Finally Made it to Hacienda Merida!

My trip yesterday was reeaaallyyy loooooonnnnngggggg. I got up at 2:30AM at a hotel that Luis, our driver, found near San Jose. The owner set me up a taxi to the station, and I bought a ticket to the border (la frontera) from the first place that opened, as the other bus might not have had room, and left later. I was traveling by myself at first, but ended up meeting an Australian, Mike, who was visiting Nicaragua as a break from teaching English in Costa Rica. We figured out how to get through the long line to depart from Costa Rica (it's Mother's Day here tomorrow, so everyone was coming here to visit Mom!), went down the road to where someone checked our bags, another person checked our passports, we went to Nicaraguan customs, and then we changed some money, found a bathroom, and got something to eat. We went outside what looked like a gate to get to the bus to Rivas, and another person checked our passports and we paid an entry fee to Nicaragua. The bus was pretty cool, as there were people selling food, and I met a Nicaraguan Chemistry teacher who was practicing her English with me. Hopefully she'll check out Dr. Jim's Chemistry Magic Show on Youtube and her students can learn some more chemistry from that. :)

After the bus ride to Rivas, Mike headed to San Juan del Sur, and I got a taxi from Rivas to San Jorge, where the ferries to the island leave from. I asked the guy for his papers, and told him why I was so paranoid (some international girls from Camp Ma-He-Tu were once trapped in a taxi for a little bit while the driver saw they had more money and wanted it), and why I agreed on a price and held that much money in hand before getting in the taxi. He was cool, though; he's 24 and lives nearby, and apparently likes light-skinned, green or blue-eyed girls... I'm getting used to people flirting a lot in Central America.

I found out where the ferries leave from, and got on the boat, waiting for a little bit before we left. Someone on the boad had a baby parrot, and I wanted to say something about how they're so often stolen from the wild, and didn't know how best to start a conversation. :sigh: The reason why many gorgeous birds are disappearing is because a combination of habitat destruction and people stealing babies right out of their nests for the illegal pet trade. RAWR!!! There are signs up here about not buying birds from people, but I'd like to figure out what kind of educational program might help.

Once we got across the lake on the boat (Oh my gosh, the view of both volcanoes covered in clouds was AWESOME!!), I met another traveler, Dina, from Norway! She was going to Hacienda Merida, too, so we both took the public bus (which was about 50 cents) across the island. I had to stand for most of the ride, and it was REEAALLLY long and crowded, though, so I was beat by the time we arrived.

I met Alvaro, and got my dorm key and showered and went to bed. Not before petting one of the dogs, though, and being informed that they carry over 60 diseases to humans here.... Sooo I won't be petting the dogs anymore :(

Well, I start classes on Monday, so it's time to pull together my plans for the first lesson!