Ok, I admit it, I miss you all, though lets face it, some more than others. Yes I am officially homesick! So its just as well that I am on my final night on Ometepe, and heading towards Granada and then home, stopping only in Masaya to buy you all loas of brilliant pressies (ok probabaly a load of old nica crap!) Anyway, I have had a great time here over the last week, I ave hiked a preety huge volcano, the top of which was like the end of the world, howling winds, pissing rain, mud up to my knees and rats! Not quite what I expected but I made it. You will have to take my word for it too as I accidentally deleted all the pictures coz I was so tired aftewards(no really I did!) Anyway, it nearly killed me and I ma having trouble walking.
Today I went kayaking and saw a real live alligator (of which I do have a picture). Tomorrow I have a day of travelling which will involve a 3.5 hours chicken bus ride across the island, a 2 hours 'chicken ferry' trip, a taxi (which for the record is no more luxurious than the bus but at least minus the chickens) then another chicken bus and then prbably another taxi. Then I will be in the sanctity of Granada. I am staying at the Oasis hostel so lets hope it is just that!
So, as my travels come to an end I am looking forward to seeing you all again, a good roast dinner in the pub with you all, decent red wine, watching the new Che film (none of you are to watch it without me) and a good old binge. And you of course Zac! Oh and being a total travel bore for the next month. Ha! You all need to tell me what you want me to bring you back from out here. And be realistic please. So far it seems there are hammocks, rum, coffee or tack. And dont all say hammocks coz only have one bag and it is already filled with a load of my crap!
Hasta Pronto Mi Amigos! xxxx
Saturday, 3 January 2009
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Nuevo Años Con Me Solamente
So, i am offically solo travelling again. I arrived in Granad today from Leon after leaving my chaotic but trueoy brilliant friend Jessica in Leon. I can{t actualy believe that I have spent the last week with an American! yes thats right, a yank! She wont mind me saying it, she is more fucked off that I am. So no more beers for breakfast, horrendous bus rides, beach games, chain smoking, card tournaments or rum. Sigh. e got wrecklessly dunk for our last evening together though. Girls I have to admit I actually feel like I have been cheating on you!
Anyway, Granada is a world away from where I have just come from, tons of tourists, posh(ish) bars and tons of tack to buy. I am only here for the night though, first thing tomorrow I go South and takemthe boat across Largo de Nicaragua to an island which is basically two volcanoes to say in a little Cabaña (little hut thingy) for New Years. I have stocked up on Red Wine and I plan to watch the sunset from my balcony and look out over the lake as the New Year comes in. idylic hey? and no binge! New Years day I plan to hike up one of the volcanoes and kayak to money Island. It is going to be very stange without you all, but soon enough I will be back. Happy New Year to you all! and get wrecked for me please ladies (and that includes you Mum!)
Hasta Pronto! Kate
Anyway, Granada is a world away from where I have just come from, tons of tourists, posh(ish) bars and tons of tack to buy. I am only here for the night though, first thing tomorrow I go South and takemthe boat across Largo de Nicaragua to an island which is basically two volcanoes to say in a little Cabaña (little hut thingy) for New Years. I have stocked up on Red Wine and I plan to watch the sunset from my balcony and look out over the lake as the New Year comes in. idylic hey? and no binge! New Years day I plan to hike up one of the volcanoes and kayak to money Island. It is going to be very stange without you all, but soon enough I will be back. Happy New Year to you all! and get wrecked for me please ladies (and that includes you Mum!)
Hasta Pronto! Kate
Sunday, 28 December 2008
Feliz Navidad at Playa Juillillo
So I am now back in the land of the living and the relative civilisation of Leon after a week of sunshine, beach huts hammocks and rum for Christmas. My Spanish has gone totally out of the window and its not surprising really considering the amount of rum that was consumed, English was sometimes an effort.
I was preety much in the middle of no where, 4 hours up the coast on the hottest sweatiest bus I have ever been on,children climbing all over you, half dead chicken making the occasional break for freedom out of the only window that would open, 4 to a seat, the roof piled high with god knows what, and being hustled by little old ladies selling everything from fried chicken to great big granny pants. I am not sure I have ever been so happy to see the sea before in my life, and what a few, arriving just in time to go for a swim at sunset before settling into a hammock to drink rum and play cards. bliss!
Christmas day was pretty special. I woke with a raging hangover made mamagable by the fact that I was probably still a half cut. Had a beer for breakfast and hit the beach for the day. My friend out here Jessica is perhaps more competative than I am when it comes to games so what should have been a few beach games turned into more like a olympic marathon, swimming, surfing, card championchips, hammock swinging, ultimate frisby and crap racing. We finished the day off in style with red wine and red snapper.
So now its all over for another year and it is onward and upward. Tommorow I am planning the next part of my adventure. It will involve, volcano hikes, kayaking and some serious spanish study.
