From Granada, Nicaragua to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica in a day...just! I left Granada at 7.15am and managed to board several buses and reach the border by 11. Unfortunately, there was a bus crash that stopped the buses leaving the Costa Rican side. Although the border crossing was pretty smooth...if you allow for strange Nicaraguans that follow you with the exit forms and a pen then ask for money! I´m not very good with that sort of stuff so got out my own pen and continuously repeated ´ésta bien´, that allowed me to be directed the Costa Rican side! I finally [View Full Entry]

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Nicaragua is full of surprises and one of its most glorious, unspoilt areas is here...the twin volcanoes in the lake! Clearly visible from the main road to Rivas and onto San Juan del Sur, the volcanoes dominate the skyline. Volcanos Concepcion and Maderas sit in the middle of the immense Lago de Nicaragua, whilst clouds hover on the summits of both, Concepcion is by far the biggest and most open to the elements, exposed volcanic rock evidence of its previous eruptions. Maderas, on the other hand, is covered in thick, dense cloud forest. We arrived by ferry into San jose, not [View Full Entry]

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Lago de Apoyo is about an hour from Granada on the bus, there are a couple of places to stay. I stayed at the Monkey Hut. This is an incredible crater lake that allows for fantasic swimming and kayaking and lots of chill time. However if you attempt the hike to the lookout, be prepared. Information is scarce but it is a fairly easy climb depending on the weather. Mud was a huge problem and some of the people we left with turned back...not before delaying us for ages. Allegedly it should take approximately 3 hours return. This was not [View Full Entry]

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Managua is well worth the stopover, especially if you stay at the Managua Backpackers Inn, Chaman 75 Varsul sur, colonial Los Robles. Near Metrocentro. This incredibly chilled place is a joint effort run by some great people. Manager David and owner Dan and all the people working there are wonderfully friendly and helpful. The place is immaculately clean and there is a fantasticly equipped kitchen, great outdoor area and a pool! It is just like a home and all the people staying there ending up staying for longer. The nightlife here is ridiculous and everynight there is a party to go [View Full Entry]

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It doesnt matter how far you go or how short you assume the journey, for some reason it always takes a day! My trip up to Matagalpa was just that! I left Leon on a local bus and headed to San Isidro, as apparently i could get another bus from here! a faster bus was heading to Esteli, but I had to wait an hour. Several hours later I am dropped off on a major highway junction...I´m used to this by now and my, slowly developing, Spanish is put to the test once again. I glance over my shoulder to see [View Full Entry]

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Just west of Leon, about an hour on the bus, is the beach of Poneloya and Las Penitas. i spent a few days here relaxing on a beautifully clean brown sand beach. I went to surf but as it happens there was not much swell...pretty unusual for here! So I spent my days swimming, without getting hammered, sunbathing and just lying in a hammock reading! I stayed at the Hotel Oasis and for $7 a night I was right on the beach. It was really quiet for a few days... and a little busy on Sunday when the guys from Bigfoot [View Full Entry]

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Well, Nicaragua has been a lot of fun . Quite strange being in a place where my sister, mum and dad have all been...although things here have changed a great deal im sure! The town seems quite prosperous and there are such lovely museums, markets and great stuff to do, not to mention fantastic nightlife! Bands, bars, clubs to suit all and with Mojitos at 25 Cordovas (just over a dollar) you have to join in. I climbed a volcano today then slid down on a wooden board with a ski rope attached.Hmmm! I spent a winter season trying to snowboard [View Full Entry]

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Wow! i didnt realise it has been so long since ive written and ive crossed 2 borders! El Salvador is not really on the Gringo/Lonely Planet trail...many people avoid it due to its dangerous reputation. Lucky me! It is a beautiful country with fantastic people, who just want to talk to you. They are a very proud people and have put up with a ridiculous amount of torture, oppression and poverty over the years, being the US puppet in Cental America didnt help their cause. However the country is outstandingly gorgeous and clean, the roads are good are the towns completely [View Full Entry]

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I wish someone had given me this advice...but here it is for anyone doing this trip! From Lago de Atitlan to Xela Leave San Marcos by taking a pick up-2Q, or tuk-tuk-10Q from the top road by the school. They will drop you at a road in San Pablo...wait for the first chichen bus! It costs 10 Q to get to the junction at 148kms (known as this!) Leave in the morning...i left at 7.30. The buses tend to run only in the mornings. This is the same from San Pedro although you can catch direct buses from the church in [View Full Entry]

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Los Amigos is one of the best hostels I've stayed in. Located in Flores, the tourist stop for Tikal, Matthias and his friends have created a haven of tranquility, good food, great people and amazing documentaries. It is hard not to want to stay here as the restaurante serves up amazing, vegetarian wholefoods. you never go hungry here, in fact the biggest complaint is that your belly hurts because you're so full. There is even a yoga/meditation spot on the roof, overlooking the lake. a beautiful place! after leaving Belize this place was like heaven and very easy to see Tikal [View Full Entry]

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