From the quaint town of Granada to sleeping in a jungle tree house!

Heading into Granada, I didn't know what to expect. I had heard mixed reviews. Some people said that I would absolutely love Granada, that it was a cute, quaint town. Others said not to even bother with Granada after Leon since it is only a smaller Leon that is not as fun. I decided that I would go see for myself. Luckily, there were two people from my trip to the volcano who were also traveling to Granada that day, so I was able to have travel buddies. What I have found in traveling alone is that finding travel buddies is very very important for feeling safe. Another great thing about traveling from Leon to Granada is that is it a relatively easy two bus trip.

When we reached Granada, I knew I liked it already. It was so cute! The buildings were many different colors and colonial looking. There were horses and carriages lined up along the center square. The center square had a nice little park with lots of vendadores, a couple outside restaurants and dozens of benches to sit and just enjoy the life happening around you. The only problem, Granada is HOT! Coming from the beach to Leon was hard enough in these extremely hot temperatures and I didn't think it was possible to go somewhere even hotter, but it was. I honestly have to say that I did not see the full extent that I could have because of the heat. However, I did take a beautiful day trip to Laguna Apollo where I tubed, kayaked, and laid on the dock. Had I known the beauty of this place, I would have definitely stayed there a couple of nights! Coming back from Laguna Apollo, I was able to catch the famous break dancing team, made up of the local street kids. They were amazing! Children from what looked like 5 or 6 to 17 or so years old, danced with no protection on their hands on cobblestone streets. This was definitely a sight to see and I'm so glad I was able to catch it!

Poste rojo: life in a tree house

From Granada, I decided to take a small side trip to stay in a tree house in the jungle with howler monkeys and many other animals that I choose not to think about such as tarantulas. Going into this tree house idea, I didn't know anything about it. I did call ahead and see if there was avaliablility, which I decided was a must if I was going to try to find this place. After getting the ok, I set off in the morning to what turned out to be a very crazy adventure. From my hostel in Granada I took a taxi. I was very naive  to think that I would actually be able to get all the way to the hostel with a taxi. As the driver stopped on the side of the road of what looked like the middle of nowhere, he pointed to a dirt road to the side and told me that I had to walk the rest of the way. I started to think to myself, "maybe this isn't such a good idea", but decided to continue on. I paid the driver and off he went, leaving me alone with a bus stop of people and a dirt road that looked as if it led to nowhere. I started walking, holding my things close and looking as confident as I know how, when a tuk tuk driver passed. I stopped him and asked if I was going the right direction and he said yes and offered me a ride. I was hesitant because the taxi driver said these rides could get expensive, but the drive said 2$ and I hopped right in. He drove me through winding dirt paths that cut across fincas (farms) and pulled me up to some stairs. Now it was really time for me to walk! After climbing Telica, I swore to myself the rest of my trip was going to be for relaxing, yet here I am at the bottom of these steps, of which could for all I know be never ending, with my backpack on my back and my two bags in my hand with no other choice but to start climbing and hope for the best. The things I get myself into!

Extremely hot and many many steps up, I hear a friendly excited voice calling from the treehouse above. "Hola, hola, bienvenidos!!", a plump, happy Nicaraguan woman calls as a young Nicaraguan man comes and relieves me of my heavy travel bag. I had made it! Going up into the treehouse lodge, I am very impressed. Lots of hammocks to laze around in, walls full of quirky signs and trinkets and graffiti from fellow travelers. While looking around, I quickly realize that I am the only guest here. Thoughts go through my mind, both of "this might be neat to have this place all to myself" and the other extreme, "isn't this how most horror movies begin". I push all that out of my mind and grab my book and a hammock and go off into my own world while I listen to the sounds of the howler monkeys all around. Just as I am about to drift asleep I hear sounds of other travelers out of breath from the long trip up to the hostel. There are three of them, then a little while later come two more. I decide the comfort of knowing I am not part of the next horror movie beats having the hostel to myself.

Just as I was again returning to my relaxation, in walks the craziness. I hear a woman's voice in very loud English panting, huffing, and puffing as she comes up the stairs. An older woman, I figured just a fellow traveler. What I come to find out is that she is the mother of the man who owns the hostel. She explains to us that he is in jail and has been for the last 6 months. Apparently, he was in a car accident where a Nicaraguan man hit him from behind and died. Since this gentleman was American, even though it was not his fault, he was blamed for the mans death and put in jail. I knew that they are not very fond of Americans here but I had no idea how much, and immediately decided I would not drive anything in this country!

Unfortunately, although this woman was very nice and it was her first day trying to take care of the hostel, it did cut into the peace and quiet that I was hoping for. She did not know any Spanish coming into this, so she compensated by speaking English even louder in hopes that it would make them understand. Every once in a while I would look up from my book and translate for her, although it was very entertaining to see their attempt at communication.

That night I spent in the hammock next to the kitchen. They did have a really cool platform attached to the main house by a suspension bridge where I was originally going to stay, but a small black spider with a yellow dot on it's back (I assumed poisonous) falling on top of me, combined with the eeriness of the possibility of me sleeping alone on the platform in the middle of the Nicaraguan jungle creeping in, I opted to sleep near the crazy lady and the guards. It was amazing to sleep outside hearing the howling of the monkeys and the buzzing of the cicadas all around me.

A crazy yet thrilling experience, I am happy that I continued on with this adventure! Now I am off to my next adventure: Isla de Ometepe, an island topped with two massive volcanos.

A night on top of an active volcano!

Volcan Telica

Without thinking too much about it, which is how I do most everything when I travel, Alizee and I booked a two day trek to Volcan Telica. On the trek we hiked up the volcano with about 15 kilos on our backs, set up camp at the top and slept in tents right by the active crater. Having already done quite a long, very hard hike in Guatemala last year up a volcano, I thought nothing of this 4 hour trek up to the top of Telica. What I didn't take into account with this trek was how hot it was going to be. When I am talking hot, I mean hot! We hiked for 4 hours in direct sun on a 90 degree day. I am usually pretty good when it comes to hiking and other exercise, even though I don't do enough of it, but this hike was brutal. The heat was so grueling and I did not want to get sun stroke so I took my time and drank 4 out of my 6 gallons of water before reaching the top.

Once we reached the top, the view was beautiful. I stopped and just breathed in the moment as much as I could. I have been trying to do that a lot on this trip. I continuously remind myself that I am so blessed in my life to have this opportunity to see such beauty all of the time. So blessed to be able to travel and experience different cultures and nature in so many countries including my own. In  my time that I spend with just my thoughts, I take myself back to my life in the states, and even there, the three weeks before leaving for Central America, I went to Mexico for a weekend, camping in Joshua Tree and took a 24 hour road trip moving to Seattle. Being on top of this active volcano really made me think, reflect, and appreciate my life and how amazing I have chosen to make it.

Tired and hot, the group of us dropped all of our things and laid down on the grass for a nap. The feeling after having accomplished something and than being able to relax is beautiful. I think that is why I love yoga so much. To have an intense practice and then lay meditating, still on my mat is a feeling of euphoria. Laying in the shade on the top of the volcano after the days hike was a very similar feeling.