Hasta Pronto Mi Amigos! x
I was preety much in the middle of no where, 4 hours up the coast on the hottest sweatiest bus I have ever been on,children climbing all over you, half dead chicken making the occasional break for freedom out of the only window that would open, 4 to a seat, the roof piled high with god knows what, and being hustled by little old ladies selling everything from fried chicken to great big granny pants. I am not sure I have ever been so happy to see the sea before in my life, and what a few, arriving just in time to go for a swim at sunset before settling into a hammock to drink rum and play cards. bliss!
Christmas day was pretty special. I woke with a raging hangover made mamagable by the fact that I was probably still a half cut. Had a beer for breakfast and hit the beach for the day. My friend out here Jessica is perhaps more competative than I am when it comes to games so what should have been a few beach games turned into more like a olympic marathon, swimming, surfing, card championchips, hammock swinging, ultimate frisby and crap racing. We finished the day off in style with red wine and red snapper.
So now its all over for another year and it is onward and upward. Tommorow I am planning the next part of my adventure. It will involve, volcano hikes, kayaking and some serious spanish study.
Hasta Pronto Mi Amigos! x
Monday, 22 December 2008
Vamos a la playa!
So today is my last day in Esteli. I catch the bus to Leon in an hour on route to the beach for Christmas. Sun, sea, sand, hammocks and Rum await me at Playa Juillillo (try saying that when you are drunk!)
As a way of saying adios to Esteli - my first destination in Nica and the place that taught me all the Español I know - I am dedicating todays blog to this fine place.
Here are some things I dont want to ever forget about Esteli and a few things I am pretty sure I wont.
1. Running through town as the sun begins to rise, confusing the locals no end and causing traffic jams.
2. Listening to locals play Silvio Rodrigez on the guitar over bottles of rum in Cafe Luz
3. The market - all the fuit you can possibly imagine, piled as high as the sky. Some one please explain to mw why therefore you cannot find a salad anywhere in this place!
4. Esculela Horizonte - my Spanish school and my profesora Indira to whom I owe my still extremely poor gramma and mis-congugation of pretty much all the verbs I know.
5. La Cassita - a beautiful little hide-away in the mountains where you can eat humous (!) and drink smoothies in the sunshine surrounded by Mango trees.
6. Miraflor - a community cooperative high in the mountains above Esteli. Cascadas, sunsets, more stars than I have ever seen in my life put together and being able to see Honduras while riding on horseback!
7. My host family - mi padres de Nica! Its not their fault they live next to a slaughter house right?
9. Riding the bus Nica style. An experience in itself
10. El Hipico de Esteli - a huge street party with cowboys from across the country. Not to forget the Hummers and exotic limosines. yes really! and huge fucking bulls! Bareback. God.
11. Drymouth! What is it with this place?
12. Being woken up by birds, chickens, pigs, dogs and god knows what else at 4am 4.30am 5am 5.30 am....
13. It taking a whole day or hourse riding to learn how to say "left" in Spanish. Very necessary when your horse keeps trying to go home! = Izquierda!
14. Scruffy britches the dog nearly biting my hand off when I tried to take a cute picture of it for Zac - fucking thing chewed a bloody hole in my camera!
15. Rice and beans, and egg, for breakfast lunch and tea. Salad anyone?
So there we are Esteli in a nut shell. Merry Crimbo to you all! I hope to bring you my next message in Espanol!
Muchos Besos! x
As a way of saying adios to Esteli - my first destination in Nica and the place that taught me all the Español I know - I am dedicating todays blog to this fine place.
Here are some things I dont want to ever forget about Esteli and a few things I am pretty sure I wont.
1. Running through town as the sun begins to rise, confusing the locals no end and causing traffic jams.
2. Listening to locals play Silvio Rodrigez on the guitar over bottles of rum in Cafe Luz
3. The market - all the fuit you can possibly imagine, piled as high as the sky. Some one please explain to mw why therefore you cannot find a salad anywhere in this place!
4. Esculela Horizonte - my Spanish school and my profesora Indira to whom I owe my still extremely poor gramma and mis-congugation of pretty much all the verbs I know.
5. La Cassita - a beautiful little hide-away in the mountains where you can eat humous (!) and drink smoothies in the sunshine surrounded by Mango trees.
6. Miraflor - a community cooperative high in the mountains above Esteli. Cascadas, sunsets, more stars than I have ever seen in my life put together and being able to see Honduras while riding on horseback!
7. My host family - mi padres de Nica! Its not their fault they live next to a slaughter house right?
9. Riding the bus Nica style. An experience in itself
10. El Hipico de Esteli - a huge street party with cowboys from across the country. Not to forget the Hummers and exotic limosines. yes really! and huge fucking bulls! Bareback. God.
11. Drymouth! What is it with this place?
12. Being woken up by birds, chickens, pigs, dogs and god knows what else at 4am 4.30am 5am 5.30 am....
13. It taking a whole day or hourse riding to learn how to say "left" in Spanish. Very necessary when your horse keeps trying to go home! = Izquierda!
