Monteverde (Costa Rica) to Ometepe (Nicaragua)

Following our zipline excitement we opted that it was time for some exercise. So we made our way up the steep climb to Cerro Tres Amigos, through swarms of ground burrowing bees, where a view of Volcano Fortuna was still shrouded by clouds.

The following day we visited the butterfly garden, where we got to set free new hatchlings (Hannah's was called a Postman as it flys the same route of flowers everyday, I forget what mine was).

And that evening we visited the Frog Pond.

Then we were off on the hunt for a beach suitable a 29th Birthday, and whilst the beach wasn't the cleanest it was good for beach combing , the sea unswimable due to dangerous currents and most places were shut during the evening as it was the low season, fun and tranquility was enjoyed by all, only interrupted by mischievous monkeys and inquisitive birds.

One long day spent on a bus with one night spent at Liberia, and we were back on a bus (at 8am after ignoring the alarm for the 5am) to the border. And the biggest faff in the world ever (big claim TM) goes to...Costa Rican border officials, who decided that the best way to deal with the hundreds of people in the queue was to take their passports, kick everyone out, and an hour later cause the biggest bundle in the world ever when the guy comes out with everyones passport. Smart.

Anyway we made it to the Nicaraguan side, only to find that as it was election day there was a severely reduced bus service (making it the first time we'd wished we had actually listened to the taxi guy offering us a good fare all the way to our destination, but deciding to get the stupidly cheap bus which he said wasn't running, but actually was, but only halfway, which we found out when it was too late). Then to top it off you can't buy or even drink alcohol on election day, luckily we had a carton of wine left over from my birthday.

So welcome to San Juan del Sur, a friendly small town nestled into a horseshoe cove, were the skies are blue (yes, it has finally stopped raining) and the waves are rad.

Check out this ant´s cigarro promotion...

After a couple of days on the beach, sun bathing and body surfing, we headed out on a turtle tour. 22Km south on a beach called La Flor where 200,000 (+/- 100,000) Olive Ridley turtles come up onto the beach under the cover of darkness, but under a superbright almost full moon, to lay a hundred ping pong ball eggs a piece. It was truly an amazing sight, there wasn't a part of the beach untouched, from the tractor tire flipper marks coming in and out of the sea where shiny wet turtles would emerge from crashing waves and sandy exhausted turtles would disappear, or flapping turtles would dig and bury nests above the high tide line. The turtles were probably ¾ of a meter and it was incredible to think that 100 ping pong balls would even fit in them, and the skill they used in digging the final part of the nest with their back flipper, completely out of sight, was almost hilarious. Basically the beach was covered in turtles...oh, and gringos, making this probably the least responsible tour we've been on, surprising considering it was run through the conservation park itself.

Then I was back on a surfboard for a day in big barrels, and the only thing stopping me from looking super knarly is my upper body strength not being able to get me up quick enough to actually drop down into the wave, but I was still standing, sometimes.
Another day another beach, a really nice one with hermit crabs scurrying around.

Thanks again to all of you who have taken the time, and emptied your wallets, to sponsor me, my Tash can truly face the world proud, even if its not filling out as well as could be hoped, but equal opportunities and all that...

...here goes 14 days, welcome to my hacienda

Onwards and upwards to the Isla de Ometepe, made up of two volcanos in the middle of a massive lake (which is home to fresh water bull sharks, not that we saw any).

As we've been taking it too easy for a while we decided to head up Volcan Maderas, which at only 5km sounds easy but add 1300m up and down to that, luckily the crater lake was cool. Oh, and true to the recent theme, the volcano we climbed was covered in cloud.

Otherwise the island was generally a lovely place, the lake fun to swim in and with very friendly people.

We've just arrived in the colonial town of Granada, which is nice, but not only has it started raining I've just read that the Great British Pound (my arse) is only worth $1.49, what greater proof could I have that none of you are pulling your weight at work!

7th of Movember

Thanks to all for my birthday messages! I had a very relaxed day, having partied the night before, eating good food, enjoying good company and chilling on the beach.

So the moment of truth, Week 1. I'd just like to say that I have started wet shaving, going beyond the call of duty as I haven't done for over 2 years, to enhance the power of the Tash.


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Panama City to Monteverde (Costa Rica)

Three hours in a jeep through the jungle was rewarded by our first sighting of the San Blas Archipelago, 365 paradise islands surrounded by crystal clear waters.

We stayed with Eulogio and his family on the island of Carti, one of the few islands that has more than one family on it, with a population of between 600 and 1000 people. Everyday he would take us on boat trips to beauty spots such as the Island of Dog (not to be confused with the Isle of Dogs), Pelican Island or to reefs where star fish lazed.

We even managed to stay on our own desert island, not the most beautiful, but all ours. The island had 2 unfinished huts, 3 trees and hammocks for beds, so arrangements were made for our meals to be delivered to us - not bad considering we got fresh lobster for lunch. We spent a night under a shooting star sky and watching the sea bugs glow, and the day splashing around and snorkeling around the coral, the island was Coral Island after all.

Having finally started getting a bit of a tan, I've been using factor 50, we needed to rest our skin and head into the mountains. And you'll be pleased to know that ever since we've been rained on everyday.

Boquete was a small and relaxed town surround by cloud forest and coffee plantations. We spent our first day walking around the hills (actually they are mountains but to us anything without snow on them seems so feeble) and pottered around the private gardens of El Explorador, which was sold to us as an Alice in Wonderland experience but in reality was just a collection of junk that some mad old woman had filled with plants.

The highlight was having a tour around the Kotowa coffee plantation and factory with a session of coffee tasting. We tried the 4th best organic coffee in the world, the 1st prize winner sells at $120 a lb, and I now know I favor a medium roasted Arabica bean.

For those of you who are worrying about their acohol intake, Panama has come up with the solution, beer that actually sobers you up...

Following a nine hour bus journey, combined with our longest border crossing and two bag checks, we arrived in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, and happily left the following day.

We spent our time in La Fortuna waiting for the cloud, and rain, to leave and give us a view of the active volcano Arenal. Three days later we finally give in, we never did see the top, and go on a night lava viewing tour. From 2km away we watch boulders of lava, the size of cars, dropping out of the clouds and explode as they tumble down the side of said volcano. Sadly the minuscule lens of my point shoot camera couldn't capture it.
We left the following day going by jeep-boat-jeep, with the view still strangled by clouds , and arriving in the Quaker town of Monteverde. Hours later we find ourselves on a canopy tour of the cloud forest ziplining through the trees.

And, the tash is coming along nicely but is feeling shy without your support, one whole GBP will do! Sponsor me here: http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1815071

Tx