One week in

So I'm a week in already, not sure if the time has flown past, crawled, or just normal.  I think a little bit of all of them.  So two more full days in Granada, not sure how I'm going to fill them but hopefully something will present itself.  One thing definitely happening will be the exclusion of certain things any further on this trip, they are going to be left behind!  Not sure what yet but I've got to make the bag easier to close.  Problem is a lot of it is for the colder climates I'm going to run into in Chile and Argentina, not to mention some of the wet weather I'm sure to run into.  Hmmmmm.......

Anyway, wasn't totally sure if I was going to post this, it's not exactly full of fun and excitement like falling down on the side of an active volcano or climbing up the side of one (at least partial credit on that) so I've decided to do this post as a series of questions and answers.  If you have any questions you don't think I asked / answered feel free to put them in the comments section and I'll respond to them.  So here goes.......

Has Nicaragua been fun?

Yes and no, some of the hiking and sights have definitely been enjoyable, did I need more than a week here?  No.  Not to mention the almost nonexistent nightlife in the cities, which partly I think is because it's been out of season and I've had way too much time to reflect on what's happened the last few years without many people to talk to to keep me sane.

Actually found a place with a little bit of buzz about it but when did backpackers get so pretentious?  Overhearing some of the conversations is just depressing.  Not to mention the fact they're pretty much all ten years younger than me and suddenly I start to feel really old!

Did I book this trip the right way?

What do I mean by that?  What I mean is that ultimately this trip so far has been a pretty organized, I will go here, do this do that type trip.  That's wonderful when you're traveling with someone and you have someone to go on tours with and talk to when there's no-one else around.  When it's just you you should probably look for more of a 'land in one place, make my way there by this time' kind of trip. It gives you a lot more freedom if you meet up with people traveling to go off on tangents, that's something I haven't done and I'm not really going to get the chance to do during any of these two weeks, there's too much stuff framing everything else.

Now, having said that, I booked this trip thinking I was heading out to see the world with a partner in crime waiting for me at the end.  Well that didn't work out.  Did I have time to change things up?  Maybe.  Do I regret not making some changes?  Maybe.  Honestly, until I get to Chile and into the main body of this trip it's going to be hard to say if I made the right decision.

Is this going to help me find the meaning to life, the universe and everything?

Well, no, I don't think so, but then I didn't before.  Is it going to give me some time away from things to evaluate what's next?  Yes, but only once I can break away from thinking about the past.  Not quite sure when that will happen.

Am I happy to be doing this?

Yes, actually the ray of sunshine here is that I am glad I'm doing this.  I could have stayed where I was, with the same four walls around me every night and I would slowly have gone absolutely stark raving mad.  Now I've got some amazing places to explore (assuming I have the fitness to get up them) and hopefully some people to meet.  After that I have a freedom of sorts to figure out where I want to be next and what I want to be doing, assuming anyone will take me on and pay me for it.

Any regrets?

See above.  And most importantly leaving the people behind in PA who have become such dear friends over the last eleven years.  I think quite often people overlook the sense of belonging you can get from being in a place and knowing that if you got in trouble that so many people would be there to help you.  I know I haven't lost that, there were so many offers of places to stay if I needed it as I was leaving it was truly touching.  But still, breaking away from there was tough, even if I'd become more than a little distant the last few years - yet one more thing I have to apologise for (this is starting to feel like an AA blog!)

Another major regret is not learning more Spanish before I left.  I tried but I really didn't put my heart into it and now I'm trundling around with some base phrases and beyond that I'm down to pointing and what I refer to as alternative sign language - try to act out beef or chicken in a restaurant some time without getting too much attention.

So all in all, not too bad.  Things could be rosier but they definitely could be a lot worse.

Have the mosquitoes figured out where I am?

Oh yes, yes indeed.  And they love me!  It's actually not been too bad but at least I know I still have the power of attraction over insects, if not over anything else!

Is anyone reading my blog?

Actually yes, amazingly enough they are, and the top subject that have been read are kind of interesting.  The top five in the last week far are:

5.  And so it begins - written in the back of a car one week ago today

4.  Introduction

3.  Climbing up and swimming down a volcano - the story of one brave individual's efforts against unsurmountable odds and the forces of nature.  Ok, so people read it because I fell over.

2.  I'm reading again

1.  Good morning Leon - the first morning and some pretty pictures

Have to admit, interesting selection, and the fact that the one about me reading again got so much attention - it actually got the most comments too - is actually kind of gratifying as that suggests there may be some of you who care about my well being, not just whether the dozy sod fell over again.

So far this blog has been read by people in France, Italy, South Korea, Russia, Finland, Germany, China, Mexico, Nicaragua (ok, so that's me but still), UK and the US.  In number of page views the US is way ahead but that's no big surprise.  Either way, thanks for reading!

Is there going to be a twist at the end?

Like all good stories, you can't see the twist until it happens.  Maybe there will, maybe there won't and I'll arrive in the UK, on time for Christmas and life will begin again.  Maybe I'll save a family in a jeep from a pack of lions with my bare hands and become a celebrated hero of Southern Africa.........  Or maybe not.  Maybe I'll climb a mountain unaided and not need to get the truck.  That's why the journey is always more than half the fun and you should never read ahead to the end - Carla!

So, it's early doors yet, it's not all smooth sailing but this has just been the introduction.  The real drama starts in about 5 days time........ Stay tuned!  😄

And here's proof I'm still alive!