud.

we don't stop long and continue up the mountain. similar to hiking to the waterfall as we continue the trail gets steeper but this time it get more and more muddy until we are sinking in to our ankles.



About two hours from the top I get a small pain and dismiss it for a little cramp, about twenty minutes later I have stopped and can't move. Hours from any road I am bent over and loosing energy quickly. We tell the other hikers that what is happening and we head down very slowly. My salvation is thinking of the little lookout spot in a field of flowers and sunlight that i can lay down in. After at least two hours of crippling pain, and getting rid of breakfast, we step out into the field and i lay down and curl up into a ball while Colin eats what is left of our sandwishes. After a while we make the rest of the trip down, get on our bikes and make it back to our hostle just as our hiking partners arrive after hiking to the top and back down the other side. We pack up and jump on the bike, heading back over to El Zopilote the backpackers where we had homemade pizza Tuesday night and met up with our friend Nate, whom we first met at Casa Perico back in Guatemala. It turns out it has been exactly 28 days since we saw him last, we know this because it seems he is our full moon buddy.

Day 69: Enjoying an cooperative organic farm on the shoulder of a volcano.

El Zopilote is a pretty amazing place. First there is the setting, just breathtaking amongst hundreds of banana and plantain trees with a little watchtower affording views of both volcanoes and the lake waters below. Then there is the hostel itself: hammock and tent space, dorms, private cabins, composting toilets, concrete and glass showers and great people. Can't forget of course the produce and goods grown and produced right on the farm such as coffee, jams (try mixing bananas and ginger sometime, wow), homemade bread (so good) and whole bunch of veggies. Some travelers come for a few days, some stay and work for months.


We also took some time to go down to the windy beach on the east side of the isthmus: another idealic place to chill.

Volcan Madera:

Day 66-67: Hostel Hacienda Merida, Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua

Day 66:

Colin was still feeling a little sick and Frauke was still recovering from her surfing accident so I decided to take a hike to a waterfall. It was later in the afternoon and headed out east from our hostel along the dirt road towards the entrance to the biological research station and the path up to the waterfall. Volcanoes are very interestingly shaped. they start off almost flat at the bottom and by the time you are at the top it is almost vertical. Luckily, due to being on the bikes for two months, the waterfall was only partly up the volcano from the road, only about 3 kilometers. I walk slowly down the dirt road in the hot afternoon sun, waving and smiling to the locals doing chores around their houses. They mostly smile and wave back. I feel as though I walk about a quarter way around the island to arrive at the beginning of the path to the waterfall, by now i am a bit warm as i pay the 40 cordoba entrance fee and start the walk up. The first kilometer slowly slops up a dirt road. As i raise up the volcano the view just becomes more and more spectacular. I turn off the steep dirt road after 2 kilometers onto a small dirt path with warning signs in both english and spanish that i continue at my own risk. I am not sure if this is because of the path or the danger of getting robbed. Needless to say I continued at my own risk, and seeing as how we have not encountered any, this was a great choice because after the ass kicking hike through rain forest and up riverbeds i arrived at the canyon where the waterfall drains into. the walls are well over 100 feet and the river is only about 20 feet across, it is shaded and cool. The canyon opens up a little more at the waterfall and it is just awesome, high walls covered in green moss and ferns surround me. The water is streaming over the edge and splashing its way to where i stand. I receive a much needed cool spray and sit with my back to a warm rock looking up at the lip where the source of the waterfall is. A bird tempts me and thermals out in my limited view of the sky, it is windy up top but i feel almost none of the breeze, only the mist from the waterfall.

Sunset from the dock at Hacienda Merida:



Day 67:

Chilled out time: take one part hammock and two parts cocoa/banana liquados, sustain for hours upon hours... ahhh

Day 65: San Jorge, Nicaragua to Hostel Hacienda Merida, Isla Ometepe, Nicaragua

Driving the bikes out of the restaurant was just as fun as driving them into the building. We had time for a quick breakfast with our new friend Gustavo who would not leave us alone because he was here to help us through all of the hard paperwork getting onto the little boat, $200 cordobas later the bikes and the three of us are on the boat for the one hour boat ride out to Isla Ometepe.

