Nicaragua in a nutshell

As much as I’d like to say don’t go to Nicaragua because I’d love for it to stay exactly how it is and not become the next Costa Rica, I can’t do it…Nicaragua is amazing, you should experience it.  I don’t want to be that guy that says “don’t tell anyone about this place,” like the guy out in the water when you go surfing that says “fuck off, this is my break.”
Now don’t get me wrong, Costa Rica is awesome, I just love that Nicaragua is next door, has the same beauty but less than a quarter of the commercialization.  You wouldn’t think of it as a vacation spot to get away from the hustle and bustle but if you go to the right spots it really is.  Beautiful beaches, perfect surf, amazing food, friendly people, and incredible sunsets…basically everything you need for a great get away at a reasonable price.
My dad is probably not going to be happy about me talking up Nica like this so I’m just hoping there are not many people reading this aside from my friends who I want to come with me on the next trip out.
Here’s some pics that should help prove my points about the place.

A little break I call secret. Nobody out by the way.

Full moon rising over Nica

Some local kids playing a game of baseball, everyone has a smile on his face.

A turn that could have been our last

I wouldn’t say don’t rent a vehicle in Costa Rica but I would say drive very cautiously if you do.  We heard mixed things about renting there but decided it was a necessity with 5 people and surfboards to get a 4×4 SUV.  Budget had the best rates and the Mitsubishi we got handled the roads well.  The problem was watching out for all the other maniacs that drove recklessly out there. 

I noticed that people tend to cut corners and sometimes take turns without looking both ways.  I think it’s because the dirt roads we were on were so deserted that the people figured the chances of a car coming by at the time were slim to none…not always the case.

While driving from Santa Teresa to Playa Guiones we experienced some pretty sketchy dirt roads.  At one point in the drive I decided to pull over for a picture op and at that very moment two giant delivery trucks came charging around a narrow corner just yards in front of us cutting it so tight that if we were there at that point we would not have fit between them and the hillside adjacent.  Everyone in the car including myself realized that if I hadn’t stopped to take a picture we could have very well had a head on collision with these massive trucks, I guess luck was on our side.

The dust the trucks left behind actually helped create some dramatic lighting.

We experienced another near miss on that trip where a teenage girl took a blind turn on her motorcycle right in front of us!  She was the one who got lucky that time.

Halfway through Costa, soon to be Nicaragua bound

One week in and I couldn’t ask for a better start to the trip.  Not one belonging stolen, everybody’s still in tact and we haven’t even gotten lost yet.  The best part of the trip so far has been the surf, started off 3-4 foot and worked its way up to 6-8 with the occasional 10 foot bombers. 

Aside from surfing our travels have been pretty smooth running.  We rented a 4×4 SUV in San Jose and trekked north west via highway, sketchy dirt roads, ferry, and signless side roads untill we got to Santa Teresa.  After meeting up with Shaun’s Canadian buddys, Mike and Nick, we continued to meet a barrage of Canadians.  Some of them have made a pretty nice life for themselves down there.  One of which invited us to a ramp party in the hills where this couple had a 6′ half pipe, shack for a home, outdoor kitchen, and tented bathroom….it was awesome. 

One of our better days was spent at the falls in Montezuma, here’s a couple shots of the views along the way.

What to pack before traveling

This is something we’ve all asked ourselves before going on a trip….what do I pack?  I feel like I’ve done my fair share of traveling and no matter what I always seem to forget something.  Before my next trip, tomorrow, I put together a list of everything I need to bring and thought I’d share it in this blog post to hopefully help people, including myself, in the future with the same question.

1. PASSPORT (Make sure it’s not expired…I’ve made that mistake.  Make a copy of it as well.)
2. Trip Itinerary (If you’re going to more than one place I suggest you keep this in your bag along with a copy elsewhere)
3. Ipod (entertainment is key for long flights and nights in)
4. Camera (here’s a list of the equipment I’m bringing)

5. • Canon 7D camera body
   • Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 lens
   • Canon 70-300mm lens
   • Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 (great pocket camera)
   • Dynex Monopod (lighter than a tripod and doubles as a walking stick)
   • CF/SD card reader (very important to back up your pictures whenever you get a chance)
   • external hard drive (never keep this in the same bag as your camera equipment in case it gets stolen)
   • 3 memory cards
   • 2 batteries (always keep 1 fully charged)
   • Trash bag (in case it rains and your equipment bag isnt waterproof)

