San Blas Islands

4.30 am. Panama City. I´m tired obviously, but theres a jeep on it´s way to take us to the Islands so begrudgingly I crawl out of bed and grunt at my fellow travellers.
Dave has decided not to come to San Blas as he has to get through South America and has already changed his flight home on numerous occasions, such is travelling, people come and people go. We say our goodbyes and head off, Gini and I and the Germans.

To say the road was a bit bumpy would be like saying Hitler was a bit unsociable. The 4 wheel drive was definately needed throughout. We spent 3 hours being bounced around in the back of the jeep as it headed accross the country, up hills, down mountains and the best bit was when we actually had to drive through a river, it was like being in a car advert!
We were met when we got off the boat by the guy we would be staying with, he was the brother of someone that worked in the hostel in Panama.

Now San Blas as I have said is a collection of Islands that are reputed to be the best in the whole of Central America, palm trees, white beaches and clear waters, so you can imagine our disapointment when we pulled up in the boat to an island that has a community living on it and no beach!!!
This was however short lived as when we finished breakfast (desayuno) we were taken on a boat by our hosts nephew to another island, and this one nicely met our expectations. It was the smallest island I have ever been on, obout a 10 minute walk would have you all the way around it.
Theres not really much to say about the time we spent their, we snorkelled in the clear water (but no reef so not much to see), sunbathed on the gorgeous beach and swam. The bit that made it even better (coz you know, I wasn´t satisfied!)...(.that was a joke, it was great ) was the fact the driver of the boat came back at midday, we thought to take us back but in fact it was to bring our lunch to us in take away trays, rice and chicken for a change but hey it was good at the time and we didn´t know at the time but the food during our stay was about to get so much better!
So yeah we stayed on the beach for another few hours and were picked up to be taken back to the house.
The homestay gave us the chance to experience life in a Kuna Village, Kuna is the name of the people living on the Islands. It´s not their individual names coz that would be just wierd and confusing,¨Hi Kuna, wheres Kuna?¨ ¨Oh, hi Kuna, I´ve not seen him, have you checked with Kuna?¨ ...you get the point.

Walking around the village was interesting, it was still quite a small island but was home to quite a lot of families, and all of them share similar features, I guess from generations of sharing quite a small gene pool, more like a gene puddle really.
The houses were all made of palm leaves and bamboo, they were little more than shacks, the floors are dirt and the toilet was shared by about 5 houses and was simply a seat in a shelter (4 walls and a door, no roof) that was suspended over the edge of the island. It is quite a strange experience really, takin a crap and watchin as the fish come to see what you are leaving behind!! Oh the toilet adventures when travelling in strange places! It´s not an island to go swimming near I´ll tell you that, and not suprisingly the locals will go out in a boat to do their fishin, well who wants to eat the fish that have been eating peoples poo? I wouldn´t.
It´s a simple life, no running water, not much money, fish that will eat your poo, but everyone seems happy, I imagine there wouldn´t be any sort of crime there, everyone knows who everyone else is and you don´t have anywhere to run to. Not only that, no one has anythin worth nickin!

A week before, when we were on Bocas I had taken Gini out for a posh meal to a fancy restaraunt so she could try Lobster for the first time. I had a massive crab too. The meal had cost us about 20quid (when we were budgeting on about 2quid each for a meal it certainly was a step up. I know you will be reading this and thinkin what a bargain a lobster and crab dinner is for 20 notes. I love it.)

Anyway on San Blas we were paying $25 each per day for food, lodging and transport to the beaches each day. We weren´t expecting much from the food really so we were well chuffed when we found out what the dinner on the first night was, yep, crab and lobster, freshly caught that day. Nice.

Now we were supposed to go to 3 islands on the second day, the first was another fantastic place taken straight from a bounty advert. There was also a wreck just off the beach so we spent quite some time snorkelling around there, we took photos with our underwater camera but they haven´t been developed yet, will put em on soon as. Lunch was delivered at about 12.30, our driver had dropped us off in the morning and gone fishin so it was freshly cooked massive fish with rice and was delicious.

