Ometepe: Hiking Volcano Maderas...

I have fallen in love with Ometepe. It's so green, so tranquil and the towering volcanoes look otherworldly. After the crazy bike ride the day before, Flo and I had a chilled day exploring the beaches around Santa Cruz and paddling in the lake with Volcano Conception stood in front of us. We climbed over rocks along the beach to where a local festival was taking place. We stopped for smoothies and Flo, who speaks very good Spanish, chatted with two little girls who rushed off shouting 'piñata! piñata!' to join the game at the festival.

Saturday night means Pizza Party at El Zopilote, I had a delicious stone baked pizza with Parma ham and mozzarella whilst watching fire dancers perform. the rest of the night was spent drinking Flor de Cana rum and dancing to reggaeton, barefoot on volcanic sand with Flo and our new lovely Japenese friend, Mari.

The next day was an early start as I hiked Volcano Maderas. I had a double breakfast of oatmeal and fruit and tomatoes on toast, Mari staring in disbelief. Even greater diselief when she saw me pack two sandwiches, but those who know me know I can't function when I'm hungry! We had a great group, Thomas and Mohan from Taiwan, Janet from the Netherlands, Mari from Japan and Gary and I from England. Gary is also from Nottingham and has just graduated from medicine at St George's so we had plenty to talk about. Hector, our guide was leading us, stick in hand, pointing out monkeys and insects along the way. It was a steep four-hour climb, passing coffee plants and ancient trees whose roots were our steps and eventually ladders as the climb became increasingly precarious. The volcano is so green and fragrant; it truly takes your breath away. Near the top you enter a cloud forest full of endless vegetation and twisting plants. The ground became soft clay and I was covered in mud! We reached the top and had a stupendous view of the crater lake surrounded by trees. The air was so fresh and cool, everywhere was so peaceful and I marvelled at the energy and force the volcano erupted with to create this crater. We ate our sandwiches, taking in the view. Mari was right, I was too full to eat my second sandwich but I gave it to Hector who certainly deserved it for leading us.

The way down was incredibly difficult. I am terrible at descending! My legs gave way a few times and I fell over repeatedly. We had a bright idea of going to yoga when we were back but as soon as we sat down and took our shoes off, that wasn't happening. Mohan, however, after hiking Maderas in doc martins and a trilby (and I did wonder if he would make it the whole way), hopped up and went to yoga. He is hilarious. Mohan is also a costume designer and special affects make up artist, he's had interviews at universities in the states and from there ended up in Central America. You really do meet some unlikely people when travelling! Mari has also told me amazing things about Japan, i am longing to see the cherry blossoms in spring and you can also surf in there! The culture, food and nature all sound phenomenal and it is high up on my travel list! I was a knackered and asleep in a hammock by the end of dinner. It was such a rewarding day, and even better to do it with such a great group.

I was sad to leave Ometepe and El Zopilote. It is the most remarkable place. Sadly beekeeping wasn't on whilst I was there so that will have to be another time. Surrounded by nature, eating superb organic, homemade food felt so relaxing. There are volunteer opportunities where you can work in exchange for food and a bed if you would like an extended trip. I spent four nights in Onetepe and loved it, yet there is plenty more to see and explore than I could fit in. Ometepe has a really friendly, community feel to it. You can tell the locals are very proud of their remarkable island. It is without doubt worth the effort to get there. I am nearing the end of my travels. I am having a quick stop in Masaya before I fly home. Where did the last 5 weeks go?!

Imogen

Volcan Conception

Ancient trees in the cloud forest

Top of Volcan Maderas

Ometepe: Racing Against A Thunderstorm!

A week of rain has transformed Nicaragua from brown and barren to lush green. I could see the change on my last morning in San Juan del Sur when I went for a yoga class at zen yoga to ease my surfing aches. I had a beautiful view of the green hillside during my warrior two pose. I had an amazing breakfast of coconut chia pudding and pineapple smoothie at Buddha's Garden, the superfood craze has reached Nicaragua! Feeling healthy and zenned, I finished the last of my homemade guacamole on freshly baked bread from Pan La Vida and poached eggs - you'd be surprised what you can whip up in a hostel kitchen.

