Costa Rica Days 5-8

I killed a few more spiders in the bathroom, had a cold shower and headed to the port early in the morning. I jumped on a ferry loaded with locals and we made our way toward the two volcanoes on Isla Ometepe. Once onshore, I crammed into a “Nico” bus and about an hour of riding on rough roads I got off in a remote area with a few shacks and a hostel near the coast. The whole journey was only $2.

At the hostel, I befriended an American-Nicaraguan from California named Luis. His stepfather owned the place and Luis has called it home for the past nine months. I believe he’s the local Casanova as I always saw him cruising on his bicycle chatting with the local ladies. I tried to schedule a hike up the larger volcano but was swayed away by locals saying that it’s too dangerous to climb as it occasionally spews hot ash. So, I decided to climb the smaller Maderas Volcano. Good thing, I did. I struggled up the steep, muddy trail trying to keep up with Luis, a fit 22-year old who has hiked the mountain a dozen times. Luckily, the hostel’s dog named Donkey would stop and wait for me as I gasped for air like a fat person climbing stairs. Sometimes I could hear a band of monkeys up in the trees laughing at me.

At the top of the 1,394-meter volcano, we descended down to a crater lake that was covered with a thick mist. It looked like an enchanted forest out of a movie. I frolicked around and waded knee-deep in the cold water. It took probably 7 or 8 hours to complete the 8-mile hike and I only fell 6 times. About four days later I’m still sore.

I eventually left the island and traveled back to the elusive Arenal Volcano in Costa Rica. I was able to see most of the mountain and its surrounding lake but the clouds never cleared away to reveal its peak. With no mountain to fully admire I wasted my time relaxing by the pool and in hammocks while guzzling local beers. On my last night, I went to a nearby hot springs. The place was the shiznit. It had hazardous but fun slides and at least ten pools from warm water to f-ing hot water. Despite the weather and forgetting my camera, the trip was a memorable one.