Unfortunately a storm came while we were there. Me n Gini went for a swim as it´s the best place to be in the rain, about 20 minutes later we had to get out as it was so hard the rain actually hurt when it hit you. We holed up in a little house on the island, with the rest of the tourists, there were about 20 people in this small house, with Grandma just swingin in the hammock givin wide mouthed grins to the gringoes. (there were only 2 houses on the island ) and waited for our life to come for us or the rain to stop, niether of which happened for about an hour and a half, then our lift came, it was still raining and we were about an hours ride from our island. We couldn´t wait it out, it would probably rain for the rest of the day so we had to go. Thankfully there was a tarpaulin on the boat so we tried to cover ourselves as best we could but still got a soaking. It was a lot of fun really, the boat was only small and the waves were large, not to the point where I was scared but just enough to make some of the ups and downs exhilerating.
The morning of the 3rd day and it was time to leave and at any time other than the rainy season I imagine that would be where this blog entry finishes, however our journey back to Panama was a far thing from uneventful! Firstly we had to wait for the jeep to come back, our host hads a phone call from him to say he had some Japanese tourists with him who wanted to take a detour so they could get some photo´s, now this guy isn´t really in a position to argue, he gets paid a phenomenal amount of cash compared to Panamanians. He charges $25 per person each way for a 3 hour drive, he can take up to 7 people at a time and probably does the journey at least 4 times a week, dropping off and picking up to take back to Panama. Even if he averages at 4 people each time he´s making $800 per week and only working 24 hours!!!

Anyway, it meant we were hanging around in the rain for about an hour and when I say rain I mean a torrential downpour. After the hour or so your man says he thinks we need to go down the river as the jeep can´t get through to pick us up. At this we though we would nip down the river a bit to somewhere else, it turned out to be about another hour on the boat, covered with tarpaulin again as we very slowly made our way to a new meeting point. We did see a cayman on the way though so it was worth it.

Off the boat and we had to climb up a massive embankment of mud, it was flip flops off and almost knee deep, a couple of older locals had to be carried up it was that bad. Then the jeep had a flñat tyre so we had to wait for the guy to change it, that wasn´t really a problem and only took 10 minutes.

Now I´d love to say that was the end of the ordeal that the journey back had turned into and it would have been if the jeep was a little better, if the tyres were a little bigger or the really massive muddy hill that was really just a big clay slide that had been churned with vehicles going over it in the storm was a little less steep. Unfortunately the jeep didn´t have the tyres and the hill was just too steep. The driver gunned the accelerator and we started our ascent, slowly but surely we climbed the hill.......to about the halfway point, then we stopped. The acellerator was still being gunned and the wheels were a turnin but we were stuck. Back down we rolled (which was a bit scary coz I thought we were going to go over the cliff to one side). We tried a second time with a bigger run at it. No good. I asked the driver if it would be better if we walked up the hill so he had less weight, which he agreed to. So off we trotted in the company of an old bloke that was gettiong a ride too. Flip flops once agin were off as we slipped and slid up the hill. I will also add I wasn´t the chivalrous guy I should have been, it was every man for himself as we went up, I knew if I tried to help Gini I would have slipped on my arse and gone sliding back down again. I did kind of feel bad for a second when I looked around and saw her and the old bloke helpin each other...doh.

The jeep still couldn´t get up the hill. We were stuck in what is essentially a jungle in the heart of Panama, with a road going through it, if you can call this shite sludge a road.
Fortunately there was a banana jeep passing that was much better than our jeep, it climbed the hill with ease makin our car look shit.
The nice blokes in the banana truck had a winch or some rope or somethin and managed to get the jeep up the hill, yey, we were saved. Another silver lining though, when we were waitin we saw some monkeys and got some photos.
Then we finished the drive to Panama City.

Bocas Photos

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Panama Photos

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Panama, Panama, Panama

Stu.
We have been to towns and villages, beaches and islands. We started off in Mexico City but since then we have avoided the bright lights and high rise buildings that make cities stand out.
For me a city in Central America is just the same as being in Manchester or anywhere really, there isn't any personality, I want to experience new and unusual cultures. I want to see things that make me stand in awe and take a minute to appreciate them.
I don't want to stand at traffic lights waiting to cross a busy road with heavy traffic just to get to the McDonald's on the other side (although I do love the egg McMuffin mmmm). I don't want to have the only smell be the one of car fumes and rubbish in the street. Like I said, you can get that anywhere in the world, the language is the only difference.

