Father Christmas travels with lufthansa

Look who I've just seen checking in at houston airport. He even had bells in his hand luggage! I now believe again.

Big Waves Dude

Christmas Day was superb. It was a long day, not because it dragged but because we packed so much in. Went for a jog on the beach at 7am. Normally empty, it was full of locals celebrating Christmas Day, playing football, drinking rum and having picnics. Everyone was in good spirits.

10:30am just after we´d handed over our dollars for a surf guide and boat, it started to rain! Rain in the dry season. But it doesn´t stop the sun shining and we get rainbows too. 9 of us in a small boat mad of fibre glass, the owner looked like jaws from James Bond, all his teeth lined with gold (we obviously paid too much LOL). Our surf guide showed us pictures of Colarado Beach in a surfing magazine, this was our destination. We start to think maybe we´d made the wrong choice but then noone was turning back. Jake, Rennie, Jedi, Fred, Mallisa, Kelly, Alishia, Poly and I squeezed in to the 4x4 to take us to the boat, Angel Del Mar. Music pumping and everyone chatting, we were having a good time. Boat journey took about hour and half watching pelicans, enjoying the sun. We finally reached Colarado and the waves were scarey.

One by one we launched ourselves off the boat in to the sea which was about 300 metres from the coast and paddled to the waves, me with my santa hat on! Those white horses were powerful and when they hit you, ouch! After about 30 minutes, I´d broken my board so it was out to the boat for another one. Second go, and after 30minutes I was knackered. Polly and Kelly had already given up and were enjoying beers on the boat.

This was the hard bit, trying to paddle back out to the boat, with no energy, against the force of the waves. Fred and I were pushing and pushing, doing quiet well until, until we saw one coming for us which we knew we couldn´t avoid. It hit Fred first, carrying him, and board towards me at speed. Heading directly for me, I think we looked each other in the eyes with fright on our faces. I had no option but to dive as he, board and wave went over my head. I was caught in this wave, turning me over and over. When I surfaced, I had one sore head where my board had hit me and my ankle has bust again! We finaly made it to the boat, and started drinking beer for medicinal purposes. It took several beers and a lot of ice on the ankle. We headed back at dusk, stopping to harpoon a few fish, not caught! We then made the journey in the boat back to San Juan, in the dark with just the stars and glowing algi.

Christmas dinner was a big fish and wine. Tonight will be our leaving party. I have a massage booked for tomorow and then horse riding in the hills. Back to the beach today.

Merry Christmas from Nicaragua

Its Christmas Day and the festivities have been in full flow since last night. All the locals have been out on the streets and beaches celebrating with firecrackers and rum outside the church whilst the kids opened there presents and played with their new toys in the street.

We took the alcoholic route after a lovely lobster dinner and watched this all unfold around us with a couple of beers (no rum after the night before!). We´ve made some good friends now, social plans are always informal, a note left on your, you bump in to each other in the internet cafe or meet in Iguanas bar. Its a small town so easy to find each other. Percy the Panther was a dirty stop out last night though and spent the night with Alisha and Kelly (lucky guy!).

Today we´ve got a boat and we´ll take the boards out and look for the best beaches and some good waves. Today and tomorrow are going to have the best waves and I´m making it look easy now!!

Saturday, we´re heading in to the hills on horse back looking for snakes, monkeys and any other widelife with the America family we´ve met who own a farm here.

Love to carry on chatting but we´ve got some waves to catch dude !!!

Adios for now.