After a little relaxing, we set up our tents and headed to the crater to see the lava during the day. I was really surprised as soon as I saw the crater. I had expected a pool of lava, even a small one, as I had seen in all of the movies. What I saw was much different, three small holes within a small crater with in the large crater were glowing red. Although not the big lava pit I had expected, this was still very very cool. To see the activity that is going on in the very volcano that I am standing on and later sleeping on was incredible and quite scary all at the same time. Then there was the sound, INCREDIBLE! Once we got up to the crater, it sounded like an airport. Like hundreds of planes taking off and landing all at the same time. I have never heard anything like this! And this makes you think, what the heck is going on in there and WHY did I pay to sleep on top of this crazy, yet beautiful gift from Mother Nature! I think to myself, "I'm crazy and I just hope to come out of this alive!" The other thing that happens when you hike close to an active volcano crater is the sulfur. Pockets of sulfur spurted from all sides of the crater, covering the air full of smoke. It is a crazy and very stinky phenomenon.

After dinner and watching the sunset (there were many many clouds in the sky so the sunset left much to be desired, but still on a volcano so very cool), we went to see the crater at night! This is what everyone had been waiting for. The moment that made hiking up in the heat totally worth it. Looking over into the crater was amazing. The lava showed itself in an almost solar system form. The three larger dots we had seen during the day we glowing more red than ever before, then surrounded by hundreds of tiny dots making spiraled, patterned shapes. It was beautiful! Standing there in awe, covering my mouth from all of the sulfur, all I could think about is how beautiful the world is and how crazy it is that I am able to do this in my life.

A fire and roasted marshmallows followed, then aside from the rock under my head I slept like a baby waking for the sunset the next morning. The sunset was everything I could have hoped it to be. The best part about the sunset was seeing the crater of the volcano full with smoke looking large and majestic. Thus the trip was over aside from the hike down, which was much easier than the hike up. What an amazing time :)

Leon- show me what you got!

From the beach I took the shuttle to Leon. There are three ways that I could have gotten to Nicaragua from El Salvador. I could have taken a boat for $75 that would have dropped me at Potosi and then a chicken bus from Potosi to Leon, a shuttle bus from the beach straight to Leon for $45 or a total of 6 chicken buses for probably around $10. I choose the bus, simply for convince. I liked that it dropped me off right at Leon. We also had a good group from the beach hostel that I could travel with. Unfortunately I had decided to have an overly fun night the last evening at the beach, so the 8 hour squished bus trip was far from pleasant, but it was definitely worth it!

The bus trip started at the beach in El Salvador, crossed through Honduras for a total of two hours, then crossed the border of Nicaragua, and finally dropped us off in Leon. In line with the expectation in Central America for everything to be late and take twice as long as it is scheduled to, we arrived in Leon after 10 pm. I have to say I was quite concerned when I didn't yet book a hostel and it was the weekend during the busy season, and not only that, but most of the bus didn't book a hostel yet either. Right when we got to Leon, we tried to book the nearest hostel to the bus, but it was full so a couple of us checked the one down the street. With the name on the sign of hostel laundry, we didn't expect much. For 5 dollars a night we got a clean bed, plenty of fans, and filtered water so I was happy. Outside the room there was really no area to hang out, only a small tv where the children of the Nicaraguan family running the hostel watched sponge bob, but that worked out ok because there was a nice bar across the street. With a place to lay our heads solidified, we all gathered to try the Nicaraguan beers and have a chat with great new friends!

The next day was spent wondering the streets of Leon and getting a taste for the city. The market, although much smaller than the one in San Salvador, still had rows and rows if vendadores selling anything and everything you could possible need or ask for. We did a little souvenir shopping and organized a volcano tour for the next day. I was actually not planning on doing a two day trek in Leon, in fact, I was not planning on staying there for more than 2 nights, and before finding out that Leon was where the bus dropped us off, I was not planning on going to Leon unless I had some extra time at the end. But, that is the beauty of travel. Plans can change in seconds, you can meet great people and change your trip all together for great company. It is amazing how fluid you can be with your time when you are traveling, something that is much harder to do once you return to the daily grind of life.

That night, Alizee, a girl from Luxenberg and I, met with another friend we had met at Playa Esteron, and we all went out for dinner and drinks. It is funny how there are many people you meet along the way; some you don't get past surface questions of where are you from, how long have you been traveling, etc, some who are great for fun at the moment, some whom you can have a really nice conversation with, and then some who you connect with right away and feel as if you have known them for a long time. For me these girls were the latter case. That night, we had wonderful conversations of fears, feelings, and the processes of re-finding oneself. The human connection is such an amazing thing, and if you open yourself up, the possibilities are endless.

Tomorrow, we will hike an active volcano!

To truly relax; playa esteron

My two days and three nights a Tortuga Verde in Playa Esteron were magical. If anyone knows me well, they know that the one thing I have a very hard time doing is relaxing. Even when I am relaxing, I am getting up and down, mind is going in every direction, and I am usually trying to find some excursion or another to go on. From the moment I arrived at the Tortuga Verde hostel, I felt as if I had not a care in the world.

Immediately after putting my stuff down I met a girl from El Salvador. Although my Spanish is very broken, I was about to have a really nice conversation (all In Spanish) with her over two beers and a walk towards the sunset. We talked about jobs, education, and travel and even got into a little bit about the politics of education. I knew that how I was saying things was not always correct and I didn't always use the correct tense, but it was so fulfilling to know that I was able to speak and understand enough to talk to and really get to know this person. After the sunset we sat for dinner and two others joined us. That is when things got a lot more difficult for me. It takes a great deal of concentration to keep up with one person, but adding two more Spanish speakers into the mix (and of course a couple more beers) made me quite tired. After trying to keep up with conversation for an hour or so, I was exhausted!

There are so many things that I want to say about this beach, as I am spilling over with love for the place. It was such an amazing feeling to walk down the beach and be seemingly the only one on the beach for miles. Even though there were many people in the hostel, if I wanted to be alone to reflect or relax, it felt as if no one else existed in that place at that time. On my beach walks, I could look at the waves as they unearthed dozens of sea snails and watch as each snail rushed to dig themselves back into the sand, just to be uncovered once again by the incoming wave. I watched as the sea slugs slowly made their pathways in the sand in a meandering route much like that of mine at the beach, a route you only have the ability to make if you have all the time in the world with nowhere to be. What a wonderful feeling!

On the other hand, the times that I wanted to be social, there were many amazing people to get to know. What is so wonderful about traveling is the sense of openness I have within myself as well as the openness and connections I receive from others. At Tortuga Verde I was lucky enough to make some wonderful friendships and to find many people to continue on with when traveling to my next stop, Leon!

