Board Babies

Well, Helga and I survived five days of snowboarding without breaking anything. Never mind the fact that we are covered in bruises and can hardly walk!

Sunday we headed up to Jindabyne for an 5 days of snowboarding. After five days we could not only back edge down the mountain, but could front edge and link turns! We were treated to some amazing weather, glorious days of sunshine and good snow coverage.

Birthday El Circo Spectucular

I arrived safe and sound in Sydney to celebrate my birthday. I don't recall ever being so excited about touching down in Australia before!

Friday night (jet lag..what's that!), I headed out with Helga and friends to El Circo. It was an amazing dining and entertaining experience. The courses ranged from a three types of soup (hot and cold) served in a test tube, to lamb shank served with out cutlery (hygiene was considered and you were provided with a latex glove!), to desert with sauces added by syringe.

Through out the whole dinner we were entertained by magicians, dancers, singers and trapeze artists.

Amazing!

Carribean Sunsets and.... Hurricane Dean

On an impulse I decided to add a quick trip to Jamaica for some sun and surf before heading home (thought a tan would be a nice touch). I arrived on Wednesday the 15th and enjoyed one idealic day in tropical paradise. Then along came Hurricane Dean!

Hurricane Dean was the first hurricane for 2007 Atlantic season and one of the most severe on record. On Friday 17th August Jamaica started to receive notifications that Hurricane Dean was building strength and heading straight for the island. Check out the picture showing the hurricane and the yellow outline of Jamaica!

Two days before the hurricane....

• Call the airport (are there any flights off the island?). NO!
• Travel back to Montigo Bay (to be closer to the airport). I was in Negril, about 1 hour west.
• Find a hotel off the beach, out of flooding zone and away from hills with mud slide possibilities.
• Do a quick shop for supplies (I was advised to buy water, candles and bully beef!).

One day before the hurricane....

• Freak out when it is predicated that Dean will be a Category 5 by the time it reaches Jamaica and will be a direct hit.
• Try and find another hotel (mine was very small, and I thought a bigger one would be a bit safer), but everywhere is full!
• Phone the airline again... Are you sure that there are not any planes leaving the island, I can hear them flying out!
• Abide by the national curfew (which was in place 2 days before the hurricane hit - to avoid problems with looting etc).
• Watch as the hotel boards up windows and glass doors.

The Day of the hurricane....

• Listen to the Prime Minister of Jamaica give a national address and call a state of emergency.
• Watch the weather channel (who called Dean a "terrifying catastrophic hurricane").. Things looking slightly better. The hurricane is passing the south of the island (I am in the North), but 'could wobble'. What the heck is a wobble!
• Get the room organised and plan best way to stay safe. Put up towels on the windows, move all furniture away from the doors, took down anything that could fly around, set up the bathroom (this was where I was heading if it got really bad). Work out strategy for putting matress up against the french doors.
• 3.00pm day of hurricane.. Power goes out. I am stuck in my room with no power and no information.
• I am just waiting and watching the rain gets heavier and the wind blows harder and harder. Hope that tree doesn't blow over into my room!
• 8.00pm fall asleep exhaused from all the waiting.

The day after the hurricane...

• Power and water still out.
• Found out the island was spared a direct hit, with Dean's eye passing just to the south Sunday night. Still experienced winds up to 240km/h. More info can be viewed in the Age, Wikipedia and NPR. CNN also have some great live footage also.
• Head to the aiport (my Sunday flight was cancelled, and I had been rescheduled to Monday 1.30pm). However, all AA flights had been cancelled and I was told my next available flight not for another four days!
• Phone the airline every few hours. Phone Qantas and advise I will miss my flight home.
• Get call from Australian High Commission to make sure I am ok. Yes, using the australian travel registory does work. How great is that.. I love my country!

Two days after the hurricane..

• Head to the airport at 8.00am to line up in the standbye cue. Lots of very irate people who can not get flights home. Almost a mob scene.
• Go on standby for a 2.30pm flight. Wait at the airport some more.
• 4.30pm finally leave Jamaica on a flight recalled from Guatamala. Power and water still out in Jamaica.
• Arrive at Miami, missing all connecting flights to LA. Looks like another night waiting.

Three days after the hurricane....

• Get on a flight to LA, and here I am waiting for my flight to Sydney. YIPPY. Three days late, but most importantly I am safe!