14. Scruffy britches the dog nearly biting my hand off when I tried to take a cute picture of it for Zac - fucking thing chewed a bloody hole in my camera!
15. Rice and beans, and egg, for breakfast lunch and tea. Salad anyone?
So there we are Esteli in a nut shell. Merry Crimbo to you all! I hope to bring you my next message in Espanol!
Muchos Besos! x
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
El mito de la atletisimo chica Inglesa!
Lets get one thing striaght. People in Nicaragua do not run. anywhere. Unless they have absolutely have to. They sit. On the street, in bars, on bikes, on horses, in the backs of pick up trucks, on buses that date back to 1950s and go so slow it is actually quicker to run. Running is just not in the Nica psyche. The sight of me running through Esteli town center is therefore quite a strange one apparently.
My decision to do this peculiar activity is down to three reasons 1. Nicaraguans kive on a diet of tortilla, rice, potatos, bread, beans, pancakes, and cafe, and more bread. Carns anyone? No wanted to return home to a new life of singledom I think it best that I partake in one cariovasucular activity when possible. 2. The showers are so cold at my casa that you need to get hot enbough to firm it. 3. The third and final reason is prpobably the most important one. We lkive next to a butchers, and every morning at about 6.30am they slaughter whatever it is they plan to sell that day. Yes really. Just the otherside the the wall. The first morning it was chickens and I though they were just having difficulty laying their eggs that morning. The next day it was pigs and there was not mistaking it. Ear plugs dont work, and nor does the ipod even on full blast. Apparently you get used to it. I dont want to. goung for a run means I miss the massacre and am back in time for breakfast. Welcome to Nicaragua chica vegetariana!
In fact, I absolutely love my moring runs through town. The sun is coming up, and everything is just starting to wake up and come to life: people opening their shops, brushing down pavements, selling newspapers, strolling to work or piled high on the backs of toyota trucks, whole families crammed onto bikes that wobble along. The morning is where you see the porrest of Esteli too; the shoe shiners, the people sleeping rough on benches, the very old carrying huge baskets of fruit to sell that day in Parque Central.
It is fair to say I get some very confused looks from passers by, people stop and stare, some point, some laugh, some whistle, cars swerve, taxis offer me a lift (ha ha!) but most dont really know whats going on until I gone. By the time I am back I have missed the murder, can brave the shower and am ready to learn some Spanish. What a way to start the day!
My decision to do this peculiar activity is down to three reasons 1. Nicaraguans kive on a diet of tortilla, rice, potatos, bread, beans, pancakes, and cafe, and more bread. Carns anyone? No wanted to return home to a new life of singledom I think it best that I partake in one cariovasucular activity when possible. 2. The showers are so cold at my casa that you need to get hot enbough to firm it. 3. The third and final reason is prpobably the most important one. We lkive next to a butchers, and every morning at about 6.30am they slaughter whatever it is they plan to sell that day. Yes really. Just the otherside the the wall. The first morning it was chickens and I though they were just having difficulty laying their eggs that morning. The next day it was pigs and there was not mistaking it. Ear plugs dont work, and nor does the ipod even on full blast. Apparently you get used to it. I dont want to. goung for a run means I miss the massacre and am back in time for breakfast. Welcome to Nicaragua chica vegetariana!
In fact, I absolutely love my moring runs through town. The sun is coming up, and everything is just starting to wake up and come to life: people opening their shops, brushing down pavements, selling newspapers, strolling to work or piled high on the backs of toyota trucks, whole families crammed onto bikes that wobble along. The morning is where you see the porrest of Esteli too; the shoe shiners, the people sleeping rough on benches, the very old carrying huge baskets of fruit to sell that day in Parque Central.
It is fair to say I get some very confused looks from passers by, people stop and stare, some point, some laugh, some whistle, cars swerve, taxis offer me a lift (ha ha!) but most dont really know whats going on until I gone. By the time I am back I have missed the murder, can brave the shower and am ready to learn some Spanish. What a way to start the day!
Friday, 12 December 2008
Nica here I come!
1 day to go. eeeeeeeeeeeeeek! To excited to really write anything... my next post will come from Esteli!
Thursday, 4 December 2008
8 Days to Go!
Gulp. Eeek, help! Ok, so a bit overdramatic but you get the idea. Just over a week until take-off and I am more than a little nervous. When you look at the facts my fear is not exactly unjustified. I am now at that stage now where I have an enormous pile of crap shoved in a bag and a to do list as long as my arm, which includes pretty vital things, like Travel Insurance, a Mosquito Net, Malaria pills, a plan! Not to mention a basic grasp on the Spanish language... Hummmmm. On the bright side I have taken the time to purchase such vital things as intensive conditioner, a new eyeliner and squeezy Marmite (a travel staple clearly)!
So as I survey the carnage I think it may be time to write myslef a rather comprehensive to-do list. Wish me luck!
So as I survey the carnage I think it may be time to write myslef a rather comprehensive to-do list. Wish me luck!
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