6. Journal and a couple pens
7. International plug converter
8. Lock for your bags when you leave them in your hotel/hostel (only if there’s not a safe to use)
9. Ear plugs and eye mask (for the flights and noisy hotel/hostels)
10. Sleeping pills (if the rest don’t cut it)
11. Rubber sandals for the communal showers
12. Towel (for the beach and if your hostel doesn’t provide them)
13. Waterproof hiking shoes are good to have for wet weather
14. Swiss army knife (can always come in handy)
15. Waist belt (safer than a wallet)
16. Games (small ones like cards, dice, pass the pigs)
17. Toiletries are obvious but don’t forget sunscreen

I think that’s it aside from clothes that are going to work in the weather you’re in….don’t forget to look that up at weather.com before you leave.  As far as things to do before you leave; don’t forget to call your bank to let them know you’re leaving, call your phone provider to see what plans they have or just make sure your phone is off so you don’t rack up roaming fees and put your bills on autopay!

Feel free to leave of comment of what you would add to the list if you think I missed anything.  Happy Travels!

Here’s a photo of the California coast to leave you with.

The Tube Station at Marylebone

It’s not often that you get to see a sight like this, an empty tube station.  “The Tube” is what they call the subway in England.  Normally this picture would be filled with people waiting for the next train but I happened to miss the last one and caught that brief moment before the next wave of crowd comes herding through the gates.  An eerie feeling which brings me back to the only other time I’ve been in an empty subway station from my post #1 Traveling Mistake.

#1 Traveling Mistake

If you’ve ever traveled alone then you know that you need to always be aware of your surroundings and watch your back.  My first day in Rome I made one of the worst mistakes you can make.  I put my wallet in my back pocket and rode on the subway.  To thieves I was a bullseye, solo traveller with a rectangular lump on his ass.

I arrived in Rome with one mission and one mission only…..find the Poznicks.  I was to meet my friends family outside of the Coliseum subway stop so I got my pass and hopped on.  The place was a cluster fuck, I barely fit in the train and before the doors could close people continued to pile in.  Standing up with my backpack on, holding the railing with one hand and squished between people I felt someone leaning on my pack.  I didn’t think much of it until the next stop when the door opens and the person leaning on my back is still there.  About a minute later i feel that person release pressure off my pack and walk out the door.  At that point I realized that something wasn’t right.  I checked my pocket to find that my wallet is missing and rush off as the door is closing.  I ran after the last man off the train screaming “Give me back my fucking wallet!!!” at the top of my lungs.  The man turns around, reaches into his pocket and hands me my wallet as if nothing happened.

My heart was racing as I sat down as the only one left in the station.  At that point I thought about the other scenarios that could have happened there…I got lucky.  Lesson learned, don’t put your wallet in your back pocket while traveling.  I now own a waist wallet, no, not a fanny pack but a thin wallet that straps under your shirt.

Unfortunately I don’t have any photos of the wallet theft incidence but I do have this one of the Coliseum shortly after it happened.

Here’s a shot of the Roman Forum.

The fishing at Leblon Beach

At the beach of Leblon I spotted a group of people standing around what looked like a sewage run off which led to the ocean.  I walked over to get a closer look to find that these men were net fishing.  The tide was high and the occasional set waves were sending groups of fish into this runoff where they were trying to catch the fish.  After a technical throw of the net into the settled water below the men would let the weights surrounding the nets hit bottom and then pull them back up in hopes of having a fish caught up.  When fish were caught they were put in a bucket, or for some just a hole dug in the sand.  I stood there for 30 minutes watching…it was an awesome sight!

Botanical Gardens in Rio

A glimpse of one of the many paths which run through the Botanical Gardens in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

If you ever go to Rio in your life I suggest spending some time in these gardens.  They were even filmed in part of a Snoop Dogg video which also portrays the beauty of Rio.

A lily in the gardens

I almost felt like I was on the set of LOST walking around here.

Lenny hits snooze

This has nothing to do with the blog but I thought I’d throw in one picture of Lenny.  This is the start of the “Uncategorized” category…it will consist of random important stuff.  Todays lesson is go buy a pet, they’ll make you smile.