The day I saw a Car Crash, drank mojito while having volcanic rocks between my balls, and saw a guy being beaten up for watching a norwegian girl pee.

Yeah, things are fairly eventful down here. Who said Nicaragua was boring. Take yesterday for instance.

I woke up at some point yesterday morning, took a swim in my hostels swimming pool, and was convinced by two Canadians and an America to join them for a cultural tour of the town. Or well in other words, we were going to the revolutionary museum, depicting the rise of the Sandinista Revolutionary movement, and how they managed to overthrow the dictatorship - before being beaten up by US supported "Contras" operating from Honduras.
After that we went to get some delicious Nicaraguan food for lunch.
On our way back to the our hostel. A big jeep, crashed into the side of a normal car just 20 meters behind us. The normal car jammed into a light pole, and all the wires and streets light flashed and made noises. The driver of the jeep was alright, and so was the driver of the car(though a very shocked..obviously) the guy in her passenger seat was in complete shock, and sat very still with closed eyes without moving, only a slow breath showed that he was alive.
Fairly traumatizing experience. Lots a people came, and fortunately the accident happened just outside a medical clinic, so a doctor came within 2 minutes and helped out the slowly breathing guy.

We went back to our hostel and recovered with a cold beer.

An hour later me and the american girl, went to join the volcano boarding tour we had signed up for the day before.
Volcano boarding is, well, boarding on a volcano.
Imagine sledging 400 meters down a volcano with 50km pr hour. Well thats basically what it is.
amazingly thrilling experience.

Driving to Volcano Cerro Negro

Volcano Cerro Negro

View from the Top.The slope....

And down it goes...

When I came down I had small volcanic rocks all over my body. In my hard, in my armpits, in my ass, between my balls. Everywhere!

When we came back to Bigfoot Hostel(the ones who run the tour, but not the place I am staying) we got a big cold Mojito, and at that point I still had those small frustrating volcanic rocks down my underwear.
(A movie of another guy volcano boarding can be seen here)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvn3XL8o6SM

Later that night, I went out in town with a couple of guys.
We went to a couple of bars and in the end we ended up in this open courtyard, which apparently is a "after-party" place where people go when the official bars close at two.
At some point the Norwegian girl from my hostel, who was sitting at my table, went out to take a leak in a yard behind the place we were sitting, apparently some guy was watching her, cause on her way back to our table, some other guy to a big bat and hit him in the head. Kinda insane.
Not really sure if there was some other reasons for his reaction, but at least the guy(who got hit) was asked to leave the building.

So yeah, pretty eventful day. I think ill just spend today in the sun by the pool. I have no need for any more dramatic adventures the coming few days.

Leon, Nicaragua

I think I'm the only backpacker in the entire world, who has spent more than a week in Tegucigalpa.(Or at least it feels that way).
I left Tegucigalpa yesterday morning, and came to Leon last night.

To start with the first.
After leaving Utila I, as mention in last post, went to Tegucigalpa to visit my friend from Seminar Camp. Tegucigalpa itself is a really sketchy and kinda dodgy town, but you always get a different experience and impression when you know someone the place you go.
I had a wonderful week in Tegucigalpa. Meeting Margee's(my friend) friends and hanging out with them so much - gave me more knowledge about life and culture in Central America than any other destination on my stay has. And I'm not talking about food, dances or beer. I'm talking about the more subconscious things, the way people act, think, talk. The way the sexes interact - and the general view upon life - family, marriage, education, business, politics - everything. Or well, not everything, but many things.
So yeah, despite the fact that Tegucigalpa, might not be the most attractive city, I REALLY enjoyed my stay. (and did I mention, that people are super-friendly???)
I spent the weekend at a CISV-Workshop, where I received training to become a Seminar Camp Staff. (for those of you who reacted "WTF???" to the word "Seminar Camp", I will kindly refer to http://www.cisv.org/programmes/seminarcamp.html for more information)

But yeah, it was pure coincidence that I happened to be in Tegucigalpa when the workshop took place. I had an amazing weekend and it was really nice to chill with CISV'ers from all of Latin America. Especially since I haven't been to a CISV camp for ages.

When I can pull myself together(I mean, IF I can....) ill eventually upload some pictures.
Tomorrow I'm going Volcano boarding....and until I elaborate in my next post, ill let you sit for a while and ponder over the following question:

What the heck is "Volcano Boarding"???

