Nicaragua!

After Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia, I'm finally in a cheap country again! Maybe I can get my budget back on track. Hello Nicaragua.

There was no way to get across the border from Monteverde the same day so I decided to stop a night at the closest border town, La Cruz. It was a bit of a disaster. I arrived at 10pm when everything was closed. Then, like a scene out of a comedy film, there was a crack of thunder and it started pouring with rain the instant I stepped off the bus. After waiting for 30 minutes, I had not seen a taxi and the road had turned into a small stream. There was nothing for it, I was going to have to make a run for it. This is easier said than done with 20kgs of stuff on your back...

By this time lots of people had gathered in the bus stop to take refuge from the downpour, and they all had a good chuckle as I attempted to put my poncho on over my backpack. Someone had directed me to a guesthouse only 300 meters away so it wasn't going to be a long walk but after about 52 seconds I was soaked through. Just as I was cursing my luck, the power for the entire town went out. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was so dark I couldn't even see my own feet, let alone the road that I was supposed to be walking along. Perfect.

I pretty much stepped in every pot hole in the road (which by then were like small ponds) and when the power came on and I realised I was in some one's front garden. I finally made it to the guesthouse and spent the rest of the night hanging all my stuff around the room in a poor attempt to dry it before leaving in the morning.

The border crossing at Penas Blancas is ridiculous. Costa Rican immigration and Nicaraguan immigration are 1km apart along a straight road. This is the same road that all the cargo trucks drive along. And it is made of mud. And it's rainy season. The result is a 1km walk through thick brown sludge, reminiscent of the cargo net crawl in an army assault course. Highlights of this beautiful walk included the burnt out hulk of a cargo truck and hordes of people offering to fill out my immigration card for me, "you just need to give me your passport". It was magical.

On the plus side, I didn't have any problems getting through customs. I think they will let anyone into the country, as long as they pay the whopping $12 entry fee. It will even itself out though - 45 minute bus to the next town, 50cts. Bottle of beer after clearing immigration, 50cts. Lovely.