Arenal to Nicaragua

If you are ever in this area I highly recommend a brand new hotel called Princess de la Luna. It is kinda out of the way but worth it to bring enough food, drinks, etc for the days you are there. From the deck we had the most amazing view of the volcano and got to see the creatures of the rainforest first hand.
We could see the lava spitting from the top of the active volcano which is the coolest thing as well as toucans that flew up into the tree outside the window. I kid you not, if you stay at this place you dont need to pày for the overpriced tours because you are in the centre of everything in a beautiful hotel with amazing staff.
One of the ladies took us onm a canopy-rainforest walk and we saw all kinds of things from waterfalls to extinct fruits that they are growing there to replenish. They picked and cut down all types of things for us...I had heart of palm which you actually have to destroy an entire palm tree to get, guava, gyuana, cocoa, coconuts etc. I was half way thru my guava when I found a worm in it...if anyone remembers the plum story form Long View you know it will be a very long time before I eat guava again if ever but it was fun none the less and the worm had his head so that works. The staff showed us a Boa they found which was dinner for later (not ours theirs) so needless to say it was quite the adventure and I would happily return.
After 3 glorious nights Dorothy and I decided to end our honeymoon and go our seperate ways, she back to Panama (jealous) and me to meet an old friend Steve then off to Nicaragua. I got on the bus in Ciudad Quesadas (San Carlos to locals) ad bus to Los Chiles in the far north for a water taxi to San Carlos Nicaragua.
On this bus ride I came to learn how polite Costa Rican men are, they will always give up their seat on the bus to women especially those pregnant or with a child or baby. Men in North America could really take a lesson or two from this.
Once in Los Chiles I spent a good hour in line waiting for immigration - they had caught a large family sneaking into Costa Rica from Nicaragua and were documenting this and water taxiing them back. It was quite the procedure for 35 degree heat. A Venezuelan man with good English and his wife walk me thru the first steps and point out monkeys along the way and river sharks on our journey by water taxi to Nicaragua.
We get to San Carlos NIcaragua which is a dusty border town and once I pay the netrance fee of $7 I discover I have absolutely no cash on me, just visa and guess what they have NO bank machine and then I get called a bitch by some crazy woman in the street. I head to the bank because I need to find a place to stay and a way out of town the next day. At the bank I learn that the only cash they give out is to those with a bank account at that branch or exchange dollars or Euros. Truly I am amazed at how much Spanish is falling from my mouth and how much I understand because no one speaks English and somehow we all know what the other is saying. This is the only good thing for me to this point but not helpful. They direct me to the best hotel in town which is honestly the Cecil hotel but it accepts visa and the next day will give me cash off my visa for a 10% commission...I cry for about half hour before I pull my head out of my a$$ and go for food. It is at Kaoma a restaurant which is mentioned as having surly service in Lonely Planet (totally not the case) where I meet my savior Lester, a waiter who I will never forget as he turns my day around completely. In my badSpanish he tells me which times the boat comes, how much, and when to buy the ticket. He notices mosquitos attacking me and brings a citronella candle and some bug spray. Of course at the end of supper i notice they dont have a tip line on visa cards and I of course have no cash so I promise to return in the morning.
I return the next day cash in hand and eat 2 large meals within an hour of eachother because my 16 hour boat ride leaves at 2 pm and I wont eat until the next day. Lester walks me to the boat terminal to make sure I get a first class ticket and on the way stops at the cheapest place for aerosol bug spray (seriously I love this kid) The shop owner tells me it is $150 Cordobas and then asks where I am from...I say Canada and ne knuckle punches me and the price goes down to $120...this is like $1USD but Ill take it.
At 1pm I get on my boat and head off for a very long journey and sleep on a bench for $10USD. At one island kids get on selling everything from tacos, enchiladas, juice, and coffee with milk. It is quite the experience and I share it with a group of Americans who did the same thing and entered without $$$. One of which is a girl who is living here with her boyfriend and on her way back to get me to show me around Granada. Thats where I am now, a SOanish Colonial city called Granada which is quite beautiful at the Hostal Oasis and hoping my laundry is done soon because I have NO clothes and am wearing my bathing suit bottoms as underwear...sigh
Lessons Learned
UNder no circumstance do you ever leave a counrty with no onward cash...spend the few dollars the cash changers make and transfer over whatever you have left but dont assume you will find an ATM
Practice your Spanish even though English is widely spoken, you may butcher the language but it will make any sitution like this so much better. I used every word I had and learned even more. This means read signs everywhere and look up words you dont know in the Spanish English dictionary...they come in so handy and make the experience that much better
Kill mosquitos every chance you get - serious you should see my legs
Dress in a t shirt and capris or pants as a woman when in places that aren´t beach destinations
Always upgrade your room or seat on a bus or boat - In Costa Rica when possible buy your ticket when on the bus and not from the cafes selling them....they are much cheaper
Oh yea and coffee in Central America is unbelievable - as someone who has never been a coffee drinker....damn
Hugs and kisses and thanks to everyone following me thru Central America