Flores por de Lago & Tikal

I have finally arrived in Flores, on the way to Tikal. I can honestly say, I never want to get on a bus again (never mind the fact that I have to get back to Guatamala City on one!). The bus from Xala to Guatemala took 7 hours (it is only suppose to take 4). It arrived with 5 minutes to spare before my 11 hour bus to Flores. To top off my marathon bus ride, I arranged a tour to Tikal for sunrise, which departed at 3.00am (yes I am a glutton for punishment). But the lack of sleep was absolutely worth it.

The morning started with a ladder limb to the top of Pyramid 4, to sit in silence and watch the sun rise, with towering pyramids peaking through the rain forest canopy and mist. All to the sound of the forest waking up. It was truly amazing.

• A little bit of pop culture for you. Tikal was also featured as a scene in one of the original Star Wars trilogies - do you know which one?
  

Xala Who

My three week stay in Xala has finally come to an end, and it is time to pack up (again) and head off for the next adventure. So what will I miss about Xala:

My host family, mi amigos Luis and Ingrid, mi abuelita Gabriella and mi hermano Luis Fe.

My salsa teacher, who every day risked having his feet trod on, close calls for elbows to the face.... all in an attempt to teach me salsa. Also the salsa clubs, boy can these latin american chicos move!

The amazing chocolate caliente. You haven`t tasted hot chocolate until you have had a hot chocolate at Cafe Luna.

The terrimotos (earthquakes). I experienced a small one on my first week and throught the nearby volcano was errupting.

The weather. Four seasons all in one day - bit like Melbourne really.

The food. I am officially addicted to tortillas and frijoles.

My Spanish School. I especially enjoyed the graduate dinner, with speeches and all!

The chicken busses. Found out that there are companies specifically to decorate the buses, talk about 'pimp my rid'. Although did not enjoy sharing my seat with a whole family (mum, dad and 3 kids!).

Hippys & Mojitos - The Lake of Contrasts

Lago de Atitlán (Lake Atitlán) certainly lives up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful lakes in the word. Formed by a collapsed volcano cone, it is is surrounded by mountains and three volcanoes. Approximately fifteen towns or villages lie on the perimeter, mainly inhabited by traditional Mayan people. It is a volcanic archipelago, with Lake Atitlan floating in the sky, a mile above sea level.

After wagging school on Friday, and a three hour journey (and 3 chicken bus changes) we arrived in Panajachel. Travel to our first stop (and for all other villages) involved a boat ride across the lake. Similiar to chicken buses, boats don´t go anywhere until there are enough people on the boat. The more the merrier....

Each village is also known for a particular speciality. Our first night was spent in San Marco, an alterative or ´relajando´community. The town is set amongst a tropical forrest, with narrow alleyways acting as streets. Ther e was endless opportunities for massage, reiki or even water rebirthing??

In total contrast our second night at San Pedro, the backpacker town, provided the chance to hit the local night spots and salsa the night away (with the assistance of a mojito or two... happy hours was awesome... $1 cubra libras and $2 mojitos!).

Quetzaltenago (Xala for short)

I am now in Xala (it´s real name is Quetzaltenango - understandable why it is shortened to Xala). My new spanish school is great, with lots of students and extra activities every day (so far we have had cooking lessons and visited the chocolate factory). My new host family is also incredibly sweet (I just wished I could talk to them more). My spanish is coming along very slowly, I still seem to spend most of my time saying ´no entiendo´. Finger crossed after another 4 weeks it will be better. So what have I learned about Xayla in the week I have been here:

• It is a city that grows on you!


• Salsa here is way more complex than in Nicaragua. I have started lessons, and most of the time I am so dizzy I have no idea what is going on.


• Always carry an umbrella. The weather here is worse than Melbourne. Four seasons in one day.


• Similiar to Nicargua, people here eat a lot of beans! Although I must admit black beans and crema is my new favourite.


• You can watch movies at the cinema in English (just watched Ocean´s 13).


• Cafes in Xala make a mean hot chocolate!
• The Mayan traditional clothes liven up the streets.

Gorgeous Antigua

My four days in Antigua were bliss. I can see why it is a UNESCO heritage site. Not only is the town totally gorgeous, but it it full of tourist luxuaries (just what you need after a month of roughing it). The top 10 things to do in Antigua:

Walk the streets (it is like a maze of more and more cute little houses)

Visit the marcardo. I was in fruit and vege heaven. It all looked so fresh. The only problem is finding a way out (because the market was so huge)!

Cook a home made feast from all purchases at the market (Jo and I made the best guocamole).

Enjoy the local fiestas (every night seems to have a party of some description - fireworks and all)

Taste the amazing chocolate at the local chocolate maker, chilli and 7 spices were my fav.

