Nicaragua, playa Madera

Offshore wind everyday of the year and a cold beer with fresh fish on the bbq at the end of the day.

After a little hassle at the boarder I entered Nicaragua, where the surfs up, life is still cheap and the people are really friendly.

I will be here for 2 weeks to learn Spanish before I return to San Jose to celebrate Sinterklaas at the Dutch Embassy, which is good because I need a new passport and since I've been a good boy all year I hope to get a job trough a fellow Dutchman as a present.

Tortuguero (6000mm of cats and dogs annually!)

Normally known for the (Green and Leatherback) turtles I unfortunately came out of season. Of course I knew this so I didn’t come for the turtles. Tortuguero is also known for its little funny looking dart frogs which I luckily did found. And I’m not sure, but I make myself believe that the snake I found is the very poisonous (juvenile) Bushmaster. The lizard that I saw running over water was maybe even the best of all, well, after the Toucan of course or maybe the sound of the Howler monkeys...
Locals here are so keen on getting your money they will offer you nearly everything they can, whether they actually can or whether you really need it or not. Some of them are quite direct and desperate, this because they have to feed their lush for crack and alcohol. I guess living in a small deserted place only to reach by a one hour boat ride where it really nearly always rains can make you go a bit crazy after some years. Still, it’s an amazingly magnetic place, with the travel and all it was a big adventure to start with.
Next -after I’m going to meet some more biologists back in San Jose- I’m up for more. I will head to the west coast, where the sun (hopefully) shines and the surf sure is up!

San Jose

Sorry, not much to tell you. I’m still in San Jose which is a bit of a boring town really. But I found a relaxed backpacker and then you always stay longer then intended. Im busy aranging interviews, studying Spanish and waiting for my contact lenses to arrive…Read: Repeatingly, un cerveca porre van vorre...

En, ik heb schoenen gekocht. En!...het was dus eindelijk tijd voor mijn lang lang geleden geleerde eerste spaanse zinnetje; Donde esta la Zapateria? Nou er waren er nog al wat en zoals verwacht -net als in Indonesie- was mijn maat vrij schaars, maar toch wat gevonden want:
Tomorrow I’m going into the wild for some days, (Tortuguero, on the caribbean cost), to paddle over lagoons and meandering rivers in a canoe to spot toucans, monkeys, kaimans etc. and to experience more cats and dogs falling from the sky.

I tried to get a pre paid but it seems impossible here, the maffia runs the cellular business and they’re not that well organised. My own sim doesn’t work here, hail the wifi!
In other words, I won’t be able to receive calls or text messages.

Nog even voor de Rent A bikers: Con seguro, sin frenos! (Alle remmen los)

And considering the rain: No he pedido esto!!!

Adios, los ballos,

Tios

Amsterdam

Soon there will be lots of yada yada & bla bla about Costa Rica here.

So hopefully till next time!

Bye bye rainy Amsterdam

(Hello rainy Costa Rica)

Thijs