San Juan, my pearl

13.02.17-07.03.17

My journey is coming to an end. Linda is now also in Mexico and we are currently on Isla Cozumel in Mexico. Three and a half months seem to be the perfect duration for such a trip, because I am slowly looking forward to going home. Nine more days and then I'm heading back to Cologne. But back to Costa Rica...

Finally, today we are leaving Costa Rica and heading to San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua. I could have skipped the two days in Tamarindo, but it was still funny. I wake up at 8:30 a.m., pack my stuff and have breakfast with Chelsea. She is a little sad that I am leaving today, as Olivia also left early this morning. So for her, today is all about making new acquaintances. At 10 a.m. I get on the bus to Libéria, where I have to change buses at the border. Here, a taxi driver tries to convince me that it will be too late to take the bus and that I will never make it to San Juan before dark, which according to him wouldn't be good at all. But I don't let him talk me into the much more expensive taxi ride and instead get on the bus to the border. On the bus, I look around for other travelers, as it's more pleasant to have a border buddy, but somehow I can't find anyone. One stop before the border, all passengers except one get off. At the next stop, the border, he also receives a backpack from the luggage compartment, so he is also a backpacker. His name is David, he comes from the French-speaking part of Switzerland and will be my border buddy.

Apparently, he is also happy that he doesn't have to cross the border alone, as a border crossing is always confusing in some way. So we first go to the Costa Rican border office and get our exit stamps. Then we walk about 800 meters to Nicaragua. Then we have to show our passports for the first time on the way and answer why we want to go to Nicaragua. Then we go to immigration, which is unfortunately at a standstill because the system has crashed. After half an hour, it finally continues. It's my turn. In Libéria, I had exchanged my Colones for Córdoba so that I would already have the right currency, but no, the entry fee for Nicaragua of 12 dollars can only be paid in US dollars. I don't have any. David doesn't either. But that's apparently not a problem because there is an ATM. So we walk to the ATM, but it doesn't dispense any money. But since there is also a bank here, we go inside and want to withdraw dollars with our VISA card. No, it's not possible, there is an ATM outside. But that one doesn't give out any money, we say. Yes, it must work. We go round in circles with the bank employees. David comes up with the brilliant idea of exchanging money. We both still have Colones and can exchange them for US dollars at the Nicaraguan bank, which is a joke. So we can finally officially enter Nicaragua. And these stories are why every solo traveler prefers to have a border buddy. So we are finally in Nica and shortly after the border, we are surrounded by a bunch of taxi drivers who want to take us to San Juan for 20 dollars. We shake them all off and rush to the Chicken-Bus, which only costs us 1.20 and offers a much more authentic feeling.

When we arrive in San Juan, I immediately like the little town. I didn't have that in Costa Rica once and spent the two weeks just looking for a feeling of arrival. I finally wanted to find a place where I wanted to stay longer and maybe I found it here. I say goodbye to David for now, as he wants to go to a different hostel, and I make my way to the Coconut Surfcamp. I have booked the Full Package for the first two days, which includes a bed, breakfast, surfboard, and beach shuttle, and automatically includes staying in the villa instead of the hostel. After a quick check-in, I am taken there. The villa is only a two-minute walk from the actual hostel and is a chic house with a large living and dining area, open kitchen, and a balcony facing west with a beautiful view over San Juan towards the ocean. There is also a double room, a four-bed room, and a dorm with four bunk beds, a total of eight sleeping places, where I will sleep. After having to sleep in top bunks in the last two hostels, I am really happy to get a bottom bunk. Today, Thierry from Canada checks in with me, he's a good friend of Tee from the States, who works for Coconut Surf and also has a room in the villa. Everyone is super nice and I already feel at home. In the evening, Thierry, Tee, and I go to the Beachhouse for some drinks, where I meet my border buddy David again and get to know Catherine and Stephanie from Canada.

