22-24.01.2018. Rivas 108,6km /// 1556,98km

There are borders, which I name lines of crisis. It’s necessary just to walk few steps and there is completely different world, because from poverty to riches are only few steps. I had that impression when I crossed border with Nicaragua. Clunky booths, smoke from street’s points where food is selling, “Taxi! Taxi mister!” and strange guys walking around. I felt like once again in Paraguay or north part of Peru. But most important, that after extremely expansive Costa Rica came back low prizes. So low, that when I saw them in supermarket I wanted to buy everything! But I could only want to do that because my bank blocked my cards 😮 That’s why during two next days I didn’t had absolutely nothing to eat and no single coin which have power in that country. First time in my life I was so happy when I found old paprika on road 😀 And it’s not metafore…

And road became really narrow. During next 80km I met strong blasts of wind. 80km of fighting with trolley which want to go or to ditch on one side or under yellow school bus which is passing on other side.

“NIC” in polish means “nothing”. Really there is nothing to see in Nicaragua?

Absolutely all tries during 80km from border are marked with flag of Nicaragua. You can forget where are You 🙂

You also can’t forget where are You because of guys from security of fields (!) who are walking with shutgans on back (!)

Information about restaurant where You can try bull eggs and viagra soap 😀

I walked to Rivas, where once again I met guy from Argentina who helped me few days before with sandwich. Now he helped me with information, that we can sleep in fire station! It looks like after apocalypse but most important that we have roof over heads.

City have nothing special. Cracked facades, holes in streets, trash on squares. But easily You can find monuments of FSLN, socialistic party participated in civil war. Next to them You gonna find a lot of people which are sitting with theirs cellphones. They looks like chickens on roost 😀 It’s because Internet in Nicaragua is extremely expansive and most of people can’t buy it for theirs home. That’s why government put antennas with giant power to give Wi-Fi for everybody. And now everybody are going to main square to listen music, watch movies and play computer games. I learned to observe kids. If they stand somewhere in front of restaurant or other place I can be sure that there is free internet or that they know password 🙂

Baseball in Central America is like religion. In every city there is baseball stadion

25-28.01.2018 Moyogalpa 82,2km /// 1639,18km

First I didn’t had that plan, but in some second i made decision to roll my trolley on Omatepe island. But first I needed to rolled in on Che Guevara, transport boat, and that wasn’t easy thing. Wind swing boat really strong and my trolley jumped on batten like on trampoline. Finally in some way I was inside and lighter with 50 Cordobas for ticket, I started to cut waves on largest lake in Nicaragua. On upper board I met Mauricio, truck driver, who had a lot of watermelon in his truck, and who will have their place with my adventure on island 🙂

Island is incredible! And its really crazy that I was so close to not go there 😮 Ometepe is volcanic island with around 10 thousand citizens and two giant volcanos. Bigger, Concepcion, is one from unique one with almost perfect shape. Cone with hole at the top. I wanted to climb there, but it’s possible only with guide. And that increase prize to… 20$! Once again I couldn’t do hike because of prize. But in that situation I understand why guide is necessary. Only during last year disappear 7 tourists. And two years ago there was 19 persons! Where and how? On top it’s possible not only look under ground but also enter there. There is a lot of tunnels and caves dangerous as hell. And probably there, without permission, knowledge and equipment entered those, who never left island.

But that island is not only volcanos. For me in first place are amazing people. Beautiful and incredible open. They shout, invite, kids are greeting like crazy. Whole island is like from different reality. Rest of Nicaragua looks a little bit harsh, and here is like wrapped up with plush. Silence and calmness. Criminality almost don’t existe here. Everybody are gong on streets. And maybe streets are flashing inside homes? Opened wildly doors and windows shows all mystery of families. Sometimes that was really difficult to walk on streets and to not watch like in TV someone live 😀

In village Moyogalpa I met Spanish missioner, who let me to camp on terrain of church. And everything could be really cool but he closed church when I was outside in shop, and my things already in garden. Probably I was first foreigner who break in church 😀 But in that way I found tap which I use for next two days as a shower

On map I found road (unique one), which lead worund volcan Concepcion. I hit road, which later changed in stony trail. And in soul I was fulfilled with calmness. I felt really strong connection with island. And nothing could change it, even monkeys which attacked me, parrots which scared me with their sound and some strange animal who looked from trees when I searched for place to camp. Because first night I wanted to stay on beach, but when I came there I realize that… beach disappear! Water in lake was so high that all beaches dessapear 😀 Well night, on soccer field with horses also was really cool.

Next day I saw driver who I met on boat. He stopped next to me and through window he gave… watermelon! Stupid fruit but gave me a lot of happiness! I walk and pet my watermelon like a baby. Suddenly I saw, a little bit under road, few horses. So, I walked really calmness, under wind like Indian, to take nice picture with horses and volcano. Pure silence. And in one moment I hear incredible noise. My trolley, after strong blow of wind, rolled down from street and make noise with pot, spoons, water, cans and everything what was inside. Worst thing is, that my watermelon made jump and crashed in the middle of field. Also my dreams about dinner with fruit crashed there. Someone loose, someone win. Horses which in first moment run away came back to eat watermelon from my hand 😀

In other village on island, Altagracia, found marks of grand history. From one side portraits of Che Guevara, Castro, Chavez and other from red star team. And from other information about polish missioner. Wladyslaw Chalwinski came on island in 1958! He spend all his life there and help with local community. I’m wondering how strong he was, and what he thought when he came here in the middle of 50’. Other side of world, different culture. Strong man!

I roll my trolley on stony road when suddenly someone shouted to me from one of homes. Sivo Mendoza and Wilfredo spend there free time under palm tree, with rum and simaron – mix of limon juice, water and salt. We spend together nice evening with a lot of stories about island. Finally they offered me place to stay and even possibility to work there!

After visit on Ometepe I’m almost sure, that last days of my life I want to spend on some island 9and it will be perfect if on the middle of it will be some volcano 😀 ). On island people live slower and with bigger calmness. They are happy because can appreciate with small things. They appreciate every single sunset. That was really difficult for me to leave that island. Even I had volcanis stone in my pocket and my memories were full with amazing people.

29.01.2018 Rivas 0km

In Rivas I met Monika and Nil from Poland, and we wanted to drink a little bit of rum. We had bottle, but without place where we can check what is inside. We walked and scan side road to find some place to camp. And suddenly there is! Quick jump into bushes and let’s do camp.

After few seconds some guy. “You can’t stay here! It’s really dangerous place. I invite You to my place”. And place even that was really poor was hospitable. We met wife, daughter, resolute granddaughter and kids from neighborhood. And whole family treat as like kings! We had room, two beds and so much food that we couldn’t eat it all. And claims that we can stay as long as we want, that it’s also our home, that we can always come back here. That now we are part of family. Wonderful, open and lovely people!

Next day we took our staff and went on our ways. I headed north, and Nil with Monica on south.