Costa Rica has been a wonderful country to travel in, but unfortunate a bit too expensive Not expensive but in comprising to other countries I’ve been to it is. So after 5 days in Costa Rica I left Monteverde to make my way to Nicaragua! Country number 10 on my list!I left Monteverde early in the morning - 6 o’clock – to take a bus to the Panamerican Highway. From the point the bus dropped me – and only me and no one else -  I tried to stop several busses to get a ride to the next big town Liberia or a direct bus to the border. It took me 45 minutes until the local bus stopped and took me all the way to Liberia. Once there I was again the only gringo and had to wait an hour for the next bus to the border.

Crossing the border to Nicaragua was pretty easy but somehow also very strange. From where the bus dropped me I had to wait for an hour to get my exit stamp. Than I had to walk for about 20 minutes to get to the migration of Nicaragua, and it wasn’t easy to find. The whole border crossing was wired, no signs of where to go and I had to ask several people on the street. Most people who hang around the border weren’t really people you want to see when crossing the border on your own. But since I am alone I had no choice than to continue. I just ignored the doggy locking people who were also trying to make contact with me. Once I found the migration I got the entrée form from some guy how wanted to have some money for it. Of course I didn´t had any cash on me so he got nothing. Why? First of all because I didn’t had any Colons left, second because if you take out your money they know where it is, and that’s an easy target.

To get into Nicaragua you have to pay 2 US dollars to the migration.

From that point, I had to search again – searching for the next bus to Rivas. And again, walking around alone and searching for the bus isn´t really the best thing to do, but with some help of the locals I found it. I had to pay again1 US dollar to enter the city, or country or whatever was behind the fence I had to pass. But as I went through I saw indeed some chicken busses heading to Rivas for a dollar.

Welcome to Nicaragua!

The bus was damn hot and took about an hour to get to Rivas. I got dropped off at some street from where another bus left to get to Granada, but I wasn’t so sure about that and after some research I found out that I was right. I had to walk a couple of blocks to get to the bus terminal from where many busses left including one to Granada. I met a German girl who worked in Leon and she also went to Granada. Nice to meet a Gringo again. The bus took about an hour again and late in the afternoon I finally arrived in Granada, the oldest colonial city of Nicaragua.

Granada

Granada was really nice. I haven’t done much sightseeing here but it has some very nice churches an old buildings. The streets are full of people and somehow I got a feeling I was in Bolivia again. It’s a mix of shops and street market. You can buy really everything on the street here. But besides that Granada has a ‘strip’ of really nice restaurants and bars which you can find in Europe.

But if you are looking for some cheap food you can get a meal for 1 or 2 US dollars easily.

A nice place to stay is Hostel Oasis! It’s not a party hostel, but also not as quite as a hotel. Because it’s not high season there weren’t many people around but enough to have a good time here. And for the 7 US dollars you pay for the dorm, you get a swimming pool, several hammocks, nice sitting areas, a roof terrace, a(tiny) tv + dvd’s and (no free) breakfast.

Volcano Masaya

A half day trip away is an active volcano called Masaya. It’s not high and doesn’t look like a classic volcano but there is smoke coming out of one of the craters. They build some viewpoints from where you can see the big hole where the smoke comes out, and at night you can also see the lava! There is also a one and a half hour walk alone another inactive crater which gives beautiful views on the surroundings.

Isla de Ometepe

While in Granada a friend from Holland came down to visit me.. well not all the way from Holland but from Masaya, where he is living and doing some volunteering. Together we went for a 2 day trip to Isla de Ometepe to climb the highest volcano on the island.

We took the bus to Rivas, a taxi to San Jorge and from there a boat to Isla de Ometepe. We searched around for a place to stay and checked in at Hostel Central. A double room for 6 US dollars each. We also hired a guide to take us all the way up the volcano for 15 US dollars each. Leaving at 5 AM!

Next we left for some action. Nearby there should be a bull ride event. But once we were there and waited for about two or three hours and drinking some beers, there was no bull coming. Even the locals didn´t know why.. so we headed back to the hostel, got some diner, and went to bed to get some good night rest.

The next morning we got up at half past 4 to get ready. We took the 5 AM bus to the start point of the trek from where we had to walk about 3 hours through nice rain forest to reach the 1000 meter viewpoint. On the way we saw many different monkeys and birds. But having a nice view from the viewpoint.. no. It was even raining! Going to the top wouldn’t really make a difference so after a short break we took another way back to the town.

Once back in the hostel we had a rest and took the 12.30 ferry back to San Jorge and a bus back to Granada.

Leon

After some really nice days in Granada and at hostel Oasis it was time to move on. Next (short) stop: Leon. Also very nice but not expertly what I am looking for. Colonial town with many churches which are not really spectacular.

Place to stay: Hostel Bigfoot. Gringe place with a swimming pool, a pool table, tv + dvds, basic and cheap dorms (6 US dollars) and a great restaurant next door.

Getting kidnapped! Almost!!

There are many stories making the round.. people getting kidnapped by getting into a wrong taxi. Once in the taxi, more people getting in and they take you to a cash machine where you have to get money out. Most of time under thread of a knife!

While I was in the express bus to Managua – the capitol of Nicaragua and also the most dangerous city – a taxi passed the bus. Two people got out – a man and a woman. Both got into the bus and the man came sitting next to me. He was very friendly, asking me where I am going to, where I am coming from, my name, how long I am travelling, etc etc. He was too nice! He went also to Leon! He was visiting Granada for a day only, to say hi to a friend. He also told me what places we were passing, which cities and stuff.. and then he told me that he had a business selling fruits to tourists.. oh and of course he had a hostel with 6 US dollar dorms.

When we came closer to Managua he told me that the place were ‘we’ had to catch the next bus was coming. He wanted me to get off. Also the woman was telling me that.. how the hell did she know where I was going to? Anyway, the man crapped my backpack which was in the front and took it outside. I was asking the driver where the next bus to Leon was and he said ‘not here’. The helper in the bus went outside taking my backpack back into the bus, and the man disappeared but the woman went back into the bus, saying she had to go to Leon as well.. yeah right! In the mirror of the bus, I saw the man getting into the same taxi as he got off!! Isn’t that a coincident.. the women started talking to me, but I just didn’t gave an answer. At the bus terminal the bus driver said I had to wait a minute, all passengers got out, he drove 100 meters more to a bus saying Leon. Now that’s the bus I needed! The bus driver also told me that those people try it every day, watching the bus passing by and if there are gringos on board they try to get on as well.

I was lucky! But you should never, really never trust anyone! Always ask the bus driver where the next bus is, don’t ask random people and for sure don’t trust people that come sit next to you and want to help you. And of course trust on your instinct!

Nicaragua

Nicaragua is nice, but not really a great country. For sure there are many beautiful places like the beach and the volcano’s. But for me Nicaragua wasn´t as interesting as I thought it would be. Tomorrow I am heading off again.. making some serious distance! With only two months left I want to get to Guatemala and Mexico! So tomorrow I am taking the Ticabus from Leon all the way to Guatemala City. 2 days travelling with a night break in El Salvador.

Photos

Here and here!