Eniey, meany, miney, mo: Playa Esteron, El Salvador

Before going to bed I looked at what I could do the next day; the options are of course endless, but the places I was looking at was ruta del Flores (a beautiful winding bus ride which would stop at quaint towns along the way), parque national de imposible (a protected park with great hiking to a nearby volcano) and playa esteron (a beautiful white sand beach with very little travelers and a hostel with great reviews). I decided to sleep on it and choose in the morning. Either way come tomorrow I would be on a bus off to somewhere. After enduring another sleepless night with the big snoring man, I woke to enjoy some coffee. The hostel had a great area where everyone could gather and I struck up a conversation with one of the other travelers who had just come from el tunco (a beach I visited about 3 years ago) and before that enjoyed 2 weeks in playa esteron at the hostel tortuga verde. This was perfect because that was one of the places I was thinking about going next. He said it was beautiful and the hostel was clean, nice, right on the beach and you get a lot for the little you pay. I was sold! Not to mention it is close to the Nicaraguan border and that is where I am headed next.

One thing that I had forgot, but quickly remembered about traveling in El Salvador is that there are not many itineraries designed for tourists. When you want to get around El Salvador, you have to for the most part, travel as a Salvadorian would; taking chicken bus after chicken bus from town to town until you reach your destination. This does leave the lone traveler with a hard task of finding out where to get off and catch the next bus, all the while trying to look as much like you know where you are going as you can.

Another, although very interesting, problem I ran into right away was that the streets by the hostel that are the normal bus route I needed, we're blocked off because of the political turmoil from the recent election. In the day and a half that I was in San Salvador I really got to see the very political side of the city. The recent presidential election left the candidates so close that one side is pushing for a recount of the votes. I was able to witness large, peaceful protests and political propaganda of both sides spread around the city.

The day of traveling was grueling and difficult. I found my first city bus (20 cents) that would bring me to terminal oriente, where I would then need to catch another chicken bus to a small town called San Miguel. At the terminal (a large dirt patch with about 20 buses, a few vendadores, and many locals walking up and down the isles of each bus selling fruit, candy, coconut water and pretty much anything else you can imagine. Very hungry and mind set on one thing, a papusa (which I still have yet to have), I found my bus and walked to the nearest vendador, it was after breakfast and a little before lunch, but I was crossing my fingers and going to try any way. Much to my dismay, no papusas so I settled for a sandwich of some unknown ingredients and got on my bus. Although I was looking to take a chicken bus for about $1.25  they shuffled me to a macro bus for $5 and I was glad I did! Not having my large backpack on my lap, a reclining seat, and air conditioning for the 3.5 hour ride was well worth the extra $3.75! When I arrived in San Miguel there were many people getting off on each street. I figured that the bus terminal would look much like it did in San Salvador so I waited. Luckily the man who collected the fair came to my seat to tell me when to get off because the terminal turned out to be a store front on a little side street. Alone and hoping to not give off too much of a look that I don't know where I am going, I asked the man in the store where to catch the bus to El Cuco. He of course whistled out to his friend outside and they discussed very loudly so everyone could hear and decided that the bus came to the same place I was, so I waited. About twenty minutes later a the bus passed almost passing by. I yelled and literally ran on and sat squished against a woman with a chicken and to my right a young Salvadorian couple. We rode like that for about 1.5 hours. Finally, two chicken buses a macro bus and one cab later, I had reached playa esteron and what would be my home for the next three days, Hotel Tortuga Verde. Immediately I was in love with the endless stretch of sandy beach and the countless hammocks spread around the hostel. I had definitely chosen the right place!

A day exploring San Salvador

  The following day I decided to see some of the city. I had chosen a few places to try to get to but mainly my love for cities in other counteries is in their markets. Rows and rows of vendadores that stretch for many many city blocks, enough to easily get lost in, and boy did I! When I got up in the morning, I asked the man who ran the hostel how to get down to the market. A Californian, yet very knowledgable about the city. He went on to tell me a good route if I wanted to walk and good museums and parks to check out. Not knowing the city, I left everything but $20 at the hostel. San Salvador is a very large city and I knew I could get lost very easily so I figured I could just take in the experience and save taking pictures for the smaller, safer cities beaches and towns I would soon travel to.

My day was an adventure to say the least. I decided to walk to market which was 1.5 hours, yet mostly down hill. I could then take the bus back uphill to the hostel for 0.20 cents if I got too tired. The walk down was long but interesting. I would say San Salvador is most similar to NYC, but not as built up. The recent civil war has left much of the city in shambles. Walking from Zona Rosa to the City center, I was really able to see the differences. After the war Zona Rosa became the new center of attention. Businesses, hotels and restaurants began building there and leaving the city center to not much more than the markets, which even they took over old barracks. On my walk I enjoyed some delicious fruta with papaya, watermelon and pineapple covered in lime, salt and chili, sipped fresh water out of a small bag for 25cents, and drank a yummy strawberry liquado (smoothie) for a dollar. It was too hot to think about eating anything besides fruit, being that I was walking for what will end up being a total of 7 hours in 95 degree weather!

Some interesting sights along my walk included:
*burger kings in trailer homes (you wouldn't believe the amount of American fast food places there are and all of them the same price as in the US! I can't imagine who would want to spend $6 on a burger and fries when there are delicious papusas, liquados, and so many other cheap salvadorian fares)
*the park was colorful yet looked very dangerous for any child. The slides consisted of a ladder to the top and two poles coming down off the other side. I'm not sure exactly how it works
*boys and men alike peeing on the side of the street (if you have to go, you have to go. Luckily I was sweating out all the liquids I was taking in so I didn't have to pee once the entire day, since bathrooms are few and far between)
*an adorable little boy sleeping on the bottom of a cart selling goods at the market
*a store called So Cal that sells Vans and Hurley gear
* a juicer that is usually 100$ in the US was $219 in San Salvador
*an entire 2 blocks of tiendas de pampers (stores that sell nothing but pampers)

I wandered around the market searching for all that I forgot to bring from home; shampoo, conditioner, soap and sunscreen. I know, what a list to forget, but like usual I decided hanging out with friend is way more important than preparing myself for a 3 week trip :)

The market was amazing, rows upon endless rows of stalls that sell everything you could ever need. Everything that is, besides sunscreen. If I can give any advice to a future traveler going to a place where the locals skin is darker than yours, bring your own sunscreen! After searching for hours, getting told there isn't any sunscreen by every pharmacy and store, I finally found some very overpriced sunscreen at the supermarcado, but by this time my shoulders and face were both bright red with a very large sunburn.

After applying the much needed sunscreen and enjoying a refreshing liquido, I decided that being lost in the market for 4 hours was enough fun for the day and I began my journey up the hill toward my hostel. I planned on walking until I saw the bus I needed pass by, but when it finally did I was far enough that I just kept going. Crossing the street is always a difficult task in San Salvador since pedestrians never have the right of way. I got to a busy street where I thought it was going to be completely impossible to get across, but then I followed a spunky old man in a nice suit, around 60 years old, who led me across and then stayed ahead of me for the next 5 blocks uphill! I finally made it back to my hostel too tired to do anything but shower and relax and call it a night.

