The adventure begins

We woke up at 4:15 a.m. on Saturday (June 18).  Jeremiah (and the girls) dropped us off at DIA and headed for Golden.  Marci and I headed for Miami.

We landed in Miami at 1:30 (EST) and had a five hour layover. Most people read books, take a nap, make phone calls, or goof around on their computers.  We, being undaunted travelers, explored Miami International.  FUN THINGS TO DO ON A LONG LAYOVER: find the Johnny Walker double black sample booth.  Show your ID and International ticket and imbibe.  Go to the next sample booth.  After two hours and a shift change, REPEAT!

Our Nicaraguan flight crew was late getting in from Cancun, so we got to Managua International at a little after 8:30 PM.  Customs was easy ($20 US to enter the country) and off to get our bags.  I exchanged US for NIC Cordobas and Marci waited for the backpacks.  A note on money exchange... the Money Exchange booth at DIA doesn't carry Cordobas.  No big deal.  The booth in Miami does - BUT DON'T DO IT!  They gave 17 Cordobas for $1.  However, the exchange rate is 22.4C for $1 (we checked ahead of time).  And not only that, they charge 1.5% (with a minimum of $7.50) service fee (to rip you off).  In Managua's airport, we got 20.57C for every $1 US and NO FEE!  (the hotel gives the actual rate).

We were worried that our pre-arranged ride wouldn't be there (since the flight was so late).  It was quite a relief to see Antonio (our driver) holding a sign with Marci's name on it.  Then the adventure REALLY started.

Antonio "drove" (think NASCAR) through the "peaceful" (think 200 pre-preschoolers with new tricycles) Managua streets about 10 km to our hotel (think VERY NICE AND SAFE).  It was $15 for the taxi and $64 for the room.  A little steep, I know, but it is private, has its own bath and air-conditioner, AND there is breakfast in the morning.

We ate at the hotel restaurant (we were the only diners and I think that Antonio drove to the market to get the Augacate (avocado) for the cook).  Dinner was great!  I had steak, rice, french fries and salad.  Marci had the same with chicken.  Along with four beers and a tip - the tab came to 627.20 C ($28).  The beer are only $1.50!!!

I think we're gonna like this country.

No Reservations

It is 6:52 am, and Marci and I are lying in a small bed in Managua, Nicaragua.  Nicaragua?, you ask.  Yup.  And here is how it all happened.....

Marci and I were sitting on the couch in a mountain cabin, sippin' tequila if you have to know.  Just as we got to giggling (Marci almost swallowed her lime I recall), a television show came on that captured our attention.  Now, we aren't weirdos or anything, but its significant that we got rid of our television service last year.  We found that we just weren't watching anything and more that, we DIDN'T MISS it!

Anyway, there we were, being silly, watching HGTV, and International House Hunters came on.  We sat, fascinated, as a young couple searched for a home in Granada, Nicaragua.  NICARAGUA?  Isn't that where the Sandanistas and Contras live?  Well, yes.  But by Central American standards, that was a LONG TIME AGO.  Today, Nicaragua is a struggling country full of friendly people who would very much like to see Americans coming down for a visit.

We sat in awe of the colonial beauty of the architecture and the laid back way of life.  It seemed so INVITING!  Before I knew it, Marci had a credit card in hand and was pushing the send button to book a flight to Managua.  Three weeks - wow.  You go girl!

So since mid April, we have been studying the country, thinking about what we'd like to see.  We've brushed up on our (very poor) Spanish, arranged visits to grandparents for Morgan and Kiana, and packed our backpacks.  That's right - we don't even have suitcases.  We decided to get a place to stay the first night (Hotel Mozante) and then head into the cities and jungles of Nicaragua, with NO RESERVATIONS.