Saying this I was pleasantly surprised when we looked out the bus window at the massive skyscrapers that make the skyline of Panama City. They have hats, highrises and a canal.

We travelled here on mass, Gini and I, Kat and Ollie (Germans) and Kiwi Dave. The bus was nice but really cold, why o why in a really hot country would they feel the need to crank the aircon up so high that everyone on the bus needs to have blankets over them to stay warm?? Go figure?!
Our arrival was a bit of a trial (not much change there then) We headed to the first hostel that was mentioned in "The Book" as a rule of thumb the first mentioned is usually the best, and also the busiest.

Tangent - The phrase "Rule of Thumb" originated back in thon olden days, where it was illegal to beat your wife with anything thicker than your thumb. Nice eh?

Panama, Panama, Panama. Yeah so the hostel was full.
Off we head to another one in walking distance through the "Old town" of Panama, not really a savory area for late night strolls (it was dark by now). Anyway, long story not as long, it was full too but we managed to get all 5 of us and our rucksacks in a taxi, however the boot wouldn't shut so the driver just left it open. We watched all the way to a third hostel sure that our bags would be littering the streets any moment now!
There was room, and it was only $5 each. Score.

OK, there were a few things of interest that happened whilst we were in Panama City, in between the walking around and drinkin beer. First we went to a nature reserve, park thing where we were assured by the literature of the place that there were sloths in the trees and monkeys running rampant.
I wanted someone to say " Hey Stu look, there's a Sloth, oh and there's another one." I'm fuckin sure Sloths are not known for their agility and stealth, they should have been easy to find right? all lazy and shit hangin around in trees. Well they're the connotations that I conjure up when I think of them.
The reality my friends is somewhat different, there are 2 possible scenarios that I have consideded regarding this.

First, Sloths are not the subdued creatures we have seen on TV, they are not synonymous of the word "Lazy" and do not spend their days lounging in trees doing sod all as we have been led to believe. In fact they are quite nimble creatures who wait for gringo's(tourists/me) to come looking for them then they decide to evade said gringo's in a fashion that can only be described as "cat like" in their ability to run and hide, to give the impression that in fact they have never been there at all. They may even wear fashionable black velvet ninja suits to help them blend in with their surroundings and look oh so dapper at the same time.

The second scenario is that there just aren't any.

And as much as I want the first of these scenarios to be true I am beginning to feel that the latter is in fact correct.
We didn't see any monkeys either.

Ollie the German as he became known to us had just finished a year studying "Logistics". I asked him the logistics of what and he looked at me like I'd crawled out from under a rock. Apparently it's the process of commerce from manufacture to sales and includes all the arranging of shipping and transport and stuff, why the hell he didn't just say that I don't know. Anyway he got very excited about Panama, it was the place he was looking forward to most as they have the Panama Canal. (All the wonders of Central America and he was looking forward to a canal.....)

OK I'll admit at first I though "we have canals all over the place in Manchester, how could this be much different?" but then as he explained the canal had been built from the Pacific to the Carribean and saved ships hundreds or thousands of miles of sailing as they now just went through the whole country I was quite impressed.

We went on a trip to see said canal in action but unfortunately when we got there we were told that there wasn't a ship due for another few hours so we wouldn't see one go through the massive locks which is the highlight. I think I might have stifled a giggle at Ollies loss.

I got propositioned by a whore.
Not at the Canal though. Myself and Dave headed out to a club for the evening. Gini was too tired and the Germans had gone somewhere. After a few beers in a bar we went to the club area of town, dodgy and a bit dangerous it was quite a lot of fun. Now throughout the trip there hasn't been much drinking...no thats a lie, there has been constant drinking but not much drinking to excess. So the opportunity to go clubbing was good.