I hopped on the bus to Rivas, shared a taxi to the docks at San Jorge and took the ferry to Ometepe. Ometepe is an incredible island, made up of two connecting volcanoes in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. Their beauty is surreal, stood against the misty sky with clouds hovering at the peaks. I shared a taxi with a group I met on the ferry to Santa Cruz, which helped save time and a nice comfortable way to see Ometepe, gazing out the window at the volcanoes. I trekked to El Zopilote to find a bed for the night. El Zopilote is a unique organic farm set amongst the jungle. It's a real hippy find! They grow all their food organically and have a keen interest in permaculture and sustainable living. You can do courses in crafts, ceramics and even bee-keeping! The hillside is full of lush palm trees, hibiscus and a myriad of trees and colourful birds. Exhaustion hit me with an incredible force upon arriving in Ometepe. The last few weeks of adventures and travelling from place to place all came together and I was in bed by half 8.

The next morning I woke up early with rain pouring against the canopy, gradually lifting the muggy air. After a very strange tantric yoga session I met an English girl called Flo over breakfast and we took out bikes and cycled around Maderas volcano. The roads are crazy here, full of huge rocks, cycling becomes a real challenge! We ended up hiking to a waterfall, a 3km climb from San Ramón, which was surprisingly steep, and rocky, it felt never-ending! Our clothes were wet with sweat and my Birkenstocks really were not up for the terrain. We finally made it to the stunning waterfall, which was heart-stoppingly beautiful. I had the freshest shower I've had in weeks! A perfect end to our climb.

The descent down was much easier and we bumped into another group on the way; Jonas, Flores, Will, Emma and Tom. I've actually met Jonas at a few points in the backpacker trail! We went for food at a local comedor, all of us starving from the sketchy bike ride and long hike. Time was pressing on and despite our request for the food to come 'rapido' so we could cycle back before dark, typical Nicraguan time meant our food came an hour later. We downed our food quickly and seven of us peddled as fast as we could as a huge thunderstorm came. Cycling at speed over fraught rocky roads, soaked to this skin, volcanic grit found its way into every crevice of my body, I have never felt so shattered! Will's bike chain broke so he was admirably jogging along with a broken bike. Eventually, as darkness came and it got too dangerous to cycle, we all walked together with a torch, lightening striking against Volcano Conception and fireflies everywhere.

Flo and I got straight into the shower. We were covered in grit! After an organic meal of homemade chickpea burgers and salad from the garden I was ready for another early night. It was a crazy adventure of a day; Flo and I were lucky to have fallen into the company of such a great group. It really helped the long ride home! Today I am taking it easy, I've finished reading my book 'Our Little Secret' by Duncan Fairhurst, another excellent find at a book swap. I'll be chilling in a hammock in the jungle, enjoying a siesta staring out into this miraculous island.

Imogen

Taking The Rough With The Smooth..

It would be false if I were to pretend that everything about travelling is rosy. Extreme attack aside, there are plenty of uncomfortable things about travelling that we don't always share. We all like to paint the best picture of how much fun we are having on social media. Truth is, travelling is far from glamorous.

I've had long journeys on chicken buses where there is no space for your legs; you've run out of water and are dying for a wee! I have never experienced my clothes soaking in sweat before! Your clothes disintegrate when sent out for laundry, the copious amounts of rice and beans do strange things for your digestion and you share dorm rooms with strange people who sing in their sleep. I've also heard stories of people who have been given dodgy surfboards and mopeds and have been marched to an ATM and forced to withdraw cash when they break. There are many annoyances and pitfalls that can happen when traveling.

Inevitably you will discover taxi drivers who will rip you off. On arriving in San Juan Del Sur, I was so tired and disoriented I ended up paying $4 to be taken three blocks to a hostel because I couldn't find it on the map. My lack of Spanish certainly didn't help. $4, although not much, adds an extra cost to my daily budget that could have been avoided.

I have found sticking to $25 a day tough, and often impossible in some places. I came here to make the most of Nicaragua so i am stretching my budget. I've reasoned it's far more sensible to stay somewhere safe, secure and bedbug free, have enough money for a taxi if I feel lost or unsafe and enjoy a good meal rather than go hungry. Besides, my memories of horseback riding, surfing and scuba diving are priceless.