We can see the Volcano from the mainland and for the entire ride the mountains rise our of the lake and grow bigger and bigger. In the middle of the lake the boat stops to pick up some fishermen who ran out of gas.




Arriving these volcanos are massive, rising up 1,600+ and 1,300+ meters. The island consists of these two volcanos and are attached by a small land bridge that is the windiest part of the island.

The three of us cruse south around conception and cross the land bridge over to the smaller volcano Moderas. These roads have water drains every 100 meters and dip down and we slow as we come to them and bounce our way accross. There are also a plethera of dirt roads that are more populated with animals than people.






We arrive at a beautiful lakeside hostel, Hacienda Merida with smiles on our faces.



We set up our hamicas, take a small rest and then gear up without the luggage and hit the circular road around the island. We find that the worse the roads are the more friendly the people, and these roads were bad! Covered in giant rocks, we almost spilled out many times. This island is special really truly wonderful. During the contra Wars this island was unaffected due to its remoteness. There are wonderful 360 degree vistas of both the volcano and the lake.



The hostel has a large dock that is our entrance to the lake. We sleep with views of the lake and the wonderful volcano breeze. One of the other guests has a young kid who is violently sick, they ask us to give them a ride to the other side of the island to get some Gatorade. We have a wonderful buffett dinner and a dessert of the local school kids dancing for us.

The final performance is with two local transvestites. This is quite amazing culturally that they are allowed to do this in front of everyone. There were many derogatory remarks, especially by some premedical students from the USA, made in the crowd.

Day 64: Granada, Nicaragua to San Jorge, Nicaragua

Scuba photos on Day 57 are up!

Day 63: Granada, Nicaragua

Day 62: Ocotal, Nicaragua to Granada, Nicaragua

Day 61: Juticalpa, Honduras to Ocotal, Nicaragua

When in a foreign country and no one you ask seems to think the road you're looking for exists, what do you do? Go looking for it anyhow, of course. We had one of these experiences this morning trying to head south from Juticalpa. Yesterday we purposefully headed to Juticalpa in order to take this road, which we had seen on two out of three maps we studied, in order to avoid having to navigate through Tegucigalpa. We followed our instincts and just as we headed down a dirt road into the unknown a nice old man on a bicycle assured us that we were headed for "El Plomo" a town that had an important right turn to keep us headed on the right track. Well, while every town we came to had nice green signs informing us of it's name, none of them had the title we were looking for so after 45 minutes or so we pulled over to ask if we were still on the right track. Of course, none of them had heard of "El Plomo" and for at least 10 minutes, none of them had any suggestion besides heading through Tegucigalpa. A crowed of people began to gather and finally a guy who had been there silent the whole time stepped forward and proceeded to tell us exactly what we were looking for: El Plomo was really Bijagual and that if we turned there we would be able to get to Danli, the town where the road from Tegucigalpa meets up with our ellusive route.

It's a good thing we were so persistent: that was one of the best roads we have traveled on. Starting from the flat dusty pature land we had been traversing for the last hour plus, the road headed up into the hill country. Several stream/river corssings (sans bridges), tight switch backs and incredible vistas at every turn led us through the next couple hours of travel.







The border with Nicaragua at Las Manos was trouble free and with both immigration and customs offices all in one place, there was no need to tote border agents around for 60km or make redundant trips to a bank. Apparently this is a border many truckers choose to cross at as there must have been about 100 big rigs parked all along the two lane road heading up to the crossing necessitating some fancy weaving and manuvering on our part in order to make our way through. Nicaragua is the first country on the trip that has required insurance for our motorcycles (Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras didn't even have it as an option, at least for us).

Heading down from the pass which the border was perched on, we entered a whole new temperate zone. I would liken it most to Utah or Colorado with dry low bushes and grasses patched across the steep slopes on either side of our riverside route. We made our way into Ocotal in the fading light searching for an ATM and a place to stay for the night. Without much trouble we founds both although once again discovering that VISA is the preferred card here in Central America.