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