Aug 2007

After almost 2 months in Nicaragua (wow, I can't believe that...time flies when you're having fun) living on the beach, surfing, relaxing, and looking for new opportunities, the time has finally arrived for me to return to the US for a bit. My sister, Annie, and my good friends Mim and Jegan are having weddings in early September, so I am off to hang with the fam and friends in Oregon for a few weeks.

Lots of things here in Nica have been moving along quickly. Over the course of the past couple of weeks, a number of opportunities have fallen in my lap, some of which I have jumped at, and others I have had to turn down. Didn't I say that Nicaragua is the "land of opportunties?"

First, I finally came up with a winning idea for a business here in Nicaragua...and of course, it involves my new found love of surfing! I am in the process of developing a surf tour company here called <a href="http://www.dalepuessurftours.com">DA'LE PUES SURF TOURS</a> that I hope to get off the ground in the coming months up on my return. Follow the link above to see what its all about. As well, I have taken over a magazine that a buddy of mine has been producing for the past 6 months here in Leon. Harry his heading back to England, and his business partner Adam wants out of the mag, so over the course of the next few months, I am going to take it over and see what I can make of it. It is far from a money-making proposition, but something that will keep me busy and that I can enjoy...hopefully!

I have been offered three managerial positions as well, all of which I was forced to turn down, as I want to put my energy into the other ventures that I have taken on. One was a hostel manager here in Leon, and the other two are managerial positions for two different surf camps north of here. Although they are all good opportunities, and things that I might consider for the future, I really want to put a ton of effort and time into <a href="http://www.dalepuessurftours.com">Da'le Pues</a> and LeonEazy to see if I can make them successful ventures.

I have been surfing a ton, of course, chillin' with McKenzie, relaxing in my hammock, and getting in touch with the community here in my spare time. Things are going so well that it is scary at times!

All for now. More from the US in a while.

Nico (my Nica name!)

One night at Olla Quemada, another at Tortuga Booluda to celebrate La Dia de la Revolucion...another couple at the Tortuga, and I was more than tired of Leon and ready for a bit of beach time. Luckily, Josue and I made it out to the beach most mornings for a surf, so that kept me sane.

After a few nights at the beach with Josue, Olin, Ofelia, Bridgit, and a few other friends, everyone departed except me. With Josue's emphatic blessing, I decided to stay on in Poneloya/Las Peñitas for a while. Turned out that I stayed longer than just a while!

With Nicaraguan surfing buddies on the horizon in the brother's Lenin and Rafael from Las Penitas, better waves than I expected, and a beautiful house to stay in compliments of Josue, I decided that I had better stay on for a bit to see what I might discover.

I was able to take the camper off the truck and leave it in Josue's driveway, so that gave me the freedom to move about unimpeded by Desperado. I surfed the break at Penitas almost everyday, and got to know the local kids there better with each day surfing. Other than that, my days were spent reading, writing, engaged in a war with bats, swinging in my hammock, walking the beach with McKenzie, and just basically chilling out!

I spent one night in Puerto Sandino hangin' with my friend Jlili, who was nice enough to put me up in her family's hotel there. I only had a short session at Punta Miramar, as the waves were SUPER heavy, and breaking over a reef that was intent on drowning me!!!

I got down the road toward Popoyo and the competition early the following morning.

I made it to Popoyo after a rough travel day, but was VERY excited at what I saw when I arrived. The swell picked up quite a bit over the day before, and the crowds for the competition had not yet filled in. I connected up with the brother's Rafael and Lenin from Las Peñitas, and their friend (and Josue's) Bridgit, and we surfed the beach break at Popoyo and LOVED it!

I stayed for the next couple of nights at my buddy Chip's place in Las Salinas, about a 20 minute, grueling drive from the breaks. Samir, Chip's pseudo son and his girlfriend, Ashley, were there chilling, getting ready for the competition. Samir's preparations paid off, as he won the competition for the Nicaraguan Nationals! Nice work, buddy.

After a hard night of partying on Saturday with Lenin and another buddy of the brothers, I had to get up early on Sunday to head to the CR border as my vehicle permit expired that day, and I needed another one. The drive in the morning was a killer, especially with a lasting hang-over, not to mention the time and frustration of the border!

Although it cost me a fortune and the better part of the day, I was able to cross the border of CR and return the same day with a new vehicle permit in hand lasting for the next 30 days.

I was disappointed to only get 30 days, not 90 that I thought I would get by heading to the CR border, but I was happy to have done the process in one day, rather than having to stay in CR for 3 days, which is mandated by Nicaraguan customs and aduana.

I headed into SJDS after hitting the border, and was not disappointed by this shithole, once again. I had a hell of a time finding a place to stay where they would accept Kenzie, as they were afraid of her infecting their houses with fleas (more likely that their houses infected her), and ended up staying in a TERRIBLE room that cost me more than I wanted to pay for such luxury.

I did get a chance to surf Playa Maderas in the morning on my way north, which was fun, although it definitely left something to be desired in the waves. Good experience nonetheless, as I hadn't surfed there since I actually am able to surf, finally!

After my lovely night in SJDS and my night of partying in Popoyo, I managed to catch a wicked cold that drove me home early from the south back to Poneloya where I could take up my chill lifestyle of rest and relaxation.