Having arrived at beachside Monterico the overwhelming emotion is boredom. Yes, the lack of things to do by the beach is ultimately the whole point and usually this wouldn't daunt me but this place lacks the tranquility I was seeking in my slice of beach downtime. It's also a ridiculous breed of humid hot and I'm being absolutely attacked by Mosquitos (despite my constant layer of insect repellent and my mosquito net). It sounds like all the Mosquitos are after me alone though as most of the other travellers I've spoken to seem unaffected. The sand here is volcanic black which makes it especially hot to lie out on the beach and the beating waves are extremely powerful so swimming in the ocean is also a no go unless you're up for a bit of exercise. Still, the hostel has a nice pool and a hefty amount of older vacationers. It's not really a backpacker haven but has a more resorty feel; not what I had in mind. Met a few nice people anyway, a Swedish girl called Julia, who it turns out knows a friend of mine from Oaxaca, and a lovely lady from Brittany with, arguably, the strongest French accent I've ever heard. Needless to say Monterico only features in our schedule for a couple of days before we head on to bigger and better things.