So we got up early to go to the border, we chicken bused it this time. It took 2 buses but we made it! A short walk across the border and a little confusion as to where you go after that, not helped by our lack of Spanish and then not having much English (although they certainly knew how to ask for money!) but 4 fees later we made it!!

Onto Matagalpa, a town in the northern highlands in Nicaragua. Our plan was to stay here for a night or 2 and do a few tours to the coffee plantations etc but when we got to the tour operator's their prices were way too high. So we decided one night and then onto Leon.

Leon was a 2 hour bus journey from Matagalpa. On arrival we decided to walk to our hostel. Bit of a bad idea as it was a bit warmer than we expected and we ended up a wet sweaty mess by the time we arrived. The hostel made up for it though as it was probably the nicest we've stayed in. Clean and chilled with lots of nice hammocks for relaxing!!!

As it was about 12 when we arrived we decided to do a night tour to an active volcano that evening to see red lava! We set off about 2, starting with a very bumpy ride towards the volcano. At times we don't know how the driver managed to negotiate the terrain. - On the return journey he and the guide had to get out to dig the road as it was impassable otherwise!

Once we got out we began the hike up to the volcano. We were walking up making steady progress when the rain, thunder and lightning started. And once it began it didn't seem in any mood to stop! Our guide told us we would try and wait it out. So we all switched off our phones, crouched down to reduce our chance of getting hit by lightening and waited it out. This basically involved getting very very wet! Unfortunately the thunder and lightning storms were swirling around us the whole time. We have never heard thunder so loud! After an hour of this our guide decided for the first time ever in his experience, to make the decision to turn around and head back! By this time the rainwater was teaming down, making little streams that we had to negotiate through….the whole time thinking about the 2 main rules to avoid getting hit,….stay low and out of the water…neither of which was possible here!!!

We were both very happy to make it down to the van as it was pretty scary there for a while.

We weren't totally put off volcanoes and decided to go volcano surfing the next morning. The downside was putting on our soaking wet runners. But all else was good from this point on! We made it out to Volcano Cierra Negro where we climbed about 45mins up to the creators' edge, with our boards and lovely yellow and green overalls! (see pictures for the full beauty of them!) We took a walk along the rim seeing lots of steam emerging from that volcano that erupted as recently as 2006. At this point Phil was very scared but Shane couldn't wait! Phil was taking the toboggan option, whilst Shane was trying a board he can stand up on. So off we went, Phil was up before Shane and managed to make it down, fairly slowly at 1st, certainly not breaking any kind of records! (see video) Shane followed at the end as he was the only one brave, or should we say stupid, enough to do it standing! After much sweating he made it down with reasonable speed, even if it was a little awkward at times (see video). It actually turns out that its quicker to be sat down doing this, so for future reference pick that option if you are a speed demon!

We were back into Leon for the afternoon and went for a stroll around town. It's another lovely place, with friendly locals. That night we thought we were in a nightclub instead of sitting in our hammocks as it was like there was strobe lighting going on!! Never before have have we known such an intense lightening storm. It was really mad!

That was all for Leon……onto Granada tomorrow!