What IS normal?

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As usual, I waited until the last second to pack. From 11pm until about 2am, I gathered all my belongings in a pile and decided what went and what stayed. It was akin to elementary school, the captains picking their respective teams, only to disdainfullyrounds out the last of their teams. Pathetic I know. Thor's Hammer didn't make the cut, as for once in my life, a rational head prevailed.

I awoke at 5am, made my obligatory cup of coffee, showered, and prepared for my top to the airport. As with all trips, I tend to get a case of the jitters. Nothing major mind you. Just a pre excitement, excitement. I conversed with the cab driver who was from Sierra Leonne. I wasn't exactly used to lively convos at 545am, but we had a nice talk on the way to Reagan.

The flight to Miami was up eventful. I was able to secure an aiseats eat and dozed in and out. The connection offered no hassle either. I was exhausted. I dozed in and out of a fitful sleep. The woman next to me asked, in Korean, if I would fill out her forms. I obliged. I doubted it coincidence that on a plane full of Nicaraguans and very few tourists, across the aisle from me was the lone Korean woman that was returning from a visit to San Fransisco to see her daughter. I detected sadness, perhaps from leaving her daughter, perhaps from not being abletoo understand the forms, perhaps being living in a foreign country she didwont want to be in. She was a resident of Nicaragua. I did not ask how or why, partly due to not wanting to upset her more (she was tearing up), and partly due to my lack of confidence in my Korean language skills. She seemed deeply saddened, so I left her alone after her paperwork was complete.

The plane ride seemed longat than it actually was, but we finally landed. I searched for a cab to the UCA (pronounced oo-kah), a mini bus hub. I finalized the decision to goto Leon for volcano surfing. A cab should have only cost me 5 dollars, but the touts insisted on 20. I was pissed and not ready to change my mindset, but it needed to be done. I scoffed at the first offer and searched for another. I found one offering 10. I told him it wasn't my first time in Nic and that I knew it was 5.

I repeated myself in Spanish later on, letting him know that it was my third time in Nic and that I knew it was 5. He seemed pleasantly shocked, but I still gave him ten at the end of the ride and let him know I was doing HIM a favor. He shook my hand. He unloaded me at a minibus headed to Leon. The express bus cost 46 Cabout a little over 2 dollars for the 80km, hour and a half ride. There were 11 passengers packed in tight, along with some Mysterious boxes that needed to be delivered. It's all about multi tasking I suppose.

Fast forward to the fantastic hostel I am at Big Foot. I arrived with little fanfare but much ado. It was roughly 2 pm when I walked into what I can only describe as a college bar atmosphere. It was alien and welcoming at the same time. I spoke with the youth faced local behind the bar and obtained my room. Afterwards, mojitos flowed freely and I befriended those around me.

Fast forward even further and blah, blah, blah, we had a blast. I introduced everyone to beer pong, but lost embarrassingly. After 4 games, we stopped by local club for some further entertainment. None was found, we retired by midnight.

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