Isla de Ometepe... Part 1: Rough Waves

Isla de Ometepe has been a fun rollercoaster from the moment we left San Juan Del Sur, until tonight, Thomas' and my last night.

It all began while we were on the bus to Rivas. It was packed, as usual, shoulder to shoulder on an old Blue Bird bus fitted with hand rails. Well, a taxi driver hopped on somewhere and picked out the only five of us that were going to try and catch the ferry to Ometepe. I thought, great!, we'll make it. But, as we were pulling into the chaotic bus depot, I wondered...how many people did he get confirmation from that they were taking this taxi?
Once we were standing beside the taxi, it became crystal clear that we were 5 passengers, 1 driver...in a beat up , old, Neon sized car, with a bungee cord to tie the trunk shut. Well, here's how it worked: one in the front, three large men in the back, and me, sitting on Thomas' lap, half way out the window. You really do get a different view from outside a moving vehicle. Until that drive, I hadn't been yelled at, cheered for, or stared at that much in a span of ten minutes, ten minutes of contortionist style driving.

So, anyways, we made it to the ferry!

Lining up for the ferry was a hot ordeal, and to be honest a tad nerve racking. Thomas had just watched the old cargo boat tip and dip and rock into the dock. The lake, Lago de Nicaragua, was extremely rough that day with wind whipping and gusting from the east. Passengers boarding after all the cargo was thrown on, and Thomas and I found a seat by the right side of the boat in the bottom level. Rocking and swaying, we were off!
It wasn't long before we realized exactly how rough the ride was going to be, and how wet we may end up getting. You see, the sides of the boat were wooden slats, fitted into slots, not attached to the bottom with nuts or bolts or screws or anything! As the water started coming in, and going out, the base board came loose just enough so I could see the rough lake water outside.
I thought, "well, maybe I'll just hold it with me leg." And I did for about ten minutes. It wasn't until one of the men working on the boat saw that he called, what I will assume as the maintenance man, over to inspect the very big issue of rough lake water spilling into the bottom of the boat. Thomas and I were moved seats and the work began.
For a good majority of the rest of the swaying boat ride four men worked at repairing the four foot by three foot hole in the side of the boat... Oh did I forget to mention that another slat had come loose?!
When it was all done with, the men who had fixed the hole looked at each other in shock as to what had just happened. They had fixed the boat, all while we were being thrown around by the rough lake waves.

Enough is enough, this will be continued!

Sunday Funday vs Shins

Today I wished I had known Spanish even more than before. Thomas and I were walking back to our place in San Juan Del Sur, in southwest Nicaragua, when we stumbled on some sort of domestic fight.

Sunday around here is known as Sunday Funday, much like other places. Except, as far as a little bit of Thomas' reading, is also a day for heavy drinking, baseball games on t.v, and fights. When he first told me this, I obviously pictured guys outside of bars, or girls too for that matter, fist fighting after having a few too many rum and cokes, or Tonas (Nica beer). And although I'm not a fighter, and the thought of seeing blood or a fist make contact with someone's face makes me cringe, my knees go weak, and brings a funny feeling deep in my belly, I thought it would be kind of...how shall I put this, enlightening?

Well, as we were walking, we spotted, what looked like a grown man sitting in the front of a Toyota truck getting berated by an extremely angry woman. At first, I was slightly curious as to what was happening, when I saw her wind up, not with her fist, but with the truck door, and slam it closed...unluckily for him, his leg was hanging out of the truck just enough that she caught him square on the shin. I thought, for sure, my knees were going to buckle, and made a beeline for the middle of the street in case she decided to do it again. I wouldn't be sure if I could handle that again.

I'm not sure if I could have ever imagined Sunday Funday to be just the opposite of that. And I am also not sure if I could have ever imagined watching someone slam a truck door on somebody's shin.

It gives me the weebee geebees. *shudder

Now, I can only think about it and laugh (as queasy as I may feel), and write this one up as yet another experience I was completely and utterly UN-prepared for. I guess if it ever happens again, I will be sure to grab something sturdy to support my knees!
                          
Really, what was it for?? If only my Spanish were better... I would know then!

2014-An Adventure Awaits

Incredible. This is a word that nearly describes how I am feeling at this very moment. Incredible, almost the right word, but perhaps not grandious enough.
Let's start right and proper, let's start at the beginning, the moment I found my flare for adventure... Life in general actually.
I felt trapped, and I was depressed. And from the moment I met this person, I learned about the meaning of happiness, of love, of laughter, and of life. His name was Eric. Now, those of you who know me, know exactly what this person meant to me. You will know that he, first of all, taught me to not sweat the small things ( which at times I have been guilty of forgetting), laugh, love, live. However, as sad as it may seem, it took the passing of Eric, for all he taught me to really take hold. The moment I heard the horrible news, was the exact moment I took hold of my own happiness, the moment I took it back from the hands of others. This was the moment I chose to live... In my own way. This was to travel, and to find myself outside of my comfort zone. Travel to southeast Asia.
That trip, the trip with so many mishaps, and trial and tribulations, taught me so much about who I am, who I can be, what I am capable of, and all I would love to accomplish in my life. It was that trip that I allowed myself to open up, meet some of the most amazing, incredible people from all over the world, and learn as much as I could.
Now, please don't take all of this the wrong way. I don't not wish this to appear as a sob story (although the passing of Eric is not something I find okay), I only hope you can see where I am coming from, see that one moment can change your entire perspective on how you react to the world.

Now, onto my newest adventure... NICARAGUA!!!
Thomas, (my love, my partner in fun, my best friend), and I arrived on the 10th of January. A mere four days ago, well there days ago really. We arrived late in the evening, walking out of the cold airplane to a humid, hot airport. Feeling bombarded by taxi driver, we both slipped into the washrooms to switch our documents and money over to our hidden spots, and took our first steps in Nicaragua. Ricardo, our taxi driver, at first seemed like he had something up his sleeve. We stopped at two gas stations on the way, the first one he tried to get diesel, but didn't have any money for it, on the way to the next one a block away, he explained to us his need for cash. He told us that his mother was in the hospital, and he hadn't worked for a few days, so he had no money to get gas. Even though this could have been an 'elaborate truth' (as I like to call a lie), I believe in the inherent goodness of people, and so will believe this story. Thomas gave him the $5 he wanted, and he cut the price of the taxi accordingly. Ricardo, I believe only wished to tell us about his country he was proud of. He was an information bucket, full of goodies. What a treat!
Well, here is my first send off, of my new blog. I am really treading in unknown waters here. So I will leave you with this...
"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open up to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life." -John Lennon