Poneloya..

Yesterday I hopped on a shuttle bus to Poneloya, a beach about 20 minutes outside of Leon. I stayed at the Surfing Turtle, an eco lodge built right on the sand. Think cabanas, hammocks and surfboards stacked against brightly painted murals. The lodge also has horse riding and a turtle hatchery. In order to get there we crossed a river by small boat, then loaded a horse and cart with our bags and travelled on the back.

The Surfing Turtle is hidden and remote, surrounded by just empty stretches of sand. It's a brilliant traveller spot, all tanned girls in bikinis and boys with tattoos lazing around on the beach and playing volleyball in the afternoon. It was a wonderfully sociable and relaxed place. I met so many lovely backpackers - an Austrian chef who had lived in the Cayman Islands, a paediatrician from Germany and a surgeon from Chile who had quit their jobs to travel for a year, as well as some Brits with a great, laid back sense of humour. So many people you wouldn't meet any other way. I have met many people who are travelling throughout Central and South America; couples, friends and lone females, and it has restored my faith in backpacking.

The sunset gave way to a red full moon rising against the black sky, I have never seen anything like it. I initially thought I was looking at Mars. A group of us played Uno  (you can imagine my excitement) before a party on the beach with a bonfire, playing a crazy game of giant jenga and watching the huge Pacific waves roll in.

The next morning, after a yoga session, I took the bus back to Leon. Poneloya was a flying visit. I have been spoilt for beaches by Little Corn island and the black volcanic sand and grey-blue sea at Poneloya didn't quite compare. I am also itching to explore the rest of Nicaragua now that my confidence in travelling has been restored.

I've had a simple afternoon in Leon wandering and taking pictures of murals and crumbling buildings. I had a foot massage at 'Seeing Hands'', a charity that trains blind people to learn massage and gives them employment where they would otherwise be living on the street. I went in on a whim, keeping an open mind and it was very worthwhile. I practised my rudimentary Spanish with my masseuse, Roberto, and my feet had some much needed attention and reprieve.

Tomorrow I am travelling to Estelli in the Northern Highlands, where the air is cooler and the scenery meant to be stunning. Leon has been a sweltering 40 degrees so Estelli will be a welcome relief. I am so excited to see somewhere new. Time to move on!

Imogen

Transport by Horse and Trap

Surfing Turtle Lodge