Just as I am about to leave Isla de Ometepe, I run in to Melvin, one half a Dutch couple that I have previously met in Granada. For the next few weeks, they're going their separeate ways, and his girfriend Sylvia is going to be in Leon...exactly where I'm headed! So my intention is to track Sylvia down in Leon and demand that she becomes my friend. Simple!
I leave the hostel super early (5.30m...) to catch the first chicken bus to the ferry terminal, and so begins the start of an epic day of travelling, which involves 3 chicken buses, a ferry, 2 taxis, a shuttle bus and a cycle rickshaw. Its arduous to say the lesat, but after a long day of travel, I finally arrive in Leon around 3pm. I check in to Bigfoots Hostel, a place that has been recommended to me by a few different people, and almost immediately make plans to party that night with Mary and Della, 2 (fucking mental!)Canadian girls I meet there. So after some dinner we hit up the hostel bar and I pretty much drink the place dry of mojitos. Afterwards its (obviously) time to showcase the karaoke skills.... Oh dear. Leon is definitely going to be bad for my health...!
And it is. Which is why there are a few stories from Leon that are definitely not fit for human consumption, more or less including;
* Debauchery with a HIB (hot Israeli babe)
* A taxi driver with a bag of coke
* A tiny salsa dancer called Antonio
* Drinking wine on the street with a local tramp
* Some of the trippiest weed Ive ever smoked
(More details of these are available on request, and granted on an individual basis...)
And now for the not-so-juicy bits. Leon itself is a wicked little city, and my favourite place in Nicaragua from what Ive seen With a university in the town, its oriented towards young people, has a great atmopshere and has plenty to do for every type of traveller. One day I spend wandering around, taking in the sights of the town; the market place, the parque central, the cathedral. Another day I take a chicken bus to the Las Penitas, the beach nearby (deserted! bliss!). And on my final full day there, I decide to take the plunge and do what most travellers come to Leon for in the first place. Volcano boarding.
Yes, volcano boarding. A bit like snowboarding, only sitting down, and sans snow. Instead, participants are expected to board down dunes of black volcanic ash. Really. After climbing to the top of (the very windy) Cerro Negro, about 45 minutes outside of the city, boarders don an uber sexy orange jumpsuit (I look like the hare krishnas hav finally got to me) and prepare to whizz down the volcano. The views from the top are stunning, and you can see for miles around. In fact the only thing you cant see is the bottom... Daunted? Me? Eh...aye!
So with a quick 5 minute explanation of how not to break every bone in your body and how to reach a top speed (previous boarders ahve been known to hit almosy 90 kph!), its time to go for it. Baws out, eyes closed, mind blank.
The adrenaline rush alone makes this an unforgettable experience, and although really exhilerating, its a lot harder than I anticipated. Half way down I wipe out, but luckily manage to correct myself without too much difficulty. After a maximum of 1 minute, Im at the bottom, covered in volcanic ash and ingrained with dust and dirt. And what speed was I going? Well, estimations suggest I managed to reach the dizzy heights of 20 kph. G-force eat your heart out! Luckily, most other people find it a tough experience too - in fact, the boys of the group, brimming with bravado (as well as rum, weed and coke) actually perform the worst! So not all is lost.
Back at the hostel, I indulge in the 2 free mojitos you get (probably for managing to survive!) and hook up with Sylvia, who is now also staying at Bigfoots. We have concoted a plan to travel to Guatemala together, so are going to celebrate our last night in Leon by going to a eletronic/techno night. Melvin has also arrived in town, so the 3 of us, along with a few others from the hostel, head along. Im not expecting much from the music, but actually its brilliant; not only is the techno perfect but ther are fire-throwers there for a bit of entertainemnt too.
Because me and Sylvia are leaving at 10am the next day, Id like to say that I went home and got a solid 8 hours sleep. But that would be a big fat lie. Instead, Im lucky if I manage 3.... Late night nosense. Tsk tsk. I can only hope the epic bus journey to Guatemala is going to be comfortable and allow me to catch up on a bit of sleep!
All in all, I have loved my time in Leon. Ok, so maybe a little too much partying (every night... thats ok though, right?), but mixed with plenty of fun, adventure, and a splash of culture.
So its adios Nicaragua, and hola Guatemala....!
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