El Salvador, we meet again

Heading into the airport in Seattle I had the same daunting feeling in the pit of my stomach. No matter how many times I travel alone and how many foreign countries I conquer the same nervous feeling gets me every time. I so easily press the purchase button when looking for the flight, sure why not go to El Salvador and Nicaragua for 3 weeks by myself! I click buy and don't think much about it until the day I leave. That day as I head towards the airport my mind is loud with, "Danielle, you are crazy!", and "why didn't you just ask someone to go with you". Quieting my thoughts, I kiss my girlfriend goodbye and thus there was no turning back.

Upon arrival in San Salvador the sun had already set and all the busses/shuttles had long since stopped so I had to take a taxi. Unfortunately this means the difference between $2.50 and $25. Since San Salvador is about 50 km away from the airport, the taxi should be somewhere between $20-30 and on the higher side since it was dark. Immediately as I stepped out of the airport the familiar overwhelming men shouted "taxi, taxi" and pulled me towards their direction. The man who pulled me his way was asking $28 and when I countered with $25 he simply said "ok" and whistled over his friend. I got in the pick up truck aka taxi and we started off. When I told the driver the other man agreed on $25 for the trip he said some choice words and sped off. I think because he only had me as a passenger and we had established a lower price he wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible! Weaving in and out past every car, truck, and bicycle, we surely broke a record. The whole way I gripped tightly onto my "oh shit bar" but was just as distracted by the scenery that I was able to not care too much.

The hostel I booked before coming, thanks to the request of my girlfriend to not arrive with the first night stay unplanned (thank you baby), is called Hostel Cumbres del Volcan. For 10$ a night I stayed in a dorm room with 4 others, with a bathroom the size of a locker room. I really couldn't ask for anything better. The water was hot, the staff was friendly and helpful and there was a nice large community room, kitchen to use as we like, and front porch. That night, since I arrived at my hostel around 7:30 pm, it was too late and too dark to go out anywhere so I showered, relaxed and read my book.
My only complaint of my experience there was that I was stuck in a dorm with a man who snored so loud it woke the whole room up several times throughout the middle of the night. He was one of those people who will all the sudden not be able to breathe so they choke and then snore uncontrollably for about 5 minutes, then stop for just long enough to think you are safe to sleep, and then they can't breathe and choke and start the whole process over again. I don't wish this experience upon anyone! The whole night, all I could think about were the bags of ear plugs I have in the drawer next to my bed in Seattle and kick myself for not bringing any!

Help me decide where to travel next!

The travel bug is biting again! But I can't decide where to go... Help me out :)


So the last time I have traveled was when I went to Guatemala last year and it is high time I leave the country once again! I have two options that I have been thinking about and not a lot of time to decide if I want to keep ticket prices low. My two choices are London, England (among other places in Europe that are only a train ride away) and Nicaragua in Central America. I know, about as polar opposite as my choices could get. Either place I choose I will stay for about a two week time period. Now for the pros and cons:

Choice 1: Europe specifically London, England and Brussels, Belgium and possibly any surrounding places that seem like a good idea once I get there

The biggest draw to this choice is that I will get to visit with my friends Warren and Dave. You might remember them from my great times in Australia two years ago. I just adore these boys! They are fun, loving, welcoming and amazing tour guides!! They have recently moved to London from Australia and have established themselves just in time for me to crash their party ;)
Another draw...it's Europe!!! I have traveled to Africa, Australia, Central America, Asia and Mexico. I don't see why it wouldn't be time to pop my Europe cherry. Downside there is a lot of Europe to see and I only have two weeks and a bit of a tight budget. However, my mantra for this trip will be live life spend the money now, make it back later!
Lastly, I usually spend my trips climbing volcanos, seeing ruins and diving. It might be fun to see a different kind of experience and they speak ENGLISH! Although this means I won't be practicing my Spanish, I will be able to communicate without too much deep thought :)

Choice 2: Nicaragua and/or possibly another Central American country

Pros: cheap, cheap, cheap! I will be able to do all of my crazy adventures without breaking the bank too much. Definitely the more financially responsible choice but...who needs to be financially responsible all the time :) Another plus is that I will be able to scuba dive, something I have been missing dearly and hike some awesome active volcanos. It is also guaranteed to be an amazing cultural experience.
Something that could be considered good and bad; I will be traveling alone. I have done this many times before and it is both exciting and scary. Amazing, yet at times lonely. I also meet lots of great people and have no choice but to come out go my shell.


As you can see both of my options couldn't be more opposite and are both guaranteed to be amazing experiences! This is wheee you come in: HELP ME :)

Making the most of the last few days!

Goodness I have so much to write about I don't even know where to start. I feel as though these days my thoughts are either in Spanish or in blog form...

The day before I left for my weekend adventure was perfect. It was the first day in a week that I have been able to rise whenever I pleased and have no itinerary. I almost forgot how incredibly amazing that feels. Around 9 am I left the house without a worry or a care on my mind. I found a cute breakfast cafe called "y tu piña tambien" and got completely lost in my book for about two hours. I can't remember the last time that I have just read and read with no sense of time wasted or impending obligations. It is these little moments of traveling that are my favorite. The ones that remind me what it is to really live in the moment. To walk down the street and really experience every sound, sight, and feeling. I spent the day getting lost in the market. Rows and rows of handmade goods, second hand clothes and shoes, vegetables,and hanging meat. It is incredible how absolutely gigantic their markets are! 

That night I was lucky to be invited to experience church with Maryelsa, my homestay mom. She is jehovits witness. I have to admit that at home I have some preconceived notions about the religion, and un rightly so since I really don't know anything about it.  Therefore, it was even more interesting for me to be part of their church service. It was much different than any service than I have experienced. After the normal sermon it became question and answer time. The congregation gets an article to read before the service to prepare. This one was about forgiveness. How we will all feel better if we forgive the people around us and that when we do not forgive it will just make us feel sick inside. It was a really great message for me to take in and think about because I often allow things to bother me and eat me up inside. 

The next morning I left for the jungle. I didn't really know much about my trip, only that I was headed to samuc champey and it was said to be a really beautiful place. When I arrived it was better than I could have imagined. Nestled in the middle of the jungle, my hostel was right next to a beautiful river. The bunk that I stayed in was on the top floor of a small tree house with windows open to the outside air. From my bed I could see the clouds, the stars, the river, and hear nothing but the birds chirping. This was the perfect relaxing time to put a nice close to my trip. While I was there I walked through a long dark cave with only candles to light our way, swimming/waiting through water, climbing up small waterfalls, viewing amazing stalactites and stalagmites. I hiked in the jungle and swam in beautiful turquoise natural pools. Finally I ended the day with a relaxing tubing down the river. 

Now it is my last full day in Guatemala and I am back in Antigua. I have decided to return to the preschool and have one last morning with my cute 2 and 3 year olds and then head to school to watch a documentary about the civil war since I don't know very much about it but it was a huge atrocity in Guatemala's past. After that I plan to walk around the city and take in as many sights, sounds, and smells as my senses will allow!

