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TWINS ON TOUR!!!
Hi everyone!
All I ever seem to be doing these days is long catch up blog entries but what can I say its not a difficult decision between sitting in an Internet cafe and exploring beautiful Islands! So here we go....
We left Managua on Wednesday the 5th March at 9pm and took a 6 hour regular (no A/C, non-reclining) pack-up bus to El Rama - yes we got very excited at the name and no they wouldn't hold a special ceremony in Ray´s honour. We arrived there at 3am and had to wait until 6am to continue with the rest of the journey, which was a 1 and a half hour ride on a panga, which we were told was a fast boat. Turns out pangas are little speed boats they pack up with people and luggage and it was the most uncomfortable leg of the journey. I was sat on a hard wooden bench for the whole journey, which I shared with 2 men, 1 woman and a child. My bum hurt so bad from the seat and i had my big hand luggage bag wedged in between my legs! At first it was a pinch yourself moment as we set off at 6am with the sun rising in the distance, the mist rising up off the river and the fishermen beginning there days work. It was a real wow moment. That was until we got away from the dock and picked up speed and had gale force winds blowing in your face from the speed of the boat and you could no longer see the beautiful scenery!
So we got to Bluefileds, got off the panga and was told to run to the other side of the port to catch a next panga to Bluff port 30 mins away in order to meet the boat going to Corn Island. They said this with much urgency as the boat was due to be leaving at 8am and it was about 20 mins to 8. So we ran along with some German tourists. When we arrived to get the next panga we were told to res´ ourselves as the boat wasn't leaving till 10. So we did and got to Bluff and got on the boat, only to sit on it until 1pm!!! I tell you I knew I was now in the Caribbean coast!! Nothing happens when it is meant to and never on time!!
We arrived at Big corn Island at 4pm and after no sleep since Tuesday night, we went straight to the hotel and went to sleep. We stayed in Hotel Panorama 10 mins from the docks. It was cheap and comfortable and the family who run it were very nice. Apparently the captain of the ship we came on & the taxi driver he found us to take us to the hotel took a bit of a shine to us! The turned up at the hotel that evening to take us to a country and western night (every Thursday at Nico`s). We kindly declined as we were way to tired! Imagine our surprise the next morning at 7.45am when there was another knock at the door and they asked us if we wanted to go fishing! I think they thought we slept too much cause they never came back again after they realised they had woken us twice!
The people in Corn island speak English, Spanish or Miskito but mainly English which is basically just like Jamaican patios. They listen to reggae and soca and my food for the week consisted of the likes of coco bread, callaloo soup, fried fish, chicken and rundown! We loved it!!!
Important information to know for fellow travellers is that contrary to the guidebooks Big corn now has an ATM machine at the bank! Very handy to know as the books say you have to bring cash as no way to get money!
The beaches are gorgeous - the best one to sunbath on is Picnic center, the people very friendly and the weather perfect. The only down side is that there isn't much to do in the evening, especially if you have no TV in your room! You can go out for dinner, and on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays go out to the discos but that's about it! Baseball on Sunday is a must and is lots of fun followed be partying into the morning straight after so wear your garms to the game!!!
As we were getting ready to leave everyone was talking about Easter. its very big over there. Its celebrated for a week and nobody works just parties. They were building more bars and food stalls on the beach cause everybody just lives there! it sounds like it will be lots of fun!
So after a week in Big Corn we left this morning and are back in Bluefields for the night before getting the panga at daybreak and then the bus to make our way back to managua and then on to Honduras (more buses).
So until next time......xxx
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