So  now we’re home in the states for a week so we’ll take this opportunity to take stock of how we’ve done so far and what it is we need to change.  Overall, it looks like our preparation has paid off.  We’ve rarely been without something we’ve needed and have never been completely unprepared.  Since leaving the US we have not met another backpacker with smaller packs than we have (we do have the added benefit of being able to share a few things) but we have met many with things we wish we did have.
Our supplies have treated us well but we are swapping a few things out that don’t seem to be standing up to the wear and …

Central America has been wonderful, but after almost 4 months (including Mexico) we’re itching to move on. By the time you read this we’ll be in the USA for a mini break. Yay!:) The timing and finances worked out so that we’d be able to take a week or so in the States before heading to South America. Fortunately for us it coincided with the 4th of July (my favorite holiday) and the wedding of our friends Aaron and Alexis. Sometimes the stars just align like that!
Anyway, we’re really looking forward to South America. (Really we just need to verify if the toilets do indeed swirl the other direction!).  We’ve met so many incredible people, other travelers, expats and locals …

We have taken two trips with Ticabus, we will not be taking anymore.
On the first trip, from Honduras to Nicaragua, the ayudante (helper) collected $11 from each passenger for border fees. We were told the fees were $8 to Nicaragua and an additional $3 to exit Honduras. We had already exited Honduras on our own and had never paid to exit so we decided to handle the border ourselves; we paid $7 to Nicaragua and nothing to Honduras. The ayudante pocketed $4 from each passenger and then had the nerve to yell at us for taking too long…we took only two minutes but needed to wait until the officials finished processing all of the bus’s passports.
On the …

After Leon we spent a few days in Granada, relaxing and taking in the city. From there it was a quick jump to Isla Ometepe. The largest freshwater lake in Central America, Ometepe is a budding outdoor adventure paradise. Visited but not overrun by tourists, Ometepe maintains is “wild” feel. Dominating the landscape Volcan Conception and Volcan Maderas provide hiking, animal, birdwatching, and even swimming. Combine that with the lake shore, lake kayaking and even a wild monkey island, and well, you see why we had to spend a few days there.
Heading to Isla Ometepe via ferry we disembarked in Moyogalpa and quickly scrambled onto a chicken bus towards the village of Merida. Two …