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