Honduras, El Salvadore, Nicaragua
One of the optional activities near Suchitoto El Salvadore was a half day hike up a mountain to where the guerrilla fighters were during the Civil war. We got to meet a fighter involved and it was very interesting and different to how we would have perceived the politics of the country. The hike was hot and hard and we needed lots of rest stops to get to the top. We were rewarded with being able to swim in a gorge at the end.
With Intrepid they have optional activities which you pay for in $USD. A guide from the region comes out to the hotel and gives a briefing so you can make up your mind then rather than having to book in advance.
At each new city our guide Walter takes us on a familiarisation tour. Showing points of interest, good restaurants/coffee shops and making sure we know our way back to the hotel. Walter has also helped us get local drivers to take us geocaching which is a reassuring way when leaving towns and going to the back blocks.
Our next stop in El Salvador was the Pacific coast. The hotels have been excellent with air-conditioning, swimming pool, restaurant. The one here was good too but provided public access to the beach which wasn't good as it was very busy. The beach was unattractive, grey sand and large waves good for surfing. We walked to a different beach and sat a while. On our return the tide had come in and it was difficult to get back around the rocks with the incoming water and surf. I managed to get bowled over and lacerated the front of both legs and my big toe on the rocks and got our passports a little wet. Wounds are healing well and passports are ok.
Next stop was the country of Nicaragua and the town of Leon. To do the border crossings we had to do without Walter would have been a nightmare. He streamlined it for us but it was still a lengthy process.
Leon Nicaragua has the Cerro Negro volcano. An active volcano that has an earthcache. For tourists the idea is to climb up to 730m and then slide down on a sand board. Again the climb was a challenge. The hot weather plus the heat off the volcanoe making it worse. We never intended sliding down but were told we could walk down. I thought there would be a track, how wrong I was. When the guide pointed to the side of the volcano and said the way to get down was to dig your shoes into the loose scoria I was seriously out of my comfort zone. But what to do but follow Bruce down this incredibly high mound of grey. The pebbles growing increasingly uncomfortable. I have to admit to a mix of being incredibly scared and exhilarated all at once. Rocks in my shoes, rocks in my head.
Today we are in Granada Nicaragua. We breakfasted at a restaurant run by hearing impaired people and heard the background to how this restaurant started and their associated hammock making business.
Tomorrow we head to the mountains to Monteverde Costa Rica.