Take in a movie at one of the restaurants (I did say it was geared for the tourists)

Check out the local night hot spots (and all the gringos)

Avoid the local beer (Victoria and Gallo - not for me), but they did make a mean mojito.

Be overwhelmed by the choise of restaurants (which was all good after all the Gallo Pinto in Nicaragua).

Love the hot water showers (even though they are dodgy electricity contraptions on the shower head - who cares, the water was hot!).

Serpientes Rojos (Red Serpents)

I have now been in Antigua, Guatamala for 3 days. Yesterday I decided, against my better judgement, to climb Pacaya Volcano (an active volcano near the city). On arrival at the base of Pacaya you are immediately greeted by cries of ¨stick, stick stick¨ (see picture demonstrating use of the stick) and ¨taxi taxi¨(yes the four legged kind)!

The 2 hour climb up was quite strenous (I think this is a reoccuring theme). The most difficult was climbing on the hardened lava which seams to take two forms - hard cow pad like streams or very small gravel (which is light and sharp). You were subjected to either chilly winds or gusts of hot air as you walked across the hardened lava streams. At times you could look down and see the 'serpientes rojos' (red serpents) of lava streaming below.

However the chance to actually get close to lava was worth the climb. It was quite scary, as large boulders of molten rock would come loose from the flow and tumble down to where we were standing.

• The climb down was not that much easier, more or less skiing on lava rock (it is very sharp) and then bumbling down track in the dark (we were on a night climb) - with only my little torch to assist. Part way down we stopped to watch the volcano put on a firework display, with two gysers of molton rock shooting into the sky (guess this is why we couldn´t climb to the crater rim).

Three Countries in Two Days - Tica Bus Style

On Tuesday I boarded the Tica Bus for a three country overland journey to Guatamala. The first day we traveled through Nicaragua, Hondoras and into El Salvador. We stayed the night in San Salvador in a dodgy little hotel owned by the bus company. I had planned to stay a few days in El Salvador, but after being told not to carry anything into town (even to take off your watch) and having an guard armed with a machine gun out the front of our dodgy hotel and the little local cafe we ate at, I decided to keep going onto Guatamala.

The total bus journey was 16 hours. It made me laugh to think that in Western Australia I wouldn´t have even made it to Karratha!

Adios Nicaragua

On Tuesday I departed Nicaragua after 4 & a half great weeks. So, what will I miss about Nicaragua:

1. Some of the food (although will definitely not miss Gallo Pinto!). My local favorites included Nacatamal (maise with meat, tomato and spices wrapped in a banana leaf), frintanga (grilled chicken - nica´s grill chicken better than Cornel Sanders!) and vigeron (yucca, salad and rice).

2. The drinks! Local beer was excellent - my fav La Tonia. Also loved the local dring bags (basically a plastic bag with a straw) that you bought off the street (once I stopped worrying about where the water came from). Grama, pitaya and calala were first rate.

3. Granada. What a beautiful little city. Check out the vista at sunset.

And what I won´t miss:

1. The rolling electricity blackouts (5-8 hours ever day)

2. The rolling water cuts (as above)

3. The humidity

4. Cold water shower

Ometepe - the "Ecological Jewel" of Lago De Nicaragua

This weekend I headed to Ometepe, the largest lake island in the world, with Robert & Hanna (amigos de mi casa). As you have no doubt become aware, Nicaragua (and central America for that matter) is all about Volcanos, and none are more beautiful than Ometepe. It is home to two volcanos: the active Concepcion (which has recently started smoking) and the extinct Maderas.


Our target destination was the little town of Balgue, on a dirt road so bump it took an hour to cover the last 7km. We stayed at the 'rustic' Finca Magdelena, a huge converted farm house come hostel and working coffee plantation. We spent a lazy day relaxing and drinking the organic coffee, preparing for the "big climb" the next day, up Volcano Maderas. Check out our view!

From our "base camp", we set out for the 7 hour return climb. On departure we asked our guide if it would rain (it had rained pretty heavy the night before), his response "it is the rainy season"! The 1300m ascent involved a lot of scrambling, slipping and 'climbing' over boulders and tree roots. I must say the 4 hours up were pretty tough. I was concentrating so much on where I needed to place my next step, I almost missed the cloud forest and petroglyphs!

After finally arriving at the crater, a huge fluffy cloud had decided to attached itself to the top of the volcano, leaving me wondering "where is the exiquisitely beautiful crater lake"? It did have a slightly mystic (if not horror movie like) quality thought.