Dave was like a dog on heat, as a single traveller thats his perogative, I was happy to be his wing man. We were told of a club that was apparently full of "ladies with negotiable morals" we weren't interested but were going to go have a look anyway (ho spottin, "theres one, theres another" - that type of thing). Anyway there was a cover charge so we went somewhere else.

There was a live band and a girl started dancing next to us, I obviously directed her towards Dave who started with his Kiwi charm, the lady in question was insistant that she wasn't a prostitute. I ignored them and went back to watchin the band. I happened to glance in the direction of the bar and happened also to catch the eye of a girl on a stool there. Now there was a row of girls on stools, it was like a pic and mix! I didn't have any doubts about what they were there for but couldn't resist a friendly smile as she caught my eye. (which is perfectly acceptable, I am friendly with everyone and this in no way can be seen as anything seedy on my behalf!! I keep telling myself )
Lo and behold (or should I say Ho and behold?) a minute later said girl (who was attractive in her own way but obviously not a touch on Gini who I love very much...) comes over to talk to me! The conversation went something like this,

Her "hey baby, where you from?"
me " England, where are you from?" I'm being polite right?
her "Columbia, your beautiful"
me "thanks, your not too bad yourself. I'm travelling with my girlfriend who is at my hotel" This is said as an explanation more than anything. And I must say I appreciated her direct approch.
her " Not tonight then?"
me " no, not tonight" by this I also mean not any night obviously!

In Panama "Columbian" is code, it means whore.
I left the bar before Dave and walked home, leaving him to work on his lady friend. He got back about 20 minutes later claiming he thought she was definately "Columbian" despite her attempts to hide it. It was a good night.

There are some Islands to the North of Panama called the San Blas. They are reputed to be some of the nicest in Central America and a must see. The jeep to get there was $25 for the 3 hour ride. Now you must remember we have been paying about $1 per hour on most forms of public transport till now, and we are all tight bastards when travelling, trying desperatle to stick to the "Budget".
We took the alternative option and went by bus. It meant a change of bus en route but would cost much less.
Oh how we can laugh about it now. We took a bus to Colon, which is truly the arse of the world. The plan was to get off before Colon and get a second bus but the bus driver failed to let us know when we should have got off. It was a 2 hour ride.
As we alighted the bus we were herded by the army to one section of the bus terminal. Which in itself was a bit strange. "Where's your Bag?" Gini asks me, "what bag?"I reply as I had my rucksack and a plastic bag, it was then I realised I also have a day bag that I had left on the bus with my MP3 player and other stuff in it. The bus had driven away. Shit....wait no this is it driving back down the road, I started to run after the bus with a soldier chasing me waving his gun in the air. Apparently Colon is so dangerous for tourists that if you walk the streets in the middle of the day you will be robbed. I got my bag back and then we found out there was a bus strike. We would have to stay in Colon for a while, the army didn't know when the buses would be running again.
We got back on a bus to Panama City.
Took the $25 jeep the next morning.

Bocas Del Toro

Bocas are a group of beautiful island off the coast of North East Panama and Bocas Del Toro is the town that EVERYONE goes to. It is a great chill out drinking town. It is wierd, we are almost bored of people telling us that places are chilled out, we have layed on beaches, chilled out in hammoks and generally sat around doing nothing for a long time now, we want parties, drinking till dawn, falling over (Stu has been filling that quota a lot he is still not used to the flip flop life and keeps tripping up, it keeps me amused anyway) drunk. This might be the place. Bocas is renound as a bit of party island. We head to Mondu Titu the hostel recomended as the partyist of the party hostels and it is full we so we head down to it´s sister hostel Heike. It was a nice hostel but we have now added another requirement to our hostel choosing, a good chill out spot. Heike was lacking in this department.

It is really important to have somewhere that you can just hang out, read, figure out what you are going to do that day, if anything. So many hostels that we have gone to have just been the basic here is you bed sort of place, putting no effort into it. No orginised nights, no communal area where travellers can meet and discuss what is going on ask the top five questions, and get some insight on where to go next. I would love to own a hostel and if I ever did I would hope that I would put a little extra effort into it than some of the ones that we have stayed at.