The next morning, Catherine, David, and I go to the Pelican Eye Resort, a luxury resort located above our villa, where, as Stephanie told us, you can just walk in, order something to drink, and lounge by the pool. So we climb the felt-like 200 steps to the top of the three pools. The view over San Juan is breathtaking. We feel a bit weird and always think that if someone from the hotel approaches us, we will be asked to leave, but they just kindly ask if we need anything. After two hours in the sun and an extremely delicious and expensive Mojito, we head back down to the hostel, as I have to catch my surf shuttle to Playa Yankee. But first, I quickly choose a surfboard, unfortunately, they are all in rather poor condition. Well, never mind, it will work for me as a super-pro. So, everyone gets on the bed of the pickup truck, the surfboards are strapped down, and after half an hour's drive, we arrive at the beach. Playa Yankee is a private beach. There are no restaurants here and maybe 15 other visitors besides us. You can only come here if you have a deal with one of the two families whose properties you have to cross to get to the beach. Before I go into the water with my board, someone mentions that the waves are very fast and powerful today and that you just have to take off really quickly. Great! Perfect for me... In addition, the water is quite cold due to offshore winds that push all the warm surface water out to sea. At least I manage to paddle out to the lineup in a relaxed manner. But there I don't dare to try to catch a wave yet, because all the locals are in the water, all of them can surf, and I don't want to take away the good waves from them just to end up not being able to do anything. But as I'm starting to get cold feet, I dare to try. So, paddle... too slow. Paddle for the next one... the wave slips under me again. Okay, I'm not positioned ideally yet. I observe the waves and paddle to a slightly different spot. And paddle for another wave... of course, I'm not fast enough, the wave lifts me too high at the back, I perform a nosedive as if out of a textbook and get completely washed over by the wave. Then you feel the force of the water with every fiber of your body. Okay, now I could resurface... Still underwater for quite a long time... Okay, still underwater? I try to stay calm because panicking doesn't help at all... Ah, that must be the surface... No, still not there, damn it! Now, though!! Finally!!! Take a deep breath, see where the next wave of the set is coming from, take another deep breath, and dive under it. Wow! That was intense. Not my day. Not my sport? Although I paddle out again, the waves are not suitable for beginners today, even the advanced surfers are struggling. Of course, it all looks really easy for the pros. Grrrr! After another 20 minutes without success and starting to get frostbitten, I drag my board onto the beach, grab my book, and lie down in the sun to thaw.

Today, I come to the conclusion that unfortunately, surfing is not my sport. I would simply have to dedicate a damn lot of time to become good, if I ever would. So far, it hasn't captivated me enough to want to make every vacation a surf vacation. And even then, it's not guaranteed that you can surf, whether the conditions are suitable for me to practice. Sometimes there are no waves, then they are too big, then too fast, then too chaotic... And maybe I'm just too old. But it's all good, I'm glad I found that out for myself. If I ever find myself in a place where I can surf, I will definitely grab a board again and try it out a bit, but I won't force it anymore.

Two days later, it's Thursday, and Catherine, David, and I go out in San Juan for the first time and I meet Melanie through David, with whom I will spend more time soon. First, we go to the Iguana Bar, which I don't like at all. The drinks are cheap, but taste really bad and the crowd is weird. From there, we go to the LIT (Lost in Translation), a club with a dance floor, good music, and a great atmosphere. After that, we move on to Arribas, which is diagonally opposite. It's also a great place with a booming dance floor. Finally, we can dance again!!! The rib cage is no longer causing any problems, the parties are great, and the guys can move too. San Juan, I like you!

The next morning, I'm fit again, no hangover once again. New girls have arrived in our dorm since yesterday. Mona and Lisa. The two of them have been traveling together for over six months and San Juan is their last stop on their journey from Canada southward. They are in their mid-twenties, super funny, and we hit it off right away. Of course, getting to know each other has to be celebrated, so we go out together in the evening. We start at the Beach House, then go to Pachamama, a hostel where parties take place several days a week, and then to LIT. We have a blast together, dance a lot, and definitely want to do the Sunday Funday Pool Crawl together.