About 5 minutes into our descent it started to rain. When I say rain, I mean really rain! Pretty soon our little muddy path was a torrid waterfall, with no where for us to go except straight down in the middle of it. It eased up after about an hour, but the water rushed down our path for pretty much the entire way down. We were all happy to make it home without major injury - just loss of pride each time we slipped onto our butts! It certainly was an experience.

Volunteering in Granada

This week I have had the chance to do a little volunteer work with La Esperanza and their health team. I went back to my Speech Pathology beginnings to do an assessment and write a program for a little boy with Cerebal Palsy. To get to his house involved a bus ride and then a 15 minute walk through fields and back tracks. He is non-verbal with limited mobility. I have spent the last few days searching the mecardos for suitable toys to promote communication (to provide with my program). A volunteer from La Esperanza visits the house once a week to undertake PT exercises, and now hopefully some communication activities also.

I also went with the health team to take children from the schools to the dentist. This is a great program which provides children at the school free dental services. The day turned out to be a lesson in waiting..

• Waiting for the children to arrive at the school
• Waiting for a ride on the side of the road (you hitch a ride on the back of a passing ute from the school to the dentist turn off)
• Waiting at the dentists for the electricity to return (it goes out every day for 3 to 8 hours, with the times unknown for all)
• Waiting for a ride back to the school.

To read more about the great work of La Esperanza, visit their website.

Fun on the Chicken Bus

The chicken bus is the primary form of communication around Nicaragua. Why are they called chicken buses? Because you can take anything on them, even chickens!

• Try and share a seat which is built for 5 year old kids (the buses are old American school buses)
• Talk to all the tourists (we stand out like sore thumbs)
• Check out local scenery, including the local baseball game (with two bulls fighting in the outfield)
• Watch as 25 people get on your bus that is already packed to capacity (they never say no to a ride here).
• Enquire about the local fare that venders sell by getting on at stops, wandering the bus, and then getting off again at the next stop (and never having the courage to try any thing).
• Listen to a presentation from someone advertising medications.
• Watch the tourists stress about their luggage (which has been chucked on the top of the bus, with no way of keeping an eye on it).
• Wait patiently as the bus reverses 2km up a side road to pick up some extra passenges.
• Wonder what the crowing at the front of the bus (turned out to be a parrot not a chicken!)
• Laugh when it rains and sticks get passed around to 'prop up' the windows.
• Admire the decorations (each bus is very personalised to the driver) - personally I like the ones with significant referance to God.. Might keep us safer as we fly past all the traffic and overtake on blind turns!.

Weekend Get Away - Nica Style

Last weekend I headed down to San Jan Del Sur, the Margaret River of Nicaragua, for the weekend with Andrea (a friend from school). Got back to my travelling roots and spend a few nights in a dorm room of a hostel (and managed a total of about 5 hours sleep a night...I now remember why I don't do the hostel thing anymore!). Met some great people, hung out at the local eateries and just 'chilled' - as you should at any coastal town. Took the tourist bus to Playa Marsella, a great little beach north of the main town. Also got in a little boogie boarding (wasn´t quite up to the surfing).

Holy Smoking Volcano!

After Volcan Mombacho, we headed for the Parque Nacional Volcan Masaya to see the most easily accessible active volcanoe in Nicaragua.

On the way there we sat in the back of the truck with our new found hosts, just like we use to when I was a kid (I tried not to think about what would happen if we had an accident). Apparently it isn´t illegal here. The legal driving age is also a variable. On the way down from the volcano, I looked in the drivers seat to see the 13 year old son driving, shortly followed by the 10 year old!

The volcano was awesome, with quite a bit of smoke and steam. I had to laugh at one of the signs which says you have to park your cars facing the exit (I guess this is to make a quick get away!).

Volcan Mombacho

On Saturday, Karri & I headed to Volcan Mombacho -the volcano which stands guard over Granada. We caught the chicken bus (local bus) to the entrance of the reserva, and started the walk up. Half way up, we were picked up by a local Nica family, who were showing their cousin and boyfriend around. Lucky for us, we got to join them, and so commenced our guided tour of the local sites.

First stop was the Canopy Tours Mombacho. This involved 13 platforms high up in the trees, connected by a zip line (aka flying fox). I was a little scared to start, but after a while soon settled into flying over the trees. The guides encouraged us (more for their own amusement I think) to get a little more adventurous, so had a go at ´superman´(see picture below) and upside down. I had a blast, and think this could be a great tourism endevour for down south in the Karri forrests. Aparrently canopy tours are all the rage here, and I can see why.

Adios Patricia

On Friday, I said goodbye to Patricia (who has been staying with the same family as me in Nicaragua). We hit the town for dinner, eating at Pasta Pasta, a very authentic italian restaurant. I was sad to see her go, as she has been a great friend, translator and tour guide for my first two weeks in Granada.

