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Published: July 20th 2014
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As we sat at Don Jon's for our 5th day we decided it was time for a change. The surf had been fun, the accommodations were nice, and the people really great (shout out to Elle, Felipe, Uzi and Dana). However, we had been comfortable too long.
Our original plan was to meet our friends in Tamarindo (northern end of Costa Rica) after returning our car. Sorry to bail on them, but surf was dying so we returned our car early, saving a little money and decided to head straight to Nicaragua. It will have to be another time when we go visit Tamarindo and surf the legendary wave Witches Rock.
After a 5+ hour drive on many confusing dirt roads we made it to our car rentals place. We booked a hotel in town with plans to get hooked into the charter bus that goes to a city relatively close to where we were going to go. Turns out, we had to book that bus more than 24 hours in advance. So, we planned to take the local bus to the Nicaragua border and figure it out from there.
Upon arrival
to the bus stop, we saw mod people looked to be Nicaraguan or Costa Rican. We tried to fit our boards under the bus, however, they did not fit...We were not down to spend money on a taxi tide over when the bus was only 5$. A man came over (likely seeing the distraught look on our face) and told us (all in spanish) to take a board out of the bag. We took one out, wrapped it up, and out it in a compartment with our bags. The driver closed it up so no one else would put their bags in which would mess up my board.
After an hour and a half bus ride of a Funny Nicaraguan guy kicking my arm and feet in his sleep we arrived to the border. The crossing was a little bit interesting. First we had to go through a process to leave Costa Rica and then walk about about half a mile with our board bags to cross through Nicaragua. 2 guys came up with us and asked us if we needed a taxi. Dealing with these guys was the first time I really felt my spanish was necessary since they spoke almost no English. He said 80 then 60 for the taxi ride. Our hostel owner said 60 was a good price so we said ok. They showed us the way to go through the different steps which was great. Then they started to talk about an inspection saying that we could only bring one board each into Nicaragua and that we would have to pay 8$ a board. Coincidentally enough, they knew a guy that worked one of the gates! Costs only 15$ for us. Keep in mind this while conversation is going on with our weak broken spanish. They said you had to pay before the inspection or they wouldn't let you in. So I figured we could go to the inspection, see if there was validity to what they were saying, and if it proved to be true, we could go back and go with their buddy. I would say after 10 minutes of discussion and me pretty much saying let's just go through the inspection, they just took us the way they were planning to. W got the taxi and they STILL tried to claim we had to tip the guy who let us in. We threw them 5$(maybe couple $ extra but that's ok) and went on out way to Playa Gigante.
Playa Gigante is an interesting place. The closest city, San Juan del sur is about 45 minutes south of here. It's really just a one road town, probably half a mile long mostly run by "gringos". There is one taco stand, 2 dead restaurant, 1 small market(size of maybe half a small class room), a pizza place only open 1 or 2 days a week, 4 hostels and then our place. Camino de gigante is a restaurant and bar right on the beach. It is the most busy spot in the area. There are hammocks on the beach, a slack line, boats to take out to spots and rooms for rent. We are staying in the dorms which cost 12$ a night (no ac). However the rooms stay pretty cool since they are on the ocean and there is more wind that keeps it cool.
We were looking at the forecast and were a little bummed. Surf looked small, food isn't as cheap as it is in the rest of Nicaragua, and we really are stuck here for 6 nights total. This is because we have a surf camp a couple hours north booked on July 25. Also to get to the surf we were told we had to take a boat and that boat price is now up to 7$ a person. Hard to be worth it if there's minimal surf.
The mood changed quickly when we met a student athletics advisor from Berkeley. He told us we could walk to the surf and it only takes 45 minutes to an hour. To be continued as we are about to head out to our second surf.
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mom
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waiting with bated breath for next entry. shower this weekend, patio finished this afternoon, yikes!! monday, missouri for one week. sierra good, but i think she needs nail clip as i hear them drag when she walks. much love, have fun, be safe. mommy