However, budget limitations have led me to local markets, fantastic street food and some of my favourite meals! Sometimes you can't beat eating fresh pineapple and mango for breakfast straight off a market stall. I’ve learnt to make  guacamole and various inventive dishes using only a hob and communal kitchen.

I had an incident last night at my hostel where they were adamant that I hadn't paid for my previous night's stay when I knew I had paid for two days in advance. I tried reasoning with them; they had some vague reference written down in their book next to my name. The language barrier did make it harder but in the end it didn't make much difference. It was obvious that we disagreed. For the sake of $12 it really was not worth the possibility of being thrown out at half 8 at night when it's dark or involving the police. So I paid up. I could feel the 'lone white female' sign flashing above my head and I have to try pretty hard not to feel disheartened by my vulnerable status when I am being shouted at in angry Spanish. My end thought was, a lot worse could have happened.

What travelling does give you is a 'ce la vie' attitude and resilience. You are grateful to yourself for dealing with these problems and continuing to keep moving forward. You learn to give more value to the good things that happen because complaining is pointless and self defeating - something you really don't have the time or energy for when there is a world of possibility so accessible to you. You need this determination to survive in somewhere that is unfamiliar and potentially dangerous.

The bad times and limitations become part of your experience, unwelcome, difficult but often important. You learn to problem solve in a whole new way. You learn how crucial it is to remain positive. It makes me question why is it that at home I can be so negative? Maybe it's because we get too comfortable, we pick fault because we take so much for granted?

I know that what also drove this year out was because I felt exhausted by medicine. I felt consumed by negativity. One day in twenty would be amazing, a reminder of 'yes this why I'm here!' and the other nineteen I felt I was swimming in shit. I postponed my studies because I needed a fresh perspective, some time to mature and appreciate the world and all it has to offer.  This year has been about learning to let go of insecurities and social comparisons and be happy and confident in myself. I honestly miss medicine, I miss that connection you have with people and I miss the excitement and possibility of the job. I have learnt so much this year. I have learnt so much in Nicaragua. I am learning to deal with obstacles and let go of what doesn't matter. I am learning to be positive, to problem solve, all skills that will be so useful in the future. So much can change in a year.

Imogen

Surfing in San Juan Del Sur...

I have made it one of my life goals to surf in as many countries as possible. Nicaragua did not disappoint!  In a beach town full of die-hard surfers and expert locals how could I not grab a board and head to the beach. Honestly, the way these guys surf is mind blowing! I started with a morning lesson with Arena Caliente at Remanso beach for $25. Surfboards tied to the roof and a group of us in the back of the open truck. After being taken aback by strong waves in Sri Lanka I told them I was a complete beginner. New oceans can take you by surprise, the scar on my leg from Sri Lanka is proof so I played it safe and they started me on a soft-board.

I have been surfing for a few years, odd lessons here and there and spent the past couple of summers surfing with Doc in Croyde, where we load our boards onto his Land Rover Defender and spend the best part of the day long-boarding on Saunton Beach. Doc is my Dad's former work partner and possibly the coolest guy alive.

My surf lesson proved really useful as I've gotten myself into the terrible habit of getting to my knees before standing on the board. This suited me fine in England when you're in a wetsuit but a killer if your knees are bare. I am finally learning to pop up and get to my feet quickly. The waves at Remanso were so strong and most of the time I was getting pummelled by the tide trying to manoeuvre a cumbersome soft-board. But as Doc says 'better a crap day surfing than a good day at work'. I had a great day, met a cool group of Canadians taking the lesson with me, and finally got to try Ceviche - a delicious dish of marinated fish. I went for a drink with Megan and Tristan at the Loose Moose in the evening, a lovely couple from our morning group, and reminisced over travel experiences and Corn Island with them.

Today was a much better surfing day. I switched to a hardboard and headed to Maderas. Unlike Remanso, there are no stones when you hit the shallow so I had a much softer landing and a fantastic day surfing. My knees are still in pretty good shape, evidence of some improvement! John, my friend from California gave me some good pointers. I just need to keep practising, keep getting up. One day I will make this sport second nature. I have never been happier than after a day surfing. Its not the first time i have been tempted to move my life to the beach and surf every day. Doc has done just that and I have the best memory of him floating on the water saying 'its like a holiday, but it's not, it's retirement!'