Saying that every night at 7 all the staff left our place to go to Mondu to man the bar where they had a different drink special/theme every night so off to Mondu with us all too for Grannies home made punch which was lethal, apple flavor huccas, spirits for $1 and other ridiculas drinks offers.

The morning after Grannies punch was a bit of a wash out so we decided to have a quite night and book a beach and snorkling tour for the next day. The island that we are on has no beaches itself but the surrounding ones have so you need to get a water taxi or go on a tour to get out to see them. Up bright and early the next day and the first stop is Dolphin bay to see yes you guessed it Dolphins. We are amoung 4 boats wating for the Dolphins and as soon as a fin is spotted the boats go zooming over the them and circle them. I started feeling a bit bad for the poor guys.

Every one on the boat is poised with their camera to get THE picture seeing life through the view finder, missing the real thing in favour of the timelessness of a photo, almost capsising the boat as they all pile on to oneside. Intrupting the daily life of the culture/animal they have come to see. It is a really annoying cycle that you notice when you are travelling somewhere like this. In Utila (the diving island) the reef is in real danger because tourists come to see the reef and fish, the local fishermen fish to feed the tourists, they over fish the species that are needed to keep the reef alive and keep the tourists coming, shitty isn´t it?. But any way here is my photo of the dolphins!

Just as out boat was pulling away we noticed that 3 dolphins have started riding our wake. It was brillent they were jumping and playing and following us in circles for ages. The part that was the BEST was that the 3 of them went under the boat, just thinking about it now makes me a bit giddy. They buzzed the boat so tightly that you could see their big black eyes under the water. I don´t think there have been many times in my life that I have accually gasped (seeing Ali in her wedding dress was one) but this was so wonderful seeing these creatures look at you it was just so cool.

We had two snorkling sites to visit after that we saw a huge barracuda and loads of black snapper. We docked at Red Frog Beach where little boys were waiting for us and for the princly sum of 25 cents they would show you their red frogs. There were 3 little boys none of them older than 5 with leaves with red frogs on them. One of them the youngest who could have only bee 3 1/2 lost his frog but we gave him money anyway cause we are just that nice! They are so funny they love looking at photos of themselves as soon as you take a photo they are up pulling at you, one of the girls we were with thought they were looking for money but they just want to see the photo. It is funny that something that we find so normal like a picture can be such a big thing.

Talamanca Photos

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The Road to Talamanca 6th - 17th June

So after wringing ourselves out after the torrential rain that we encounter on the ride home from the volcano (not sure if Stu mentioned we were on the back of a open truck and the heavens opened up on our hour long ride home) we decided to stay another night in Leon and travel on the next day.

We went to Granada and wondered around, went to the 2 museums that ´the book´ says are "unmissable" were bored out of our trees, found a street football match that was very organised even had a referee. We met a street artist called John who recited a poem for us (it is quite good if you want to hear it, the video is on my facebook page) unfortunately like almost every one over here he thought my name was Jenny. I have now started introducing myself as Gin. I do feel sorry for people with weird names we met a girl called Maryiael you would spend all you life saying no not Murial, Maryieal.

From there we headed to San Juan Del Sur it was our first look at the Pacific Coast and to be honest we were not impressed. The day was dull and the beach was uninspiring we had a long discussion about packing South America in and just getting a flight to South East Asia and getting a hut on the beach. Not to mention the fact that we were put in to other peoples beds in the hostel so we had no beds, the owner offered us her couch. Then we realised that Stu´s big bag was missing!!. Panic ensues, I am already thinking of how we are going to get a hold of our insurance company and if I can get some new clothes and claim them as Stu´s. I think he would look fetching in a new bikini!!! At this stage the hostel owner isn´t even listening to us I am asking where the police station is. It's at the sound of "Police Station" she remembers that they moved someones rucksack cause they hadn´t paid that night. Low and behold it was Stu´s and was put up into some attic room where there were some beds found for us in the hottest room ever. We went down stairs to bitch about the owner of the worst run hostel we had been in and had a beer.

