"Lazybones and Bearded Monkeys......"

As we rode into Nicaragua, I was surprised by the quality of the roads. I had heard that this was the poorest of all the Central American countries and yet the roads seemed as good as anywhere else and maybe even better. Apart from the random potholes that appeared occasionally for brief stretches. Dave, a Canadian rider we`d met on the road described some of them as “coffin sized!” A salutary thought.

The first stop in Nicaragua was the small colonial town of Leon where we stayed for a couple of nights in the “Lazybones” hostel. A single room, shared bathroom and no hot water for $16. Having spent so much money on physiotherapy I had to be careful with the budget.



Our next stop was Granada where we`d had a recommendation of a good hostel and thought it wouldn`t be too hard to find. Just stop and ask. We stopped, we asked and still couldn`t find it, which was a pity as it turned out to be infinitely nicer than “The Bearded Monkey” hostel we eventually ended up in.

For three nights I felt like Papillon in my dark cell and had to pay $12 for the privilege! Granada is another example of old, colonial splendour, sitting on the shores of Lake Nicaragua. Very much like a bigger version of Antigua it had plenty to offer in the way of great cafes and restaurants at affordable prices.

It`s interesting how travelling in this part of the world makes you re evaluate the cost of things. One of the things I am learning is that the U.K. is ridiculously expensive. Of course everyone living at home is aware of the fact but being here brings it into stark contrast.

After a couple of days savouring Granada`s colonial style I decided it was time to head further south. Lenny was planning on signing up for another week`s Spanish school, so I wished him all the best and set off for the beach resort of San Juan Del Sur about an hour`s ride south. Lenny had heard good reports about the place and it wasn`t far from the next border crossing. I thought a couple of days by the beach relaxing and reading would be a good way to prepare for the solo crossing into Costa Rica.

San Juan Del Sur

As soon as I rode into town I got a good feeling. It just felt right. I`d found the perfect place for some R+R. Any place that`s populated by hippies and surfers has to be stress free! Finding the right accommodation however wasn`t so easy. The prices were higher (as you`d expect by the beach) but there was a distinct lack of places with secure parking.

After about my third lap around the town someone stopped me,

“Are you looking for a place to stay?” he enquired in perfect English.

“Yes, but I need secure parking for my bike”

“No problem. I have a friend who has a good hotel up there on the hill. Very clean rooms, cheap and your bike will be safe”

“How much?” was the obvious next question.

“$10 a night”

That`ll do nicely I thought. Two minutes later his friend rolled up in a 4x4 and escorted me up a steep hill to a little hotel/hostel. He was right. $10 for a nice, clean room and it even had a kitchen! Perfect.

The town was a hangout for backpackers and the bleached haired, tanned surfing community. It had plenty of wifi spots and a very funky café/book shop called El Gato Negro which rapidly became my favourite place to relax, read and check e mails. This place was as trendy as anything you`d find in Crouch End, Hampstead or Notting Hill (except half the price). They ground their own organic coffee and baked some of the best chocolate muffins I`ve ever tasted.



I could easily have spent a few days in San Juan, but I was eager to push on to Panama City and organize my bike`s transport across the Darien Gap to Colombia before Christmas. So that meant the small matter of crossing Costa Rica.