Two days later, the day has come. It's Sunday. Sunday Funday, the infamous party in Sun Juan. We are all excited and looking forward to the day. The Sunday Funday Pool Crawl is a party that starts at 12 noon on Sundays and takes place in three hostels with pools. We start our party at 2 p.m. When we arrive, the atmosphere is already in full swing. After 20 minutes, we're jumping fully dressed into the pool. Fully dressed here, of course, means bikini and a thin, short dress, so absolutely pool-appropriate. My phone is in a waterproof case, so it goes swimming with me. Between 3 and 4 p.m., everyone slowly walks to Anamar, a hotel with a pool right on the beach. At 5:30 p.m., the music suddenly stops, everyone rushes to the exit, but there's a traffic jam there. We're confused about why we can't get out. Then it becomes clear to me: In front of the exit, one pickup truck after another stops and only as many people are let out as fit in a car. With the pickups, it takes about 15 minutes to go to the hills above San Juan to the Naked Tiger Hostel. From here, you have a wide view over the bay of San Juan, the Pacific Ocean, and the sunset, which we arrive just in time for. Conveniently, there is also something to eat here and we devour burgers. Between 10 and 11 p.m., we go back down to the village with shuttles and to Arribas, the final stop of Sunday Funday. Naturally, the party is on fire there, as everyone who is not participating in Sunday Funday can get in for free. We leave at 2 a.m. What a day!

Three days later is Mona and Lisa's last day. We want to do something great for their farewell. No, not going out partying, we did that yesterday. Tuesday is Pub Crawl and we partied hard again. No, today, with Thierry, who has a car at his disposal, we are going on a day trip. We leave at 7 a.m. We only slept for about three hours and still have a bit of a hangover. We drive to Laguna de Apoyo. It's a lake in an extinct volcano. Beautiful and peaceful and finally, no saltwater. The three of us float around in big tubes on the lake, chat, laugh, and are sad that the two of them have to leave tomorrow. In the early afternoon, we head to Playa Popoyo, which is supposed to be very beautiful and where Maren is currently staying by chance. I had already told her before that I was coming there. When we arrive there, the beach is surely ten kilometers wide and I don't know how we're supposed to run into each other here, especially since I don't even know which hostel she is in. But, as luck would have it, we are lying right in front of her hostel and since there are hardly any people on the beach, I immediately see her as she comes towards us with her board. We all have dinner together and then make our way back to San Juan. When we arrive there after two hours, it feels like coming home, even for the girls who later both say that they shed a few tears in the car today because they don't want to leave.

The next morning, however, it's unfortunately time. We are all very sad. I accompany the two of them to the bus and have a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I say goodbye. But we definitely want to see each other again. I sneak back to the house and feel a bit lost. But hey, there are still some cool people in the house, the three Canadians are really funny and Alex has been in my room since yesterday. It will be fine. I take the shuttle to Playa Maderas, but just to relax, and in the evening, I go rollerblading with Alex and a few others. We meet again at the Beachhouse and then go on to LIT. It's funny, meeting someone from your new company in such a setting.

It's Sunday again. On the one hand, so as not to tarnish the memory of the last Sunday Funday, on the other hand because I don't feel like spending another $30 on a party, and because there is an alternative, Alex, Thierry, and I go to the small pool party at Hola Ola Hostel around 1 p.m. Hm, it's really tiny and a bit boring, and I would much rather be on the Pool Crawl. Well, now it's different. Alex and I help ourselves at the open bar, chat a lot, and have fun. At 7 p.m., we walk back to the village, meet Maren, who has come to San Juan with a few people for the evening, and go out to eat. Later, we go to Arribas again and dance until 2 a.m. The party is once again rocking and it's a lot of fun.

The next morning starts hangover-free for me once again. Alex looks at me with tired eyes and doesn't understand the world anymore when she sees me hopping around the house fit, while she has a headache and can hardly get out of bed. But she can gather her strength and we go to Gato Negro for breakfast. Gato Negro is a nice café that offers bagels in about thirty different variations. Mega tasty and just right after a party Sunday. For sunset, we go to Pelican Eyes again. It never gets boring. In the evening, Thierry cooks dinner for everyone from the villa. Very delicious!

The next morning, Melanie and I go to Isla de Ometepe for three days. But that's in another post. Since neither of us is quite finished with San Juan, we spend another four nights there afterwards, mainly relaxing and partying.

San Juan del Sur was exactly what I needed after Costa Rica. I felt at home and wanted to stay. It was really great. I would love to come back and I will miss San Juan on the rest of my journey.