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My whirlwind tour through Central America continues, dear reader , with selected highlights from Nicaragua. Time constraints limit my options at this particular stage of the trip, yet if the choice is between a short visit to these wonderful countries or not being here at all, I certainly won´t need to phone a friend as the decision is a no brainer. I booked a seat on an international Tica Bus from San Jose across the border to Rivas in the south of Nicaragua. From there a further short taxi ride, and then a one hour ferry crossing landed me at the magical Isla de Ometepe on Lake Nicaragua, which is the largest lake in Central America. The island was formed by the lava from two large volcanoes, and Volcan Concepcion at 1610 metres is still active. It's a haven for wildlife to thrill birdwatchers with lovely walking trails, and is still largely undeveloped. This provides a good opportunity for backpackers to get off the beaten track and do some beautiful walks amidst the spectacular backdrop of the volcanoes.

It was soon time to move on and north is the plan. A very short bus trip (what a bonus!) and I was in the superb Bearded Monkey hostel in the sixteenth century colonial town of Granada. I love these latin american colonial towns, they are gorgeous and so picturesque. I was delighted to meet up again with two female friends from my travels in South America, and we went out that night to a great local club for a big night out. At closing time I met two Nica chicas and we kicked on to another club. I hit the dance floor and busted a few salsa moves with the chicas, and later on we met a Swiss guy and ended up on the beach for sunrise. Towards the end of the evening I went for a walk along the beach with one of the chicas, and it was while we thought we were alone that a funny incident occurred. Er, remind me to give some more detail on this risque travel story another time! The next day at the hostel my friends and I were just chilling, having a good laugh and trading stories on our misadventures from the previous night. The comfortable banter and relaxed atmosphere made me realise how much I miss the travel friends I made while travelling in South America. It's a very special part of the world, and I send a big hi to all of you!

The Nicaraguans have suffered terribly from a debilitating civil war in the 1980´s, yet they have an amazing generosity of spirit that reminds me of Vietnam and it´s people. I've seen no evidence of lingering resentment or bitterness towards western tourists. For my part, I believe that travellers have an obligation as responsible tourists to share cultural exchanges, break down barriers of understanding, contribute to local economies, and attempt to play a small role in making the world a better place. The hospitality of the Nicaraguan people after going through such terrible times serves as an inspiration to me. They have suffered through the civil war, the trade embargo and the devastation wrought by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which all contribute to Nicaragua's status of being the second poorest nation in the western hemisphere. However, the incredibly cheap prices and stable political situation have triggered the first stages of a western investment boom that may well transform the country in the next decade.

I pushed on to Leon with an American guy from the hostel on another wonderfully short commute, and the city is a colonial rival to Granada. You will find the largest cathedral in Central America right here in Leon. We arrived at our new hostel, checked in and then sat down to chill over a cold drink, when out of the blue my travel friend bungs down a prosthetic eye flush on the table. I cop a geeze at the prosthetic eye, and the prosthetic eye doesn't even bat an eyelid! My mate went on to explain that his previous job was as an Ocularist, but he was having problems with his employer. I piped up with ¨What, you weren´t seeing eye to eye!¨ Then he went on to say that it was great for chatting up women. Make of that what you will, but who am I to argue as my friend has a wife waiting for him back home in the States.

I've had a brilliant visit to Nacaragua, and my stay has been reminiscent of some of the wild and crazy times on offer in South America. The quality of the hostels is a pleasant surprise, and you often end up with quality dorms, a bar, a movie room, hammocks and a restaurant! In company with an intriguing bunch of fellow travellers it's easy to get ensconced in the hostel without having to go out at all, but later on the cities of Nicaragua really come alive. When I think about it, basically all of you should be here now!

As I continue my travels, until next time it´s signing off for now

Tom

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