Back in Tegucigalpa

After 10 wonderful days on the Island of Utila, I made my way back to Tegucigalpa yesterday.
Utila was completely amazing, and if you are into cheap diving and partying I can strongly encourage you to go there.

I took an Open Water Diving certificate, and liked diving so much that I decided to go on and take and extend my certificate to an Advanced one. This means I'm now certified to dive 30 meters down and go for night dives and other fascinating things.
Unfortunately I don't have any underwater pictures of me (or anyone else) diving. But I can assure you it was an amazing experience. Those who have have tried it, knows what I'm talking about.
Especially the wreck dive(yes, you heard right - a wreck) and the night dive was amazing!
It was really hard for me to leave.

But I finally managed to back my things and go. I took the boat back to the mainland where I can on a few different buses which eventually at 9 o'clock in the evening brought me to a dark and dodgy part of Tegucigalpa.

An extremely friendly taxi driver took me to the part of the City where my friend(Margee) lives, but since people here give their address by " its right next to the supermarket with the lions symbol across the street" the taxi driver had no clue where "Bloque 54" was. My phone was out of credit, and so was his - so we ended up stopping at a pharmacy asking random people for directions. In the end I went in to buy some credit for my phone(he was waiting outside) and called Margee. Margee didn't pick up at first, and after standing 15 minutes trying to call her I told the taxi Driver(who wanted to make sure I was ok) that he could leave and that I would be alright. Eventually she answered her phone, and it turned out I was 2 minutes walk from her house. So I eventually made it there without problems.

The whole situation makes me think about what would happen in a similar situation in Denmark. I would never be able to imagine a Danish Taxi driver being that sincerely friendly and helpful. And in general people down here(not only taxi drivers, or Hondurans) are extremely helpful and friendly, which makes its a pleasure travelling here.

I'm staying here for a couple of days together with Margee. There's some CISV thing going on this weekend, which I'm planning on attending. And then its my aim to make my way towards Nicaragua sometime next week.

When ever I see something interesting(and remember to bring my camera along) I'll upload some pictures.

Pictures

Why sit indoor in front a computer, when you can chill in a hammock, play beach volley or go scuba diving and see the most amazing coral reefs???

No clue. I won't stay here for long.. I just thought I'd upload some pictures.

My Diving Gear.

Preparing for a dive.

Me on the boat back.

My Dive center. (Underwater Vision)

My Scuba course Classmates.

Underwater Vision!!!

That's right. Underwater Vision, is what i´ve now got, and its also the name of the dive shop where I just finished my open water diving certification.! I just graduated the course today! Diving is completely amazing, and I could stay here for months if I didn´t have this grand plan of traveling south. I am at least staying for another 5 days to do my Advanced Divers course, which lets me go down to 30 meters depth, and will teach me many more skills.

So yeah, that's what i´ve been up to lately. Now I´m heading back to cook some dinner. Found some pesto at the grocery store, so I'm cooking some pasta dish with some people here.
Tomorrow I'm going diving in the morning to the north side of the Island, where there are suppose to be some whale sharks.!!! (don't worry they are completely harmless!).
And then its off course saint Patrick's day tomorrow, which means party at my hostel!

Take good care, and prepare for some amazing pictures!

Belize

(Update 10/3 - I added a few small pictures)

Hello Again.

Internet on Belize was bloody expensive, and I've spent the last two days in a bus - so I haven't been in touch for a while.

In addition, this keyboard is terrible, so this wont be the worlds longest post - yet a small post is better than no post.

I ended up staying 6 night in total in Flores. I was planing on going to Belize Saturday, but got sick Friday evening and I didn't feel well Saturday either. Sunday was better, and Monday and Tuesday I was simply to lazy to leave. I stayed in the most fantastic little cozy hostel in Flores, called Los Amigos. They had 2 dogs, a cat and a parrot - and the entire places was so nicely decorated. Like some kind of secret jungle garden. Hard to explain, but not the worst place to be sick.

I spent most of my time in a hammock reading "Kvinder som hader Maend" By Stieg Larsson(in Danish!!). I found it on the bookshelf, and then I didn't feel like leaving before I had read the entire book. (which is why is stayed Tuesday as well).

