Into the depths of Central America
Didn't think it could get any better but the last 2 weeks have been by far the best. From Antigua we made our way across the border and into Honduras. Copan was our first stop and the bird sanctuary provided some really cool photos. Our new tour leader in Copan also decided it would be fun to celebrate one of the girls birthdays with some fireworks which was thoughtful. 6am in the morning right outside the rooms we all awoke to these fireworks and happy birthday blaring in Spanish on some speakers. Unfortunately a Swiss couple travelling with us mistook the bangs for gun fire and tried to escape out of their bathroom window. Needless to say they were not too impressed.
2 highlights this fortnight would have to be my time spent on Roatan Island and climbing Mt Concepcion, an active volcano. Roatan is just off the coast of Honduras and was just amazing. Most of my time here was just spent snorkelling or relaxing in the calm waters of the Caribbean sea, eating and drinking lobster and beers. Climbing Mt Concepcion at Ometepe in Nicaragua was definitely not a relaxing experience but was certainly a rewarding one. An active volcano that is constantly smoking, it stands at 1610m and we climbed it from sea level. Having breakfast at 6 we set off early and parked 2-3 miles from the base and set off for the day. The first 1000m was through jungle and the humidity soon had every inch of my body sweating. The gradient was around 25-30 degrees for this section and was quite demanding. At 1000m there is a nice grassy knoll where we sat for an early lunch before taking on the last leg. Of the 7 that started, 4 of us attempted the climb to the summit which was extremely difficult. The jungle turned into slippery rocks, gravel and ash in some sections and the gradient changed to 45-50 degrees in the final 300m. Most of the time at this height was spent in clouds but when they cleared the view was simply breathtaking. Brenna, one of the American girls in my group that climbs mountains back at home reached the apex first with the guide. I seriously thought on a few occasions that I was not going to make it and my legs were seizing up but I managed to make it to the top 5 minutes later thanks to Brenna's shouts of encouragement as I hit the top on all fours at about 1pm. Only the 2 of us made it to the top and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. The climb down took 3 more hours and every muscle that wasn't sore from the trip up got a beating on the way down. 4 days later and my legs are still recovering.
Not all happy news however as Lydia, a young lady I've had the fortune of travelling with had her handbag snatched by a passing motorcyclist in Granada. The coward only got away with about $2 US and a cancelled credit card but left her with a nasty bruise on her arm where the strap snapped.
Have just entered Costa Rica which is quite expensive but good fun. Did some bungee jumping and zip lining in Monteverde and have just arrived in La Fortuna. We get another new group once we reach San Jose but there will be some hard goodbyes as well.
 |
| The bird whisperer |
 |
| Driving up a volcano |
 |
| Lake something something |
 |
| Boating on Lake Nicaragua |
 |
| Monkeys on Lake Nicaragua |
 |
| Our reliable ferry for getting to Ometepe |
 |
| West Bay on Roatan Island |
 |
| Surfing in the Pacific |
 |
| Mt Concepcion - 1610m |
 |
| At the summit of Concepcion |
 |
| And a bit of a bungee |
 |
| 143m |
