Saturday, July 3, 2010

A Change Of Plans

April 23 to...

Ometepe Island resembles a dumbbell in that it is two giant volcanic cones joined together by a narrow strip of land. We leave Moyagalpa on Conception Volcano heading to Merida on the other cone of Maderas Volcano.

The road around Conception is paved and it's an easy 20 kilometers to the turn off, whereupon the tarmac ends and it's a rough ride across the isthmus. Rocks in the road are big enough to stand the bike up for a photo op....


Where the lands sweeps down to meet the sea there are some great beaches of soft golden sand. Fronted by palm topped palapas with the impressive 1400 metre cone in the background it's a memorable setting for a lunch stop...


Behind us there is a midden pile where all the local hotels throw away their food waste and white faced capuchin monkeys squabble noisily over scraps. I can almost hear the "Mission Impossible" theme tune playing as this one runs the tightrope back to the trees....


It's hard to believe that after another road juncton at Santa Cruz, the road gets even worse....


It's one of the worst surfaces I've ever picked my way through. Always terrible - it varies between nasty rock to tyre sucking sand which stops the bikes dead. Riders don't always stop so fast and we are often thrown overboard. Fortunately it's a soft landing, but slick with sweat we become covered in grit and sand and it's slow going. Even the buses struggle on this route, often taking 4 hours to cover just 40 kms (25 miles)....


It takes us 5 tough hours.

Next day we head out to hike up to the San Ramon waterfalls. It's about a four hour trek that takes us roughly half way up the Maderas Volcano, so it's a good dry run to take on the full thing. Midday temperatures are as ever in the billions, so we set off at dawn to hopefully get most of the climb out of the way in the cool part of the day. It's a good decision as the path is really steep in places as if passes through an ecological research centre and up the mountain side.

Unfortunately views are limited through thick vegetation, but the glimpses you do get of the lake and mainland are spectacular.

Then, just as the heat is getting seriously oppressive the tree cover opens up as we reach the 40m cascade...


Actually "cascade" is a little generous; this being the end of the dry season. However, despite 6 months with no rain, there is still some water. More importantly there is a small pool at the foot of the falls that is crystal clear and fabulously cool for swimming in.


After the descent and whilst picking up some emails, we get some bad news about Sue's father. A frantic phone call home reveals the worst and we are suddenly making arrangements to leave the island and book return flights. It's a Sunday afternoon and the last ferry leaves the other side of the island in just 90 minutes. We dash back to our hotel and hastily make arrangements to dump the bikes and kit with the the owner, pack a bag and get to the boat jetty in less than an hour. Fortunately there is a speed boat there and we manage to get a ride to the ferry port.

Arriving just as the ferry is finishing loading and preparing to leave, we pull up alongside and climb from the roof of the speed boat through a hatch on the side of the ferry.


We just made it!


It takes us a couple of days to get a flight after the problems with volcanic ash from an eruption in Iceland and we arrive home on Wednesday morning. It's a devastating blow to hear her father passed away in the night and that we were just too late to see him. He was 83.

Ivor had been ill off and off for a long time and we were always travelling with the spectre of this news in the background. In the end he was taken to hospital with what was thought to be a 'routine urine infection' but he was found to have internal bleeding that couldn't be stopped. He passed peacefully in the night.

Ivor was a man you would describe as a 'True Gentleman'. In a world where that term is bandied about with little regard, it is good to have known the man for whom the expression was truly meant. Ivor was a gentleman and a man I am proud to have known - he is sadly missed.

It was hard for us both to have arrived home just too late to say goodbye, but Sue and I can look back on the four months we spent over Christmas with her dad when he was in better health and on good form....


This is a better way to remember him.

We have spent the last 2 months back in Britain with family and friends especially with Sue's mother Sal who is slowly coming to terms with her loss.

We are now heading back to Nicaragua to pick up the bikes and resume our tour into South America. It's always tough to leave family behind and that is especially true now. It is a tough decision, but then starting the trip in the first place was a tough decision as well. There are always reasons to delay, to put off and not to do what part of you needs to do, and there is never a 'right time'. Sometimes you just have to go - and then be flexible enough to about-face and head home when needed.

As ever - life goes on.....

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Food and Leisure Channel included great programs from NBC, their
sisterr station Bravo, and even a feww programs from topp Food Network chefs like Bobby Flay and Pauloa Dean. Displays actually take up qquite
a bit of power, particularly if thhe phone has a large and bright screen.
This software program makes it possible to rip andd convert Blu-ray movies.
You can buy DVD cloners witrh the atest tookls for Maac or Windows.


Look at my site Simpsons Tapped Out Cheats

Anonymous said...

After looҝing ߋvеr a handful oof the blog posts on your
blog, Ι truly like уour waʏ of writing a blog. I bookmarked іt to my bookmark website list аnd will be checking bɑck ѕoon. Plеase check out
mү website as well and let mee κnow how уߋu feel.

Alsօ visit mƴ web site :: wrought iron chairs ()

Anonymous said...

After I initially ommented I appear to have clicked the
-Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I
recieve 4 emails with the same comment. There has to be a
means you are able to remove me from that service? Many thanks!


my page - Hostgator 1 cent coupon; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F0EQDg4axV4zkdOXC-Yc1KpPOwGgy4GCkYgF_zYiebk/pub,

Anonymous said...

I was wondering if you ever considered changing the page layout of
your blog? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say.
But maybe you could a little more in the way of
content so people could connect with it better.
Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or two
pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?

