Announcing the funeral of Mr Alvin Thundafux

So there we were, doing our tourist bit, Leon and then Granada and we get an email from Mike and Shannon (on 2 motor bikes with Ducati the Chihuahua) with a challenge to join them to drive across to Pearl Lagoon on the Mosquito (Caribbean) Coast (on the other side of Nicaragua). Very few tourists visit this area and those that do fly in by small aircraft.

They were still a few days away, so we decide to ship the cruiser over to the Island of Ometepe (dominated by two massive volcanoes) for a few days while we wait.

Once back on the mainland we realise we are just 20 miles from Costa Rica and here we are setting off for almost 300 miles in the wrong direction!

Next day we meet up with Mike, Shannon and Ducati, plus Cisco, a third motorcyclist from Guatemala and together we set off on a rough muddy track to Pearl Lagoon, with lots of massive puddles (that Shannon always takes a little to fast and soaks herself).

All goes well until we set off again after a short break, Shannon skids on the mud and ends up on her side with the front wheel in the bushes. Mike sees this in his mirror, stops, puts his bike on the stand and starts back to help. Shannon gets out from under her bike and immediately starts sprinting towards Mike’s bike that has toppled over into the ditch with Ducati in his bag strapped onto the back seat. After a few moments of bedlam everyone confirms to everyone else that they are OK, the bikes are righted, start with no problem and we resume our journey with no further incident.

A couple of hours later we were parked in the middle of the village, with quite a few onlookers (3 loaded motor bikes and our landcruiser causing a lot of interest as we came in) and an old guy with a loud haler in one hand and the other arm dangling useless by his side comes limping down the road announcing that the funeral of Mr. Alvin Thundafux will commence at the church at 2 pm the following day, it just could not get anymore bizarre.

We find a Hotel (too wet to camp) with a few tourists who have all come via boat and can't believe we have actually driven here. We are also pretty sure that we have the only UK registered vehicle that has ever been here!

To cap it all, we then talk to some Canadians visiting family in the village that were surprised that we drove through Mexico because it is so dangerous!

Today has been a rest day, getting caught in the occasional deluge, having a few beers and doing the blog. Tomorrow we take the boat to Bluefileds (06.00 start! I'm going to have to sleep on the jetty) and maybe a trip out to one of the islands before finally heading for Costa Rica.

Fabulous Finca Los Alpes between Leon and the beach.

Meet the Lallys, a family of 5 going home from the US to Ireland the long way.

View from the roof of the Cathedral in Leon

Granada

A view of one Volcano from half way up the other on the island of Ometepe

Shannon speeding through the puddles.

 We stop for a break

 Mike contemplates righting Shannon's bike

Arriving at our Hotel (no room for the cruiser but I find someone down the road to look after it).