Buenos Dias!
Today marks two weeks in Nicaragua. I know I have been absent in blogging but it has taken me this long to start feeling settled in. I want to remember day to day events so I will try to start blogging daily or every other day. Depending on how interesting the day went, I guess!
Things have slowed down, which is great! Because at first it was just an exhausting whirlwind....
I got to the airport at 3:30am on the 5th only to find the airport wasn't open yet. My flight was at 5:30am and they always say international flights should arrive two hours before your flight. The place had the feel of an aviary Tortilla Flat. People sprawled on the floor here and there; others squatting and staring at everyone else. I stood by the United/Continental area of the Lindberg terminal, waiting for this snooty looking lady to turn on the automated check in stations.
"Scan your passport, please. You are all complete morons."
Well, she didn't say that last part, but you know she FELT like saying that. I guess I might too, given the plethora of confused pairs with money holder necklaces swaying over their chests, holding tropical patterned soft bags with 'Aruba' embroidered on them. A woman with seven suitcases and severe red lips whined to her husband to push the cart over to the bag check in.
"It is too early in the morning to have to listen to that lady." I thought. "Then again, I wouldn't want to listen to that anytime of day." My heart warmed thinking of the privilege I have of traveling solo. The only real disadvantage is you always have to take your luggage into the bathroom stall with you.
Finally one of the security gates open and after someone looks briefly at my naked body via a giant scanned image I make my way to my gate. I want to sleep on the plane so I forgo getting coffee for the time being.
IT WAS FREEZING ON THE PLANE! They had EVERY vent on FULL BLAST in there! SO COLD! I felt like I was in a wind tunnel. I didn't bring a coat with me so I asked for a blanket and tried to catch some Zzzzzs. I woke up with my eyes irritated and sore.
The layover in Atlanta was uneventful. I bought my last latte for three months and almost got breakfast. I sat down at a restaurant and then double checked my boarding time. Realizing it was in 5 minutes I rushed back to the gate. I probably should have just stayed and had some bacon. Delicious parasite free bacon. Everyone had warned me not to eat any pig product in Nicaragua since they don't give pigs anything for this parasite that can cause worms in your brain. I tend to enjoy not having worms in my brain.
I had an aisle seat for both flights but the one from Atlanta to Managua was further back in the plane. I sat down and watched other passengers file in. You always worry your neighbor for the flight will be large, holding a baby or a talker. When the small young couple stopped and asked to take their seats next to me I felt relieved. Until I sat down next to the guy. He smelled like he had wet the bed. How can anyone smell like urine as a grown adult? Did he have an accident on the way to the airport?
I turned my head away and slept a little more. I awoke with my eyes REALLY irritated. In fact, they had gummed up during my nap.
"Great." I thought. "Something totally flew into my eye on the last flight." I pulled away the eye boogers and discovered there was pus and ooze all over the place. "Oh no, no no no. The last thing I need is to have to go to some cockroach infested hospital first thing I land." I went from something in my eye to a hospital visit in the works in a split second. Fatigue tends to make me a little over dramatic.
When we were about an hour from Managua they gave us all these little documents to fill out for customs.
"Can we borrow your pen?" the young man next to me asked.
"Sure." I handed it over and made a mental note to disinfect it later. "Have you been to Nicaragua before?"
"Yeah, lots of times. We're going to stay with friends."
In the next half hour I discovered that this pair were from Nantucket Island, that everyone there hates Tom & Tom of Nantucket Nectars - the girl said they ripped her grandfather off to the sum of $4,000. "They were just two hippies living in a boat with a blender."
They also had never heard of parasite problems "I walk around barefoot all the time" and basically were total bums. Which made sense since they looked dirty and smelled like urine. They are in the landscaping business and told me the rich people of Nantucket won't even let them use the bathroom in their house. Or go anywhere on the property. And they would know because they have cameras everywhere. Part of me thought that was extreme but then again....they do smell like urine.
My eyes kept bleeding pus the whole flight and I was grateful to get out of the flying cylinder of recycled air. Stepping out into 90 degrees and sunny felt A W E S O M E. I was a little worried that the customs lady would look at my pussy eyes and not let me into the country but I passed through customs without a problem. I paid my $10 to enter the country and went to get my luggage.
I walked through the sliding doors and entered the Nicaraguan way. Rather official looking men stood around everywhere looking to help you with your luggage. "No, gracias" I kept saying. I had all three of my bags with me and started to move towards the scanners when this man just took over. I gave up and let him cart the bags over to the scanner, unload and load them back up and push me out to my waiting friends.
Hooray!!! I had made it!
We tipped the luggage man and started putting my bags in the back of their truck. A group of three more 'official' luggage handlers came over and started putting them in. Its like a disease! One that spreads quickly.
"Lock your doors. and watch your bags in the back." I was instructed. "Someone might grab them while we're stopped somewhere."
We drove through the mecca of Managua and I was fascinated. Houses painted every color of the rainbow or painted with huge pop art advertisements for laundry soap, coca cola, mobile phone companies. Others were just concrete slabs and grass roofs or corrugated metal pieces tacked to simple frames. In the streets men, women and children ran around the cars trying to sell you sunglasses, cashews, peeled oranges and fruit, cell phone accessories. One boy came up to the truck with a spray bottle. Grady wagged his finger at him. "no no no" The boy sprayed the windshield and wiped it down. The light turned green and we sped away. No tip for him! I turned to look and the boy stood there, screaming "NOOOOOOOOO!" like it was the end of the world for him. "We told him no!" Brandi says. I laughed. It was just humorous how dramatic the boy was.
We stopped to get some chicken at a Tip Top and drove the scenic drive to Las Penitas. Lakes, volcanoes and tropical foliage everywhere the eye could see. Passing through Leon I got a glimpse of the second largest city in Nicaragua. Colonial architecture and crazy drivers. Unmarked one way streets. "you just have to learn them"
After finally arriving in Las Penitas Brandi and Grady let me crash in their spare room for the night. It was just after 6 and the only sleep I had had in the past day and a half was a few naps. I kept waking up in the night, hearing the ocean crash just outside, my eyes gummed over. At first glimpse of light an amazing chorus of birds began. My view out the window was of palm trees and a pastel sky.
My first full day in Nicaragua had started.