I am reluctant to leave; I love how laid back San Juan del Sur is. My favourite time of day is late afternoon, post surf; drinking iced coffee, reading and watching people pass by in the colourful streets. I would happily stay here a while longer but I have only a week left and I want to explore Ometepe before I depart.

San Juan has had an osmotic effect on me. I feel brighter, more carefree, more easygoing than the person I was before this trip began. I have learnt to enjoy the present, that plans are subject to change and I love the freedom of having nowhere to be, no tune to dance to but my own. I am holding onto this luxury, recognising not to take it for granted as I will really miss it when I'm back home.

Imogen

Sunday Funday...

I have arrived in the party town of San Juan del Sur! I followed Matt and Simon to Tadeo Hostel, definitely one of the nicer places I'd stayed in - clean, quiet with a pool and breakfast for $12 a night (San Juan prices were always going to be a bit steep). We spent the afternoon eating fish burgers and playing darts in Big Wave Dave's and caught the sunset walking.

So I took part in Sunday Funday. I paid an extortionate price for the privilege of some hostel pool parties. What you get for $30 is entry, transport between the parties and the tramp stamp T-shirt that will probably become Ben's souvenir. Food and drinks are extra. To my surprise I had a brilliant time. If you've got a good group with you, you can't go wrong. I have never done a girls holiday in Magaluf or a Full Moon Party (and probably never will) but I can get on board with a lad's piss up in Central America.

Si greeted me with a morning rum and I had a fantastic day of drinking and dancing in the sun. I met Ava, Edie and Mia too; naturally people seem to gravitate towards each other on the backpacker trail. We finished off at the Naked Tiger hostel on top of the hill where the views were stunning, a perfect sunset and a tropical downpour when night came. I thought to myself never again will you dance in the rain in Central America with 700 people overlooking San Juan del Sur and the Christ of the Mercy statue lit up by lightening against the horizon. Moments like this are once in a lifetime and amazing reminders of how good it feels to be 22. Sadly I have no photos as we did not take anything electronic. After accidentally getting submerged in the pool and getting soaked in the rain this was a wise decision.

Like all nights out eventually everyone seems to lose their sanity and spatial awareness and your friends go missing. I found Matt and Si back at the hostel. Matt has officially lost his bet with me being the last one standing - he still needs to wax his beard.

A wonderful benefit about an 8 hour daytime party is that you can sleep off your hangover, I woke up feeling pretty good and pissing glitter. Matt and Si stayed up till six in the morning and have left the hostel only for pizza, looking like shells of their former selves. I hiked up the hill, a 45 minute steep climb, to the Christ of the Mercy statue, the tallest in Central America, and the views are incredible. I've been wandering through the colourful shops and markets and sat drinking Vietnamese coffee in San Juan Surf watching the world go by.

San Juan del Sur is bright, fun with a great laid back vibe. I'll be staying here a few more days to surf and explore; there are some great surrounding beaches, as will as horse riding, boat trips, nightlife and yoga amongst other activities. I think it will be impossible to be bored here!

Imogen

Christ the Redeemer

View of San Juan del Sur

Coffee, Shops and Cafes

The Benefits of Making Friends With Tall People...

Today I am leaving Granada. A good three days here has allowed me to relax, explore and I am ready to move on. I've had long lazy mornings reading over breakfast and taking in the sights. I am in love with the incredible churches, coloured houses and terracotta roof tiles, the bustling ancient market and lively evenings.

Yesterday I spent the day at Laguna de Apoyo, a huge lagoon in the middle of a volcanic crater. It is stunningly beautiful; an immense, clear pool of water surrounded by trees, iguanas and birds filling the air with their cries. I've been kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming, which has been wonderful relief from the heat.

Back in Granada, I went out at dusk looking for food and bumped into Matt and Simon who I met in Poneloya, along with their friend Sven who they also picked up at the Surfing Turtle. We ate some great street food, yucca, pork and slaw, in the Parque Central and walked through the back streets near the market to a courtyard full of locals drinking rum and tona.