This has been an amazing two weeks full of adventure, culture, and knowledge!

A good nights sleep and a better attitude!

With a single nights sleep, the angst that I was feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Although many questions/thoughts still go unanswered, I have decided that living the experience in the moment is much more important than coming to any kind of huge realization.

Therefore, with a much better attitude, I got on the chicken bus and headed to my last day of volunteering. I could already feel that this was going to be a great day and that I was going to miss these kids so much. Just as I had imagined on the bus, today ended up being perfect. The kids are really starting to warm up to me. I began to have tiny human attachments on my arms and legs throughout the day. All of the sudden many of their words and requests became clear and we were able to have conversations. I am not sure if this has to do with how my understanding of the Spanish language is improving or if they are speaking more clearly, but either way our connection was on a different level today. To show that they like a teacher they share their lunch with them. A cracker here, a sip of juice there. For the past couple of days I have been watching them share with the main teachers thinking it was so cute. Today, they shared with me 2 crackers and 3 sips of juice, I felt so special. :) During the day I couldn't stand the thought of this being the last time that I visit the school so I decided to come back for one more day on Wednesday, the last day before I return to the States. 

I also had my last Spanish lesson today. I am by no means fluent but I do think these lessons have helped me a lot. My understanding has doubled if not tripled and I have been reminded of all those conjugations and grammar rules I hated the first time around. However, the best thing that I have gotten out of the experience is the renewed desire to learn and be fluent in Spanish! 

This has been one crazy week and I am definitely looking forward to tomorrow for some relaxatio

When times get a bit hard..

Last night and this morning have been very hard for me. I am not really sure of the cause or if it is maybe a combination of many. I have to admit I didn't help matters by watching "The Last Song" on my i pad once I began feeling this way, especially since it just landed me in a pile of tears. However, I guess the fact that I am a week into my trip and this is the first time that I have felt any sadness or angst is a good thing, but nonetheless I really do hate the feeling.

Beginning yesterday, there became a lot that has been weighing on my mind. Part of my goal of this trip was to spend time reflecting on my life at home in hopes to come to some kind of clarity. Clarity of my direction in my work place, in what I want for myself, and most importantly clarity in my personal relationships. It's a week later and I have scaled a huge volcano, improved my Spanish, volunteered in a preschool and yet when I think about the life that I am returning to in the United States, I feel just as confused and lost as when I left. This trip, with its  intentions laying in a sense of deeper understanding, now feels more like one of running away. 

Another area of angst is this routine that I have created for myself. I have almost never before traveled like I am now; staying in one place for the duration of my trip or taken an almost purely educational track rather than one of exploration. While I have enjoyed every minute of what I have done so far, this morning, I began to have a longing to return to the hostel and adventure life. However, this longing will soon be met because tomorrow completes my week of both classes and volunteering and it will be time for me to decide what to do and where to go next. 

Although these feelings are not fun, it is days like this that make solo travel truly real. There have been many times in my past trips when I have felt similarly and it is these feelings, my reactions and ways I deal with them, are that which cause me to grow the most.

And hey, I'm in this beautiful town of Antigua, Guatemala for goodness sake! Life can't be that bad :) 

Deep conversations and 3 year old poo poo!

Yesterday afternoon/evening ended up being really interesting. I really got to know both my Spanish teacher as well as my home stay mom. I don't know what it is, but the way that my teacher speaks, I can understand everything she says. We are able to talk about so many things and I love it. Today she was telling me a story of why she has very little female friends and the ones that she does have she is not very close with. She explained that when she was younger she had a boyfriend only because her friends said that's what she should do. Then one night when she was walking her friend home she saw her boyfriend in an alley kissing her best friend! From then on, she never talked to the boy or her "best friend" again and she also never trusted girls. It is just so interesting having talks such as these with the women of Guatemala; it shows that everyone everywhere around the world is very similar and also it is so fascinating to me that I am able to have such conversations in Spanish! 

Then when I came home for dinner tonight, my interesting conversations continued. Maryelsa, the two other girls who are also staying there and I began talking about homosexuality and its acceptance in Guatemala. Maryelsa explained that in Guatemala homosexuality is not really accepted because of the machismo culture as well as the prevalence of religion. She said that there is more acceptance for the younger generation to be gay but no homosexual couple could be caught living together because if they were they would get molested and hurt. It is very sad to hear how hard it is for homosexuals in Guatemala as well as in all of the other Central American countries and in Mexico. I did not share with anyone that I am gay, however I was happy to hear that Maryelsa, herself, does not have a problem with homosexuality. 

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My time at the preschool today can be described in one word, POOP. Man oh man this experience is sure preparing me for kids! I was wiping butts, changing diapers, and...here's the kicker...I walked into poop on the floor of the boys bathroom. Ay! But even with all of the poop, they are just so adorable. I love being with the kids in the mornings because they have so much energy that it is contagious. They are also all so polite and thankful for me being there. Not to mention that they hang all over me and i get to pinch their cute little cheeks :) It is really turning out to be a great...and very messy...experience!

Spanish school and preschool kids...let the fun times begin!

Yesterday was a big day. I began my first day both my first day of Spanish class as well as my first day in my home stay. Both turned out better than I could have hoped for. I will be attending one on one Spanish class from 2 pm to 6 pm every day for 5 days. The school is out doors with small tables lining the sides of the building, each with its own dry erase board. I have no book besides a notebook and my professor. This is actually a really fun way of learning. We have long conversations and when I come to a word I don't know how to say, she will tell me the word and I write the meaning in my notebook. I was surprised at my ability to keep up with the conversation. We talked about our animals, my trip so far, her husband, poverty, and abortion in regards to the comparison between Guatemala and the United States. I never thought I had the capability to have such conversations in Spanish, being that the last time I actually studied the language was ten years ago in my freshman and sophomore years in high school. We even were able to joke and laugh! I guess I was paying more attention than I thought :) However, we did also get into a less fun, but very necessary, subject; the conjugation of verbs. Apparently this was not something I retained very well over the last ten years. I never did like grammar in Spanish or in English for that matter. 

Surprisingly, the four hours went very fast and I only got really antsy in the last half hour or so. When class ended, it was time to return to the house and have dinner with my host family. Everyone is very nice and we all enjoyed a delicious dinner of eggs, beans, platanos and homemade tortillas; a traditional Guatemalan desayuno. The other students who are also staying there and I did the dishes. MariaElsa, my home stay mother, had a student coming over for a lesson so I went upstairs to relax, something I have not done in the past couple of days. I was feeling so lazy and so relaxed that I even chose to take my shower in the morning before volunteering (if you know me, this is crazy because I never wake up earlier than I have to to roll out of bed and get to what ever obligation I may have).

In the morning I woke up at 6:45 to shower. When I got in I found what I have been dreading this whole trip....COLD WATER :( I couldn't even bring myself to stand under the water so I first dipped my head in washing only that, then quickly washed each part of my body sending it into the water just long enough to rinse off the soap. I have been very spoiled with hot water since arriving in Guatemala. I knew I couldn't be that lucky forever. 

