I am not so sure about the highlights of this trip anymore, but Nicaragua is definitely one of them. After visiting the colonial cities in the west, I have spent some time in and around San Juan del Sur, close to the Costa Rican border.

First I took my first surfing lesson at Playa Madera, an appealing, quiet beach & Nicaraguan surf hot spot. It went actually all pretty well as long as my Dutch instructor was holding my long board. Once I was on my own on a shorter board, I really had a hard time standing up. Spending 1 night at Crazy Dave´s Hideout camp was quite an experience, even though I didn´t see him starting a fight or shooting at anything while I stayed there (he is known for that all across the area).

After 2 days I returned back to San Juan, luckily with all my luggage. People use to get mugged around Playa Maderas, so was a German couple I met in the middle of the day. Once more, Central American thieves are not always to efficient - they left the bag with everything inside in the woods after 2 unarmed locals followed them.

My next stop was Isla de Ometepe, a gorgeous island in the middle of Lago de Nicaragua. The island is nominated for the new natural wonders and you can really see why - formed by 2 volcanos with several black-sand beaches, Ometepe is still touristy small and absolutely safe. I hiked up the very muddy trail in order to see the little lagoon in the middle of the crater. 2 Americans disappeared here 3 years ago and couldn´t be found by local guides for 2 weeks, until their skeletons and backpacks were finally discovered. Since then you have to book a guide who leads up the volcano and through the fascinating cloud forrest.

The swimming hole Ojo de Agua and the beaches of Charco Verde are only some more nice spots on Ometepe. Check out my last pics of Nicaragua - my knees and legs have healed, so I am off now to my next surfing lesson at Playa Remanso before I am heading down to Costa Rica tomorrow. Pura vida!