After a few days of relaxing we decide to head further north and look into climbing one of the volcanoes. We catch the local bus to Merida to find out that the normally quiet Hacienda Merida, which was a former ranch of the Somoza family - now owned by the current government - is hosting a summer camp of sorts with about 20 or so teenagers. Just our luck! We get one of the last rooms with a set of bunk-beds right next to the dorms occupied by the kids. Right outside our room is a community area where several of the kids volunteer to teach local kids English, or at least that is the intent. But I’m not sure playing hangman is really teaching them much, especially when no one seems to understand each other. On the other hand, there is a lot of laughter, so I guess its not so bad.
The Hacienda is an interesting place, the walls are lined with information about bus schedules, volcano hikes, and other activities. In the evening a couple of guides show up to get recruits to make the climb up the volcano the next morning. We sign up with 3 other travelers,
Isle de Ometepe is comprised of Volcano Conception (1610m) and Volcano Maderas(1395m). We had heard mixed reports on whether you could actually reach the summit on Conception so we opted for Maderas. Both volcanos are known to be rugged and we expect the trail to be steep and muddy. But steep and muddy doesn’t quite capture it. The day starts easy enough, sun is out, trail is nice …
but it quickly gets steep, and the trail … well we are just climbing up and over tree roots.
And then the rain starts, and keeps going for the next several hours. We expected to get to the top in about 4 hours. We had been promised spectacular views out over the island and down to a crater lake which we could hike down to and swim if we wanted. Well, that was before the rain and fog rolled in.
We got to the top, and could have been anywhere in the jungle. We looked at each other, the 5 of us and 2 guides, and decided to beeline it back down. Notwithstanding the lack of view, the rain and fog, when it was all said and done, and after washing all the mud out of our clothes, we decided it was a great hike after all and we were glad we did it.
And then the rain starts, and keeps going for the next several hours. We expected to get to the top in about 4 hours. We had been promised spectacular views out over the island and down to a crater lake which we could hike down to and swim if we wanted. Well, that was before the rain and fog rolled in.