After my shower and breakfast, I was off to volunteer. I took the chicken bus about 7 minutes south to a small town named San Gaspar. The town is very cute with not too much going on. I found the preschool and was shown around the classrooms by the director. I discovered that I will be working the rest of the week with the 2-3 year olds. 

Just walking into the classroom I knew I was in for some hard work. The class was composed of 32 children and 2 teachers, and the kids were running all over the place! I soon discovered how difficult it is to keep children in line with only an advanced beginner Spanish level. Another thing that was quickly brought to my attention wad how difficult it is to understand the kids when they are mumbling and/or crying. Much of my time was spent saying "sientate " (sit down)  "Donde esta tu Silla" (where is your seat) "no necessitas esta" (you don't need that) y "cuidate" (careful). I also got the pleasure of changing many wet pants and wiping away a lot of tears. We also made art projects with torn newspaper and pelotitas (little balls) with colored paper and tape. The kids, although quite rambunctious are very cute and I am excited for tomorrow. They definitely keep me on my toes, and I am excited to see what experiences the next few days bring. 

Sleeping on the summit of volcan Acatenango...yep I can cross that off of my bucket list!

I have just returned from the most amazing most challenging activity that I have ever undertaken. It was just two days ago that I stopped by a small shop in Antigua, Guatemala and spontaneously signed up for a two day, overnight  hike up Volcán Acatenango.  In doing this, I asked no questions. I did not find out how tall the volcano was, what gear I would need to carry up, or how hard the hike was. Following my usual traveling ways, I paid the money and didn't think much more about it until it was 6am Friday morning and I was with the group preparing my bag to depart. 

With a backpack full of 4  1/2 liters of water, a pair of pants, a sleeping bag, a north face, hat, and gloves (all of which I would really appreciate later that night), and my share of the groups camping equipment, we were off. Durning the hour and a half ride my fears grew, but as much as I was sitting there nervous, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. 

My first mistake was assuming that there would be a bathroom at the bottom of the volcano...WRONG! This was apparently not the tourist friendly hike that I had ignorantly assumed it was going to be. By the first 5 minutes of climbing straight uphill in loose dirt (what I can only compare to running in the sand), I knew I was in for a challenge unlike any I have ever done before. This vertical climb lasted for the entire first hour! Very quickly I made friends with three others who collectively and proudly dubbed ourselves "the caboose". I should also mention that the group consisted of 11 people; the guide, 8 boys, and 2 girls, myself being one of them. This should already paint the picture of how crazy I was to go on this hike. 

With each step the hike did not only get easier, it got more and more grueling. The guide said that the first part was the hardest and it would get easier from there. I guess he was right if you consider continuing straight uphill for the entire 7 hours with changing terrain easier. 

However, enough about how difficult this climb was, it's time to talk about how incredibly worth it each painful step was. Hiking up the volcano we went through four different ecosystems. The first was the farm land. This was incredible to see. The Guatemalan people in the village hike straight uphill everyday to farm and the hike is not even the beginning of their work day! It was really incredible and humbling to see the locals pass by as they hiked up with their farm tools or down carrying large piles of wood on their backs. Next we entered the cloud forest. This was probably my favorite part of the hike! It was so beautiful, a jungle filled with tons of green trees, bamboo, and beautiful flowers. My favorite part was listening to the trees blowing in the wind. I think I loved the sound so much  because it reminded me of my childhood town in Connecticut. 

From there we continued on to the alpines, both sub alpine and high alpine where none of the trees are over 6 feet tall. This was also very beautiful and the point where the views from the volcano became spectacular! At this point of the hike my legs felt like jello and they did not want to move any more. Finally there was the volcano itself. 1,363 meters and 7 hours later I made it to the top! It was the most grueling hike and I felt so incredibly accomplished when I reached the top! The view was unlike anything I have ever seen. I felt like I was floating on the clouds. We sat and watched the sunset with active volcan Fuego in the background. 

Wow is all that I can say about the whole experience. This was a test of everything I am and everything I am able to do. That night was freezing but magical. In 10 degree weather I enjoyed a fire, vegetable curry, and star gazing with no light pollution! I didn't think about it at the time I signed up for the trip but this hike was something I can cross off my bucket list. I have always wanted to hike with a backpack and tent on my back and sleep at the top of a mountain. This time I got the added bonus of the mountain be

Antigua, you've won me over!

Yesterday when I arrived in Antigua, I felt kind of like a lost puppy. I arrived around 8 am in a small van and spent a good hour walking around, big bag on my back, looking for a hostel to stay in. I loved Antigua immediately, especially since it reminds me so much of San cristabol de las casas, my favorite little city in southern Mexico. However, Antigua has a characteristic that I am not used to; the doors to everything were very old, VERY large and all shut! For a while I was thinking I would never find a place to sleep and was beginning to buckle to the idea of buying the lonely planet on my kindle to give myself a bit more assistance on the getting around front. Then I stumbled on a very cute place called the gato negro inn with a friendly owner, breakfast included and a cute terrace with full views of the surrounding volcanos. Since Antigua has proved to be much more expensive than expected, I settled with a dorm bed for 65 quetzals or about 9 US dollars. 

My plan was to nap when I got there but the day was nice and I couldn't wait to get out and explore. I was also on a hunt for a volunteer opportunity I had heard about in a home for children with disabilities. Lots of questions and searching got me nowhere with my hunt, but in the end I was really impressed with the amount of Spanish I have retained from high school. On my journey, I ended up stumbling upon a Spanish school and thought I would check it out. Taking Spanish lessons abroad is something that I have always wanted to do. Walking out of the school a half an hour later I had set myself up with a week of one on one Spanish lessons and a week homestay with a Guatemalan family for 230 US dollars. Not really in my 300 dollar spending budget, but I thought what the heck! It was quickly decided that (although Antigua is somewhat of a tourist trap) the bright colored buildings, cobblestone streets, and friendly locals have won me over and I will be spending much of my two weeks in Antigua, with the occasional excursion.

It is now my second day in Antigua, and I am sitting in the parque central, a lively place full of daily activity; Guatemalan men and women relaxing on benches, children playing, Mayan women and children dressed in their traditional garb selling their handmade crafts, birds singing, and travelers taking photographs. Today There is also a special treat of a musician playing what I can only guess is traditional Guatemalan or Mayan music. I feel so full and excited about life right now, but I guess who wouldn't in this quaint, gorgeous city,the wind blowing a soft hum through the trees, the music in the background, so much going on around me, yet still so calm that my head is clear and my thoughts can be free. This break was exactly what I needed to get back to myself and clear my mind. 

This morning I was able to meet my homestay mother, Elsa. It was a real treat. She is a beautiful, friendly woman with two children 20 and 24 and a husband who is an extraordinary painter. Their home is located right on the outskirts of the small city and is so cute, splattered with flowers and plants, with a little terrace with amazing views of the surrounding volcanos. I am excited for Monday to not only improve my Spanish, but also get to know a local family. 

