Another Volcanic Landmass

Now adopted as Rich and Ben's travel buddy, and squeezed into their Jeep Cherokee alongside Will, another tagger-on, four enourmous bags and several smaller ones, two surfboards, a tent, numerous miscellaneous foodstuffs and a blender (essential for impromptu cocktailing),

I headed in style, by way of car ferry, to Isla de Ometepe - the largest island in a freshwater lake anywhere in the world. Roughly figure-of-eight in shape, and formed by two volcanoes and the lowlands connecting them, Ometepe is also relatively undeveloped - very green, full of wildlife and with many roads seriously meriting our four wheel drive facility. Our hostel, 'Hacienda Merida', served enourmous $4 eat-all-you-can buffet suppers and equally sumptuous buffet breakfasts with a fantastic porridge/granola mix with cinammon, so we were suitably fuelled for a steep 4km trek to San Ramon waterfall, but nothing could have prepared us for the humidity. I had no idea I was able to sweat that much! The views over the lake were fabulous though and the icy water, although it felt like standing bare backed in a heavy hailstorm, was a welcome relief.

Just off shore from where we were staying were two 'monkey islands' - home to a small number of monkeys rescued from cruel captivity as domestic pets and relocated to their own private islands, so Ben and I rented a kayak and paddled out to visit them, just in time to see them picking through our leftover breakfast pancakes wiht a practiced eye.

written by

Alex Kent on October 1, 2007 from Moyogalpa, Nicaragua

from the travel blog: On the Varieties of Nature

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