The next day we took the truck out to the better beach, the sun has come out and we spent the day in and out of the water, lying on the beach and drinking beer. Our faith in Central America was renewed. Back to the hostel and we met up with Dave the Kiwi we met in Utila, more drinking was in order. The Germans turned up the next day and we had a few good nights out in The Iguana bar. Drinking Flore de Cana extended our trip by a day as we were too hung over to take the big trip to San Jose in Costa Rica.

The next day we were bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready to go to our next country. One of the Germans, Kat came with us, she was picking up her boyfriend in San Jose the next day. So, so far we have been really lucky with our border crossing, no really difficult questions (apart from when we were asked in Spanish where we were staying and I said about a week or so), no bag searches( if they opened my bag it would take years to get everything back in), no really expensive taxes, no long queues....that was until the Costa Rica Border!!!

We got a chicken bus from San Juan Del Sur to the next town to get the bus to the border. Where we were told by all the taxi drivers that there was no bus for hours and that they could take us. With that the bus pulled in, I jumped on and fought my way to a seat (elbows in use, I knew I learnt something on the commuter trips to and from work). With that the bus starts moving and Stu and Kat aren´t on yet. This is a little disconcerting as I am trapped in the middle of the bus with no bag and no money not really knowing where I am going. Then they jump on the moving bus and we are all (thankfully) off the the border.

We had been told that this border was going to be a ball ache that it could take up to 4 hours to get through. We decided that it couldn´t be that bad. We got through our exit queue really quickly and were walked through the border by this guy that latched on to us and would not leave, who told Stu that he did this as a job to help tourist through the border so they didn´t get lost or robbed, but the government did not pay him he did it just for tips. We gave him about $1 and he was not best pleased but what the hell he just wouldn't go away and we didn´t really need him.

So we get to the office where there is a huge queue that isn´t moving at all and wait, and wait, and wait. TWO hours later and we are at the top of the queue and there is a rumour that the office closes for lunch at the stage I am ready to kill. We finally get through the door and are up to the front, stamped and out in record time. I just don´t know why it took so long. Then there is the queue for the bus, another hour or so, that was fun. And then we are away.

We have one night in San Jose it is not really that nice the hostel is hidden from view and the taxi can hardly find it. But it is like the tardis it´s massive on the inside with a bar, swimming pool, chill out area and a mechanical bull (that we never found). Kat picked up Ollie and we all headed to Talamanca back to the beach.

We arrive in Talamanca and head to our Hostel, Rocking J´s a very weird backpacker hippy haven, dorms, rooms, tents, hammocks, a tree house and a great restaurant. We rented bikes and headed out the the beach. Found a bar with an open Mike Night for the local Reggie lovers, it was great they were awful. When we hailed a taxi, a truck with a taxi sign made out of cardboard in the window appeared, it was one of the guys from the bar. It really instilled confidence in me when I saw the glass of beer in his coffee cup holder as we climbed in!!! Ah well we made it home alive. The next day there is not much to do apart from go to a bar where we meet an amazing magician, with tricks that would blow your mind. There was a dice trick that Stu has now perfected and will show you all at every given opportunity when we get home.

Dave the Kiwi showed up on our last night and we all drank and ate and decided to go to Bocas Del Toro the next day. He doesn´t normally look like this but he has had a few choice photos that needed to be shown to the world.

Leon and Volcano Boarding

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Volcano boarding. DONE

Leon.

Not a great start to a place when you have to walk around in the rain with your rucksack on your back. 20 kilos of personal belongings that at times I have to say I hate. Not the items themselves but the bag as a whole, traipsing around from town to town, city to city, country to country with this massive, heavy burden stuck to my back.

I want to burn it and dance around the flames drinking and singing, thinking about the freedom I would have if only this monkey were gone, burnt to a crisp. Allowing me to manouver quick of foot and nimble through the crowds at the bus stations, down the streets at the market, oh to be able to glide in and out of the stream of people, like quicksilver I'd go, left foot, right foot, dodge to the left, spinning gracefully around the shifty looking local who starts his banter with "where are you from", slide to the right around the small boy with his ever begging hand outstretched.