Everything so far has been very relaxing, but adventure is also calling my name. I am about to leave to hike up Pacaya. This is only about an hour hike up but if I'm lucky I will be able to see the active volcano spewing ash and lava! Don't worry everyone, it's safe :) This hike will prepare me for the real deal tomorrow when I hike up Acatenango which is a 6-8 hour hike up. I will be spending the night camping near the top where I will be able to see the stars and experience the sunrise, two of my most favorite things! Last night I heard a horror story of how hard the climb is, but I think I can handle it :)

I will not be able to write again until I return to Antigua Sunday night. Until then, hope everything is well and miss you all! 

Next stop..Guatemala

It's been 9 months since I took what could fit in the bag on my back and got on a one way flight from Vietnam, where I ended my four month Southeast Asia trip, to San Diego, which I now call my home. I wish that I could go back and blog all the trials, tribulations, and more importantly fantastic times that I have had so far in San Diego, but now I have once again caught the travel bug and have an even more interesting subject for my entries; Guatemala. 

How I chose Guatemala is kind of an interesting story in itself. When I began my "planning" stage 2 weeks ago, I intended to go to India. All the stars were lining up in my favor. I could get the time off from work, my friends ,Anne and Dixie, who have been traveling for almost a year were going to be there, and my friend Xemina wanted to come. It was all perfect....then I saw the $1,100 plane ticket. 

Plan B...well, time to come up with a plan B. How to do that? I absolutely love kayak.com for these last minute plans. I just typed in country after country viewing the monthly rates on the side of the screen and came up with the 3 cheapest options; Honduras (already been), Belize (could be a bit more expensive to travel within especially since I will want to spend most of my time diving), and Guatemala (a country full of volcanos, Mayan ruins, and jungles). It was decided and my trip to Guatemala was booked!

From there I did what I do every time I leave the country; ignore everything and plan nothing until the day before (in this case I had a late flight so the day of) I leave. I think I do this because it saves me from getting nervous about the crazy, impulsive, yet amazing and life changing decisions I make. Man what one click of a computer key can do...

Now, after a crazy day of preparing and not quite preparing, I find myself awaiting the flight from LA to Guatemala. Although my nerves and excitement are somewhat high my subconscious is still ignoring  what is about to happen. Right now as I am writing I feel as though I could be just going home to Connecticut with the comfort of my family, not to a foreign county by myself. However, I know that the adrenaline will kick in as soon as I arrive and it will all become real, fun, adventurous, and frightening. It is so interesting how our bodies work when presented with each new and different situation. 

So, my plan so far. I arrive into Guatemala City around 7am. I don't really want to have much to do with Guatemala City itself so I am going to find a bus straight to Antigua, a quaint city surrounded by volcanos and  paved with cobblestone. I am pretty positive Antigua will be littered with hostels, one of which I will choose when I get there and take a nice long nap since I will only be getting four hours of plane sleep tonight. 

And with that I am off. Next stop Guatemala City. Buenos noches. Escribire pronto. 

:)

My final taste of Vietnam- a four day trek to Sapa

Right after a small bus disaster (nothing big, just a 45 minute walk with our big bags on our back to lunch because the bus was on "vietnam time")on the Ha Long Bay trip, it was time to  go to Sapa. We were collected at our hostel, luckily a bit late ("Vietnam time" again) so we could get an egg baguette from the lady selling them on the sidewalk nearby, and brought to the bus station. Although this guy was very late, he was in quite a hurry himself so he kept telling me "quick, quick, quick" with everything that I did. Being that I had just been on a big trip that just got back that day, I was a bit irritated, but did my best not to get worked up, as here I have been taught to calm down and that things are never the end of the world, as bad as they may seem at the time. 

So Mr "quick quick" shoved us in a taxi and sent us off to the bus station. Luckily, once there it was nice and smooth and no one was requesting money from us. We did find out that a group in a similar situation got stuck with the taxi bill so we were very lucky that our guide did not cheat us! 

The overnight bus was a fun experience. Thank goodness I was with Ema, my friend that I met on the night bus to Hanoi and have been traveling with ever since. The night bus was nothing like the night busses that I have encountered so far in Vietnam. This night bus was full of double beds where if you are traveling alone, you would have to sleep next to (and uncomfortably close to) a complete stranger. Luckily Ema and I were able to do this with out a bit of uncomfortableness and a lot of laughs! However, on the return trip I was not so luck, but all in all it was not as bad as I thought it would be. 

Once we made it to Sapa we were immediately greeted by a swarm of natives in their beautiful, colorful garb. I heard once that while you are here, you almost adopt your own native, as they attach themselves to you and follow you around. This proved to be more than true. By the time we even reached breakfast I was wearing two complementary cloth bracelets, branding me too return and buy from "my woman" all topped off with a pinky swear! 

After breakfast, we were on our way. All the sudden I was hit with the amazing views of endless rice terraces and magical tree topped mountains. We marched (new women from different tribes assigning themselves to each of us to help us along the way) through the small roads, balancing on the rice fields, and slipping on the muddy tracks through the forests. A woman with a baby on her back was not only doing better at not slipping than me, but was actually HELPING me along! Eight and ten year old girls were catching us as we fell...these women are truly amazing! 

After two treks with a little lunch in between, we arrived at our homestay. It was incredible! I was with a small group of only four others and we were blessed with a traditional homestay (so many of them have become so touristy that they are more like small hotels that resemble traditional housing). The family did not speak any english, but were very nice and made us feel very comfortable. The food was excellent and the company was great. Ema and I and an older couple from the Netherlands and an older gentleman from Sweden. It was lovely. We played cards and talked and admired the view. And, oh, the view! Our porch looked out upon rice fields that stretched for miles and miles. I felt as if I could stay there forever! 

That night we had the most amazing thunder and lightening storm. The thunder was louder than I have ever heard before. I laid on my small mattress, under my mosquito net just listening to nature and all of its might. Before I drifted asleep, I listened as the thunder moved from right above us, to further and further away until it was  just a rolling in the distance. 

The next morning I woke up early and sat on the porch taking in the amazing view once again. As the rest of the group woke, we filled our bellies with crapes filled with pineapple and set out on an even more difficult walk in the pouring rain, once again balancing on rice patties and trekking through bamboo forests. In the next days I continued my trekking, ending each night with a homestay filled with lovely Vietnamese families and wonderful  fellow travelers. When the fourth day came to an end I was almost  not ready to leave. I could not have asked for a better way to end my trip!

Now, as I  spend  my final day walking around the busy, crowded streets of Hanoi, I am filled with a complete sense of contentment with how my travels have  turned out. I am so happy with everything I have done. I have become a bit more mellow, become a  happy and confident solo traveler, and learned so much about who I am. Tomorrow, I hope to take all of the great qualities I have discovered about myself and everything that I have worked on to make myself better with me as I embark on my new journey of self discovery in San Diego. Life is beautiful and I can't wait to continue changing and growing with every adventure I have! See you soon sunny San Diego!!