My site - black mold removal products

Anonymous said...

I am nowԝ nott sure where yoս're getting your information, howeverr ɡood topic.
I needs to spend a while leawrning mߋe or fіguring outt more.
Thank ʏօu for fantastic informаtion I waѕ oon the lookout for thiѕ info for my
mission.

Feel feee to visit my wehpage - autism

Unknown said...

ZD0721
san antonio spurs jerseys
the north face jackets
nike running shoes
mizuno running
spurs jersey
canada goose outlet
oakland raiders jerseys
tommy hilfiger outlet store
derrick rose jersey
raiders jerseys
north face jackets
blake griffin jersey
chelsea soccer jersey
cheap jordans
ugg boots
the north face outlet
kobe bryant shoes
chanel handbags
denver broncos jerseys

Unknown said...

online outlet stores
coach outlet stores
coach outlet online
coach outlet store online
coach outlets stores
coach store
coach sale
online outlet stores
coach outlet online coach factory outlet
coach outlet stores
michael kors handbags
Michael Kors Store
michael kors purses
Michael Kors Clearance
Michael Kors Cheap
2015 michael kors outlet
michael kors bags
michael kors handbags
Michael Kors Online Outlet

Unknown said...

air jordans
burberry outlet online
michael kors outlet online
michael kors handbags
coach outlet
timberland boots
louis vuitton handbags
basketball shoes
cheap oakley sunglasses
nike store
louis vuitton handbags
michael kors outlet online
nike nfl jerseys
coach factory outlet
nike air force 1
fake watches
ed hardy clothing
tiffany jewelry
louis vuitton outlet
air jordan pas cher
cheap oakley sunglasses
jordan shoes
christian louboutin outlet
celine handbags
christian louboutin outlet
adidas shoes
oakley outlet
ray ban sunglasses outlet
louis vuitton outlet
ray ban sunglasses
coach outlet
nike air max 90
coach factory outlet
cheap toms shoes
timberland outlet
coach outlet
jordans
ralph lauren polo
coach outlet
jordan 4 toro
20166.4wengdongdong

Fitness Tools said...

Very good post to remember that these emails are still circulating, in addition to the advice you indicate, they are always very useful to take into account, in principle for all Internet users, but mainly for the less experienced, or seniors who are discovering the Internet and out of ignorance or fear of having their email account closed, agree to include their data, with the disastrous consequences.
Want to learn more about Fitness Equipmentus you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

I have been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts in this sort of space . Exploring in Yahoo I eventually stumbled upon this web site. Studying this info So i am happy to express that I’ve an incredibly just right uncanny feeling I found out just what I needed. I such a lot for sure will make sure to do not fail to remember this site and provides it a look a relentless basis.
If you want to learn more about https://fitnessequipmentus.com/best-foot-bath-massager-reviews/ you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Greetings from Ohio! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I enjoy the knowledge you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how fast your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, very good blog!
If you want to learn more about Electric Foot Massager Review, you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Exceptionally useful post ! There is a considerable measure of data here that can enable any business to begin with a fruitful long range informal communication campaign!
If you want to learn more about click here you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

I recently came across your article and have been reading along. I want to express my admiration of your writing skill and ability to make readers read from the beginning to the end. I would like to read newer posts and to share my thoughts with you.
If you want to learn more about https://fitnessequipmentus.com/best-deep-tissue-massagers/" you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Commenting on your blog post is simply amazing. I have learned a lot of things from your content and I would love to check out your website often. It helped me a lot and I am really thankful to you for mentioning relevant content. I have also subscribed your blog and will go through its details every now and then.
If you want to learn more about The 10 Best Foot Massager For Diabetics in 2019 you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

I just want to mention I am just very new to blogging and actually enjoyed your web page. Almost certainly I’m want to bookmark your site . You definitely have awesome articles. Appreciate it for revealing your website.
If you want to learn more about Foot Massager For Neuropathy you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful information specially the last part I care for such info a lot. I was seeking this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and good luck.
If you want to learn more about Foot Massager For Plantar Fasciitis, you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

I was surfing net and luckily ran over this site and discovered exceptionally intriguing stuff here. Its truly enjoyable to peruse. I delighted in a considerable measure. A debt of gratitude is in order for sharing this superb data.
If you want to learn more about Foot Massager Reviews you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Just pure brilliance from you here. I have never expected something less than this from you and you have not disappointed me at all. I suppose you will keep the quality work going on.
If you want to learn more aboutKitchen and Dining, you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Hello I am so delighted I located your blog, I really located you by mistake, while I was watching on google for something else, Anyways I am here now and could just like to say thank for a tremendous post and a all round entertaining website. Please do keep up the great work.
If you want to learn more aboutKitchen and Dining, you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Your blog provided us with valuable information to work with. Each & every tips of your post are awesome. Thanks a lot for sharing. Keep blogging,
If you want to learn more aboutKitchen and Dining, you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

A debt of gratitude is in order for the pleasant web journal. It was extremely valuable for me. I’m upbeat I discovered this site. Much obliged to you for offering to us,I too dependably discover some new information from your post.
If you want to learn more aboutKitchen and Dining, you visit now

Fitness Tools said...

Very good post to remember that these emails are still circulating, in addition to the advice you indicate, they are always very useful to take into account, in principle for all Internet users, but mainly for the less experienced, or seniors who are discovering the Internet and out of ignorance or fear of having their email account closed, agree to include their data, with the disastrous consequences.
If you want to learn more aboutKitchen and Dining, you visit now