A last second change of plans had us on the 4:20 bus down to the highway this morning. It took just over two hours to travel the 38km (no wonder it takes so long to get anything done around here) where we were dropped off to wait for our next bus to and across the border. When it hadn't shown up by eight, we managed to flag another that was travelling all the way to Managua; we're sitting on that bus right now.

Santa Elena was a much needed break for us. It was the perfect way to break up the journey from San Jose into Nicaragua. We arrived at our hostel around lunch time and then got whisked off to our zip-lining adventure- a birthday gift from Ola. It consisted of 9 very long zip-lines over cloud forest which provided spectacular views. The first couple were quite scary, but once I got the hang of it, it was a lot of fun. The last line we were attached by our butts and backs, so that we could hang face down and pretend we were Superman. That one was quite terrifying, especially considering the extreme height, length and very strong winds, but the scenery was incredible, and it did briefly indulge my desire to be a super hero. The last "line" we did was called the "Tarzan Swing" and it pushed my limits with regards to what I could make myself do. It included a three second free fall that then swung us up over the trees. Two of the men actually walked out to the platform and then turned around stating there was no way they would do that. I decided that the best approach was "don't think, just do". The fact that they pushed me off the platform at the end was helpful in maintaining that attitude. It was beyond fun and has left me with a mild curiousity about bungee jumping and a lot of muscle aches in my arms shoulders and chest.

We spent the next morning going for hikes in the forest surrounding the town. It was very different from the tropical rain forest we'd been poking around a few days earlier- much denser, mossier, quieter and cooler. There were far fewer animals, and the absence of cicadas was a large part of what added to the feeling of tranquility and silence. In the afternoon we wandered over canopy bridges that spanned across the treetops of the cloud forest. It was a great way to get a different perspective on things.

Our hostel was amazing and Elvis, one of the friendly staff, was incredibly helpful with getting things accomplished for us. The town itself was easy to navigate but definitely a tourist trap. These things are always a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's very easy to get things organized, see what you want to see, and eat what you want to eat. On the other hand, you constantly feel like a commodity, being gauged at every turn. For this reason, and tight time constraints, we only stayed for two days.

The air-conditioning stopped working about ten minutes ago, and the bus pulled over a few minutes later. The driver keeps climbing in and out, looking vaguely concerned. So far my experience with these situations is not good. Hopefully we'll get back on the road shortly, as I'd really like to reach our destination before nightfall. Otherwise, I guess I'll have something else to write about….

Terrible, horrible, awful, complete crap!!!!! These are only a few of the kinder words I can use describe the last couple of hours of my life! So the bus did indeed break down. We sat on the side of the road for give or take forty minutes before another bus pulled up and they ushered half of us onto it. When we asked about our bags, they simply said "frontera" and slammed the door shut. The new, less comfortable bus was standing room only. We got to ride the rest of the way to the border, about two hours, standing in the aisles watching loud, awful and degrading Latin music videos and being groped by disgusting men. When we finally were let off, the bus containing our bags was nowhere to be seen. That's when the BSA (bag separation anxiety) really started to set in. We got our exit stamps and waited. About an hour later, the original bus finally appeared- phew sigh of relief. The bank machines at both sides of the border were broken, so we're traveling without funds and incredibly hungry. They had us stand outside the bus for another hour while they picked their noses and waited for immigration officers to come and re-inspect everyone's passports. We've just finally gotten back on the bus and are heading towards our destination. If all goes well we should be at the ferry docks in about an hour, where we still need to locate a working bank, make the crossing and find accommodation before it gets dark. Ughhhhh, these are the times that overland traveling can be a serious pain in the arse!!

Welcome to Nicaragua! Wish us luck!!!!