Ah, Ha Long Bay

What a beautiful, relaxing wonder of nature! Ha Long Bay is an area of north Vietnam full of hundreds of limestone cliffs jutting out of the water. Right now it is 6 am and I have woken early to sit on the rooftop of the sleeper boat and take time to fully take in and experience where I am. In my travels, I have discovered  how much I love the morning time. The quietness, the beauty of watching everyone wake up and begin their morning routines...I just love it! 

My boat is sitting smack dab in a clearing of water with the limestone cliffs surrounding me entirely. There was a light rain last night so the mist is covering the tops and all the cliffs in the distance to give a mystical, magical feeling. Other than the sounds of the boat motors (we haven't been moving for about 12 hours now, I don't know why they don't turn them off) it is complete serenity. There is a small fishing village on the water to my right. Hearing their soft hum of of music, a man cleans his nets in the water after throwing them in already this morning. Another, in a small row boat, is fishing to my left. Everyone beginning to wake up and feel the morning air outside before beginning the days chores. 

Yesterday the sun was peaking through the clouds, so we were able to see Ha Long in all of its beauty, but today it is a bit rainy so the cliffs are covered in a thick layer of mist. I feel really lucky for this weather because it is really amazing to see it in both of these ways. So amazing to experience something that is so beautiful in the sun, yet is still so beautiful in the rain. 

The day  continued with a hike on Cat Ba island. This hike was led by a very cute, very old local woman. It is so incredible when women and men, so elderly, can hike great lengths and work so hard. It really shows what the body  is made of if you just let it. The hike was amazing and invigorating and verrrry muddy and slippery. At the top of the mountain was the most beautiful view  of the tops of mist covered trees. Sometimes I have to really stop and think about how blessed I am for  being able to see so many beautiful things  as  I am getting to see on this trip.

Leaving sunny quiet Mui Ne for the rainy college party scene of Nha Trang?

My last few days  in Mui Ne were good ones! Spent the morning lazing around at the beach while waiting for the wind to pick up to do some kite surfing. Kite surfing mid afternoon, a little yoga in the early evening and then some dinner and relaxing by the beach. Honestly, life couldn't get much better. After the constant dormitory style hostels during my stay in Australia, my small private bungalow, my book (I started reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, and I am already on the third...sooo  good), and the beach made Mui Ne the perfect stop at the perfect time in my journey in Vietnam. 

However, my being sick has kept me on a bit of a tight schedule and I must continue north. My next stop would be Nha Trang, another beach town a bit more bustley  but  said to still be very nice. What I did not think to consider is the weather in Nha Trang. Apparently when Nha Trang gets the rain, Mui Ne only gets wind and waves. Low and behold I arrived to a very rainy Nha Trang and stayed at a very loud hostel. I decided that this wasn't quite the Vietnam that I wanted to see (although I met some nice people and played a very silly drinking game at the local bar) so I booked a boat trip for the next  day and a night bus out to my next destination Hoi An for the next night. 

After the boat trip, which ended up being a great time, I had to  find my bus booking office. This is always interesting because I got my open ended bus ticket while lost in Saigon so I ended up with the local bus  service rather than the tourist one. This means that it is always an adventure to find the booking office, but I really enjoy the journey and feel that it actually gives me a great way to see the more real side of whatever city or town I  am in. This unexpected journey ended up being my favorite part of my stay in Nha Trang!

In this case I set out with all of my bags in the rain in search of the office. I had a great time! Along the way I met a very friendly 14 year old school girl who, although she did not speak much English, smiled and shared her umbrella with me as we walked and she led me in the right direction. I smiled and returned waves from children, was the photographer for a family shot  of 30 by  the beach, and even joined in  for countless photos with more peace signs than I can count with various family members. I also, finally, found  a place where they do not give you a menu or ask what you want, but instead just fill your plate for 10,000 dong...a true vietnamese dining experience! 

And the authentic experience did not end there! Unlike the tourist busses that are not only nicer, but only fit the amount of people intended for the sleeper seats, these busses cram people on the floor isles where ever they could find space. Where there are  only 3 usable seats, we slept 5 across like sardines in a can. With the exception that they did not stop for a bathroom break for 10 hours of the journey, it was a truly cultural experience I was very happy to be part of! 

It is now nearing the end of my first day of two in Hoi An and I really love the city! Not only am I rooming with an great, down to earth girl from England, but the town itself is so cute  and quaint. It has a nice french influence while still keeping true to its Vietnamese roots. The market is situated right  by the river and there is nothing better than grabbing a fresh brewed beer for 4000 dong (20 cents) and watching the market in full swing. Vendors selling fruits, vegetables, fish, and lots of small trinkets. Push carts and bamboo balances filled with all different types of food, men and woman coming on and off the river faery on their way home. My favorite thing to do when I travel is to observe the people of the country going about their every day lives. Hoi An is such a wonderful place for such observation. Tomorrow, motorbike to the marble mountains then a bike ride through the village...very excited!

A small turn for the worse

shortly after my last dive is where the trouble began. The only downside to the live aboard  is  that  I  had  to pay an extra  15$ for every dive that I wanted a  guide. I had met many wonderful friends on this boat and they were  not going  with guides so for the first 5 dives I went out with them. This was a  big mistake, not only did I spend more  time worrying about everyone and  where  the  boat was, on the 5th dive I had accented too quickly. I didn't think anything more about it, but did hire a  guide for the rest of  the dives. My  next  series of dives were like I had never experienced before.  My nerves were calm, my senses were completely open and I had some of the  best  dives I have ever had. Then when I got  off the boat  on the 3rd day I started  feeling  very sick and very  dizzy. I didn't know what was  wrong with me, but when it didn't go away by the time I was  due to fly, I got very nervous  it was decompression sickness. This, unfortunately, was no matter to take lightly especially since the pressure  of me flying would  make it twice as  bad. So I made the very difficult decision to not get on  my plane to Vietnam and instead  go to the  hospital. 

The problem with decompression sickness is that the symptoms are  very  mild and the biggest  symptom they say is  denial. This is  because the symptoms are so mild  that  many people think it to be over exhaustion until it gets so bad and evident  they end up getting treated too  late. I would probably  have been in that category if  I didn't  have to fly, which stuck my concern. 

Being at the hospital, alone, in a foreign country  was probably one of the most scary  and lonely experiences I have had. They ran many tests, took x rays, and  in the end  decided that I would  have  to stay over night on a mask feeding me a constant 100%  oxygen. There were times when I just wanted to break down and cry, but I instead kept reminding myself that the only thing this will all do is help me to feel  better  and that I am O.K. and it is not the end of the world. In the end I had to stay an extra week in Australia, of which I mostly slept and read. I discovered that when I don't feel well  it's ok not to be social, that I can get through anything by going with the flow, that sometimes  it  is a  really good decision to follow  my instincts, and that a small jar of peanut  butter, several bananas, and a  loaf of bread can feed me for 5 whole days..and now I am happy, healthy, safe, and  enjoying myself in Vietnam! ANNND I am still going to keep diving (in 6 months when it is safe to do so again, of  course) :)