Later that night, Tamara & I hit the local hotspots, namely Cafe Neuit. After a couple of La Toñias (the local brew), was tempted to hit the dance floor to test my new found salsa skills, but chickened out everytime I was asked.

Later that night I found about my curfew! Caught a taxi home at 12.00am to find all the doors locked (including a door I didn´t have keys to)- my family had locked me out! As I am trying to work out what to do, the electricity goes out.. So there I am, with no idea how to get into the house in the pitch dark. Eventually there is a little voice saying ´Suzanna´.. I had woken up the house keeper and she came to let me in. Oops. so there I am trying to give my apologies, after a few drinks with very minimal spanish! Lo siento!

Relajación por la Laguna

On Saturday, Patricia and I headed up the Apoyo Lagoon. The Lagoon is an ancient and now extinct crater lake - depth unknown. We hung out at a great hostel by the water front, enjoying the chance to relax in the tempid water. It was 6km across - was tempted to swim it but I didn´t have any goggles.. thats my excuse and I am sticking to it). Also got in a bit of kayaking (and would you believe studying!!).

Nothing like a little relaxation lagoon side!

Mi Días....

After being in Nicaragua 6 days I have settled into a little routine. Let me share my days with you.

1. Play water roulette! The water goes on and off during the day, and showers are a bit pot luck. Pretty much now, when ever I am home, I test if the water is on and have a shower (including the middle of the day). This was after not having a shower one night or the next morning either.. Thank goodness for wet ones (and the good old pommy wash). Have also resorted to filling empty water bottles with tap water for a bush shower - just in case.


2. Always have a torch handy. This week the power has gone out every night for between 6-8 hours, but the time is always a bit of surprise. The worst is not being able to turn on the fan (it must be 90% humitity here at night and I am too scared to leave the door open. You never know what will crawl in).


3. Study, Study, Study....Four hours a day at school (with four different teachers who each give me homework...). Homework takes up to 3-4 hours a day at the moment. And I thought this was a holiday! My most used words are 'no entiendo' and 'yo olvido' in class.


4. Venture to the 'mecardo' for water, sweets, fruit... when ever I think I might need to get me through studying! Each shop specialised in a different thing, fruit, plastic, water, shoes...


5. Have a coffee in Parque de Central with Patricia - who is staying in the same house as me (yes, you can even get lattes and iced coffee here) - actually the coffee is better than in the USA, probably because this is coffee growing country. Not a Starbucks in sight.


6. Enjoy my three home cooked meals! This is the life....no cooking or cleaning (except my bedroom) or laundry. This is better than being a teenager again. I am pictured outside the front of my house. My room is great so long as I ignore the spiders and webs in the roof).


7. Enjoy the slower pace of life - no driving, no peak traffic, no mobile phones.... Just lie in a hammock or in the sit in the park and enjoy the breeze and watching life in Nicaragua.


8. Plan for weekend escapes. This weekend we are off to La Lagoona.

Hola Nicaragua

I have arrived safely in Nicaragua, after two flights with American Airlines (partners with Qantas). Not only do you get no food on the plane, the Admiral Club (equivalent to Qantas Club) does not give you free food and drinks!).

My first thought on arrival was I wish I spoke more Spanish! Spent two days in Managua (capital city), before heading off to Granada (in an old USA school bus). Granada is just beautiful, and exactly how I imagined it. Old style spanish colonial, with just the right balance between locals and tourists (and the restaurants, internet cafes and pubs to go with it).

So, what I have done so far:

1. Visited La Esperanza Granada - the organisation I will be volunteering with once my spanish improves.



2. Commenced my Spanish Lessons at 1:1 tutoring (after two days my brian is ready to explode!)



3. Moved into my home, with my host family/home stay, the lovely Rosita (three home cooked meals a day, private bathroom and my own TV - with more channels then I have at home!).



4. Booked my first Salsa lesson (look our Dancing with the Stars).

Spectaular Yosemite

Yosemite certainly lived up to my expectations and its reputation.. My biggest travel tip - make this more than a day trip - Yosemite deserves much more time. But a little time is better than none...

Words can not describe just how beautiful Yosemite is - so I am not even going to try. I´ll let the pictures do all the talking. Sorry about the angles on them. I can´t get into Picture Editor on this computer (will try and fix up later). The waterfalls, giant sequoia, spectaular granite cliffs(complete with rock climbers on a 24 hour rock climb up the face!) were beautiful. Also saw my first bear precautions - food canisters and safes.