I will have to admit that my last post was a bit of a tease, since we didn’t make it to Nicaragua, but it was all a part of the adventure! Late Sunday night, our Hosh adventure team landed in Managua and were shuttled immediately to our house rental in San Juan del Sur, about a two hour drive from Managua, on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua (I slept the entire van ride). I didn’t really explore our awesome digs until the next day. A two-story colonial-style house, the bedrooms were mostly upstairs. Downstairs, there was a pool! The living/dining areas were all outdoors. The house was located near the water, at the edge of the main drag of the town.

Since July is the winter season (read: rainy season), I was woken by the steady beat of a torrential downpour Monday morning. As I wish every morning could start, we began the day’s activities with an invigorating 45 minute yoga class with a 15 minute guided meditation. Although I was skeptical at first about doing a meditation twice a day for an entire week, I did try to focus as much as a I could and give it a shot. Throughout the week our classes were taught by the fabulous Zui Duckers Lyle (shameless promotion… she teaches classes at Hosh on Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Just go.).

…and on to our first official adventure…surfing!

A short truck ride from our villa (and trust me, you need a vehicle that can handle the mud and roads), is Playa Remanzo, a beautiful, small bay. On the way, I managed to take a lot of cow butt photos (see above). The landscape was lush and tropical, dotted with homes, a few lavish in the hillside but most barely shacks.

I have never surfed before, but I was excited to learn. We started before lunchtime, so the waves were pretty small, perfect for beginners. First, came a lesson on the beach. The instructors taught us the different ways to get up on the board and basic safety lessons. I wish I had known to bring my own Lycra shirt/rash guard… the one I borrowed was beyond funky smelling. After practicing on the sand, we were ready to hit the waves! Luckily our teachers were in the water to guide us. Overall, surfing was fun! I only got up once or twice, I mostly ended up in the water. But it was a great experience. My knees got pretty banged up, but I never had any scary tumbles. Since the waves were smaller, it was pretty easy to be guided. I think I stuck with my intention to go with the flow!

After learning to surf, I had the obligatory Tona on the beach! There was some pretty interesting people watching on the beach. Some surfers were much more experienced than others. There was even an all-female surf school, which was pretty cool (“empowering women one wave at a time”).

Later in the afternoon, we explored the main streets of San Juan del Sur. Very much a surfing town, there were board shops on almost every corner. Restaurants and bars lined the street by the waterfront, waiters in front trying to lure in customers. You could tell it was the off season for tourists, everything seemed very quiet.

In the evening, we wound down with yoga practice, while this massive moth looked on! That was one of the most enchanting things about Nicaragua… there were beautiful butterflies and moths everywhere!

When it came time to eat, we were totally spoiled! With a local cook creating meals for us, each one was even better than the next. We had the staples… rice and beans! Usually plantains in different forms, cheese, and meat dish. Simple yet super, super delicious!

By the end of the first day,  I was tired, a little bit sore, but ready to see what would come next!