I got to experience an evening of no harassment having three men over six foot guarding me. It is a huge pitfall of lone female travel. No matter what I wear, time of day or how much you ignore them, you constantly get leers, stares, wolf whistles and 'beautiful girl' in creepy voices. It's exhausting and an evening without it was most welcome. The guys are hilarious and some crude lad humour and card games made it a fantastic evening. Especially when   we got talking about festivals - FYI the German version of the Allan cry is Helga.

I'm travelling to San Juan del Sur today were I will probably see some familiar faces. I am hoping I'll be doing more surfing than partying as really I am a Grandma at heart. No doubt fellow twenty-something's will try and persuade me otherwise.

Imogen

Discovering the Middle East in Central America...

I found myself back at Pita Pita again, hankering after more baba ganoush. Middle Eastern food is undoubtedly my favourite cuisine. I remember determinedly plodding through field after field looking for a falafel stand at Glastonbury that I found on a drunken Thursday afternoon that seemed to have disappeared by Friday. I walked through the healing field about four times on this mad mission for hummus.

I learnt more than I thought I would over dinner. On display was a cookbook called 'Jerusalem' by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sammi Tamimi, and I sat reading it after my meal. Both men grew up in Jerusalem, Ottolenghi from the Jewish West side and Tamimi from the Arab East, who's father also has Italian roots with Libyan influences. You can imagine the delicious combination (try Gio's La Piazza in Manchester and you will know what I am talking about!) Ottolenghi and Tamimi met and formed an alliance in London over a passion for cooking.

'Jerusalem' is the most descriptive, inspiring and personal cookbook I've ever come across, echoing the tastes of the author's childhoods. The book begins with an insightful history into fractured Jerusalem, something I had never taken the time to learn. It captures beautifully the emotion attached to this city, a medieval map depicting Jerusalem as the centre of the world, surrounded by the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, thus showing the importance placed in Jerusalem for centuries.

The book vividly describes the passion, anger and ferocity of religion in the Holy Land between Muslims, Jews and Christians. Where King David first made his settlement, where the prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven and where Jesus Christ was crucified under the Romans. A complicated history where the city has so often been taken, destroyed and rebuilt. People who were forced out and came back fighting to claim their home.

They talk of the fierceness with which Jerusalemites believe in ownership, something tangible in a land where their holy temples were burnt to the ground leaving only memory and longing in its place. The struggle for Jerusalem continues to be unbearable, each group wanting to call it theirs.

Ottolenghi and Tamimi link this so beautifully to food, of which a similar passion is felt. They describe how food has the potential to unite a nation rather than tear it apart, alongside dreams of the same happening in terms of religion. Their view is that food is about the moment, the right now, not the past that came before it. That trying to claim ownership of a particular dish is ridiculous as we will never be able to determine where hummus was first made. The joy and wonder of food is in sharing, celebrating and coming together. The person who invented the dish is irrelevant, an important inspiration, but ceases to matter as dishes evolve, each person after adding their own twist, new flavours.

Ottolenghi and Tamimi dream of Jerusalem declared as a World Heritage Sight and the Holy Land to become a feast to which everyone is invited to share. I am strongly convinced of the notion that hummus has the power to unite Jerusalem if nothing else will. I hope Ottolenghi and Tamimi succeed in their mission.

There is so much variation across the Middle East, but the core aspects are foods that grow seasonally, the delicacy of sweet and savoury, sharp and spiced flavours together. Almonds, courgette, Aubergine, apricots, artichokes, beetroot, figs, dates, lamb, zatar spice. I am no expert but these are the aspects of cooking that excite me, using what the ground offers you, what is intrinsic to your homeland.

My only experience of the Middle East has been through food. I remember my best meal in Sri Lanka; Shakshuka after a long surf session. Food had never tasted so nourishing, authentic and delicious. Food has the power to transcend and reach other people's lives. We are incredibly lucky in our cosmopolitan world that food from across the globe is brought to us, as people continually travel, bringing with them a piece of home. Never underestimate the value of what there is to learn from what we taste.

Food is powerful and emotive. In a small restaurant in Nicaragua I found my mind broadened, hungry to know more about a different culture and my quest for hummus, baba ganoush and tatziki scooped up with warm, soft pita bread satisfied for at least one evening.

Imogen