I eventually made it to Belize on Wednesday. Belize is lovely. I really enjoyed my time there. I went straight to a small Island called Caye Caulker. Even though things are 3 times as expensive in Belize compared to Guatemala, I completely loved it. The whole chilled, relaxed Caribbean atmosphere suits me perfectly. It reminded me a bit of Jamaica. with all the Rastafarian people and stuff. A really good Experience.
On Friday i went on a stupidly amazing snorkeling tour. I´ve never tried anything like that. We sailed out with a sailboat(I guess we were around 20 people) , and then snorkeled 3 different places. The first place they had the most amazing coral reefs, and it was only 2 meters deep, so you could see everything completely up close.
(and the water was crystal clear).
Second place they had more fish than I have ever seen in my entire life, all kinds and colors. I can even describe the feeling of swimming around between blue and red and yellow schools of fishes. Those of you who have tried, knows what I'm talking about.
And the 3rd place we snorkeled among Stingrays and nurse Sharks. (yes, they are quite harmless)
I even saw a sea turtle and a Morena.(the green nasty lightning-quick fish that hides under rocks..) i also touched one of the stingrays. it felt unreal.
On the way back we drank rum punch, while tanning to the music of Bob Marley. What a trip..


But not all good thing lasts forever. and the same evening big clouds appeared on the sky and the weather forecast predicted 3 days of rain. So I decided to leave towards the Copan Ruins in Honduras the next morning(Saturday). I got company by two Swedish girls, and we made it to Copan this afternoon.(after 2 looooong days in 4 different buses).
Tomorrow I'm checking out the ruins, and after that I'll either go to Tegucigalpa to visit my friend Margee, who I meet two years ago on my CISV Seminar Camp in Amsterdam, or ill go to the Caribbean Island called Utila and spend 238USD on an Open Water PADI Diving Certificate.
Doesn't sound too bad at all..
When I manage to find a computer that works better than this one, and that doesn't tell me that my camera(with all my pictures) has a Virus(I'm a bit worried), ill see if I can upload some pictures..

Hasta luego...

Cooking Sausages over lava and other crazy stuff.

Hi Again. Sorry for the inconsistency with regards to updating my blog, but hey! I'm on vacation, can't spend every other second in front of a stupid screen.
Well well, I spent last weekend in Guatemala City together with Monica and her Family. On Saturday we drove to the beach, to stay at their beach house for the night. Marco(another kid from whom I also know through CISV) came with us, and we had a really nice time at the beach place.
The sand was completely black, due to its composition of volcanic rock- which made it burning hot to walk in at day time. Auch auch.
Monday morning I want back to Antigua(without being pick pocketed in the Chicken bus), to climb the Volcano Pacaya.
Pacaya is an active volcano, and climbing it was one of the craziest and coolest things I've done so far. They have loads of organized tours from Antigua and the walk up the volcano is not in itself very demanding. But then suddenly you come to a valley that's made up of solid lava, which you walk on until you are 2 meters from red glowing floating lava. A Fantastic sight. And bloody warm as well.

I meet two danish guys on the top who had brought sausages, and they offered me one, which I of course cooked over the ridiculously warm lava. It actually tasted very well.
So yeah, if you ever come across some several thousand degrees hot lava, I can only encourage you to have a few chorizo sausages ready.

I spent the night in Antigua and went on north to Lanquin, on a long and hot ride(yet beautiful) , the next day(Tuesday).
Just outside the village of Lanquin they have an amazing natural wonder called Semuc Champey. Its basically an artificial 300 meter long Limestone bridge, which crosses a river. However some of the water flows on the actual bridge, and throughout many hundred years, this water have made small turquoise ponds which are absolutely astonishingly beautiful.
Kinda difficult to explain. Check out the pictures.

Thursday I took the bur no to Flores in northern part of Guatemala.
Flores is a lovely(small) town located on a small island in the middle of a bit lake.
Friday morning I took a tour to Tikal, which is one of the greatest Maya pyramids ever.
I liked it a lot, especially since the setting in comparison to Chichen Itza and Palenque is set in the jungle, and you therefore have to walk between the pyramids in the jungle.
On the other hand I can also feel that I am about to get "ruined". The first ruin is pretty, the second as well, but this is my forth and am slowly becoming like "yeah beautiful..just like the other 4..".
Im planing on seeing Copan in Honduras as well, and after that no more ruins for me for a very very long time..
ON my way home last night I felt a bit sick, so instead of going on to Belize today I spent and extra day here in Flores.
Im still feeling a bit nauseous and dizzy, but I don't have any fever - so I guess its just a cold or something I ate.
I guess thats all for now. Hopefully ill be on Caye Caulker(Belize) tomorrow to start my Diving Certificate on Monday.

Adios!