But no. I am forever encumbered by this bulk on my back, hating it with a passion yet desperate to ensure it's safety.

Wow, I didn't realise I thought so much about my rucksack, I just thought I wanted it to be a bit lighter every now and again!!

So anyways, walking through Leon in the rain wasn't much fun but then we found the LazyBones hostel. Which was fortunate because we were with another English couple (who's names I have now forgotten - if you though my memory was bad at home, hell it's much worse when you meet so many people, I do try to remember names, I'm just no good at it. By the time I have asked someone it's as though their reply just goes in one ear and straight out again, literally, I can't remember what they say within seconds of them telling me!!) and I was kind of in charge of reading the map and getting us there, I thought I'd got us lost for a little while but my superior map reading skills paid off and there we were.

So the big thing in Leon to do (other than the usual drinking, lounging in a hammock, reading and going to eat things) is Volcano Boarding. You get to sledge down an active Volcano, cool. After poking Lava with a stick in Guatemala it is now kind of a challenge to see how many things we can do at Volcano's.

Have we told you about the Germans? I think not. When we were on Utila doing our diving we met a group of Germans who were diving too, and a Kiwi. We started hanging around as it's always more fun to drink and travel with other people, Katarina, Sebastian, Johannes and Biggie are German and Dave was from New Zealand.

Anyway in Leon we met up with them again and went for some drinks, the hostel that organised the Volcano Boarding also offered 25cordoba Mohitos, at 40 to the pound thats 62pence for a cocktail. So we had a few.

Right, next day, Volcano Boarding. Now I've mentioned before that Gini and myself are not the healthiest of people. And it should go without saying that volcanos are pretty big in their hilly mountain nes. These factors being the case I don't really know what I expected, not much thought went into it, which was something I was starting to regret as we were hiking once again up the side of a very steep volcano, but this time we were each carrying a big piece of wood that was going to serve as our sledges. IN 35degree heat, and we didn't bring enough water. I think it's fair to say that we were sulking. However once we were up there the view was amazing, the volcano was cool and I knew the trip down again would be much faster and involve much less walking.

So I am looking at what is essentially a plank of wood with a bit of rope attached to it and a piece of plastic stuck to the bottom to make it glide across the volcanic rocks that are the ground.

At this point I am thinking of the fact that the fastest recorded descent was 22 seconds and the guy travelled at 68kmph. So thats what I wanted to go for, obviously.

Our guide pointed out as we were looking down the volcano that we were about to throw ourselves off that the bit that looked like the bottom actually wasn't, that was just where the bottom half was too steep to see from the top!!

The girls went first and I must say Gini put on a damn fine display of volcano boarding for the first 10 seconds, much faster than the other girls and with no attempt to slow herself down. But alas gravity was just too much and off she fell, struggling to get back to her board as she just continued slipping down the slope. She did however get back on and continue at a good pace the rest of the way down.

Then it was my turn. I think I did very well considering. I'd got off to a good start, I reckon about 20mph or so but then the piece of rope that was my handle snapped and I was flung off my board. I was quite unhappy at this unfortunate incident, so I grabbed what was left of the rope and set off again. No braking and no slowing down (coz thats what the girls do!).

Now imagine if you will lots of tiny volcanic rocks being sprayed into your face, I was happy for the goggles we were given dont get me wrong, although they did a good job of trapping said rocks inside so they get right in your eyes. At the same time the same rocks were spraying up the backs of my legs, stripping the skin away as they did. It was like getting sandblasted.

So blinded by rocks and bleeding from the calves I accellerated down the volcano, this time I think I must have got to a good 30mph, or thats what it felt like when I came off in a spectacular fashion near the bottom. As I'm speeding down the board starts to spin sideways, I try to counteract it by shifting my weight slightly but it's too late, the edge of the board sticks in the rock and I highside off, landing on my face and shoulder, then rolling head over heels a few times before my bruised and bleeding body comes to a rest at the foot of the volcano.

Oh how I laughed!! It's a shame the top was so far away because with that practice run I think I could have done much better a second time!!

This happened about a month ago. My shoulder still hurts :-)