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Because they have just discovered USB, I can't upload any photos from this particular tinterweb cafe, but I shall do the verbal stuff.
Health is good, lots of sleep, food and reading. Bottom is holding up well.
I'll start where I left off...
I climbed Pacaya volcano, not a huge walk, 3hrs up and down. Reaching the top was amazing. It was the first time i've ever seen lava being spewed up. Scott and I took the opportunity of fashioning a fishing hook into the the end of a walking pole so we were able to light our cigars off the lava flow. It was VERY hot getting to the lava so I had to hold my breath and then walk over, whilst getting exteremly baked and then running back to a less hot area navigating around area where hot air would shoot up my shorts. We did this with marshmellows too. Excellent day!
The next two days were spent Lake Atitlan which was okish. We went around the lake on a boat visiting the various indigenous tribes watching their pagan/christian/catholic celebration/going ons. Lots of very dangerous loud, home made fireworks here. Suprisingly I met my first central american Downs Sydrome girl, Anna who was 18. Many die at an early age or are cast out of society. She was very likeable and enjoyed a chinwag, I expect because of her ability to work the tourists and earn cash, they had the necessary systems in place to educate and look after her. The following day we went to yet another market, this time in Chichicastenango, which was smelly, had a smokeabowl like church and I experienced my second earthquake (had one in Oxford), it was pretty strong, my soup almost spilled and dogs and birds went mental and my tour leader thought I was shaking the table on purpose, jokes.
Today, we flew out to Managua, Nicaragua to meet the new tour guide and the new tour group, plane journey was fine and food filled. We went onto our first stop Granada. We went to a cool cigar shop, where my idol the Governator purchases his cigars and a colonial tower defence thing. Later that evening I went clubbing on my own with our new tour leader which was pretty cool as the rest of the group prefers to go to bed at 8, we hooked up with a few people we had met during the day, drank Tonya and Flore De Canya, whilst dancing the night away in a particularly sweaty locals club.
After a few more days we went to Lake Nicaragua largest freshwater lake in central america i think. We got a diesel accross to the Ometepe Island. At this point I realised how i love big turbocharged diesels as everything big is powered by an ancient turbocharged smokey big diesel. On the island I went Kiaking, had a new necklass made and played dominos. We stayed here two nights and thankfully moved on Costa Rica. I didn't really get on with bartering in Nicaragua (Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica have all been fine), literally eveything thing that i tired to buy, whether it was a service or product, they tried to rip me off. As such I would advice against going to Nicaragua, also, their dictator is getting ants in his pants and Nicaragua is doing a Honduras as I type.
In Costa Rica at last, where i'm typing from. First few days were spent in Rinseon de la Vieja. Here I finished my Big Bang by Simon Singh book after 6 years of ownership, (what I had missed out on, excellent read!) We to some sulphur pools, which stank and had red things that attached themselves to my feet as well as mites, which were quite sore to pull off.
Samara Beach in the Guff of Nicoya was up next. We were greeted by lovely weather, sand and sea. Great fresh fish, cool night life, plenty of young travellers and I tried my feet at surfing which i'm pleased to say i really enjoyed, pretty rubbish at the moment and exteremly unfit, but fun never the less, got onto my knees at one point.
Sadly left Samara and headed off for San Jose where our hotel, litterally was on a train track. Rumbled, belled and horned awake at 5am. San Jose itself is like any other city in central, pretty big, lots of people, good to walk around, look at indoor bloody markets and thats about it, also, collected new group people.
I'm currently in Monteverde atm. Had great fun today and will put up some VIDEOS, woohoo. Did a 1050m zipline 50m above trees and a huge ass rope swing. Great fun.
Again, appologies for the rushed blog, poor spelling, grammar, punctuation but its my punishment for leaving it too long between updates.
Take care all. Bed time.
I'll try and do a mini update on my accomodation, people i'm with, those who I miss, general thoughts on stuff e.g. life, the kids here, books, bats and work.
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