Ometepe.

I have arrived in paradise! My base here is a tiny immaculately decorated wooden hut in a magical hide away farm called Finca Mystica on the island of Ometepe, the largest island in Lake Nicaragua. The city is now a world away. I am perched contently on my porch in a rocking chair staring up at the stars, enveloped in complete darkness with only birds and monkeys for company. Plus spiders, mosquitoes, geckos and other creepy crawlies I am choosing to ignore in this tropical jungle oasis.

Leaving Granada in the early morning the bus arrived on time, an amazing event here, so I made the noon ferry with ease, lugging my luggage into the hold alongside chickens, bananas, bicycles, mopeds, unidentified sacks of moving and unmoving objects, and wedging myself in for what is a notoriously rough hours crossing.

Ferry approaching Ometepe

Ometepe  - Two Volcanos

Ometepe is formed by two volcanoes. It’s name derives from the Nahuatl words ome and tepetl, meaning two mountains. The view from the boat was splendid, thankfully distracting from the turbulent swell. My 'taxi' was waiting, the usual truck, but with a very friendly driver who made it his mission to teach me as much Spanish as possible in the hour it took us to drive around the island, away from the few small towns, further and further away from anything and anyone.

View from my cabin down to the lake shores

Sitting on lake shores near the hostel, overlooking conception volcano

This is a family run farm, a smallholding with a collection of huts, a communal dining area, owned by a welcoming friendly American couple. I have settled into my beach hut, with its view over fields down to the shore, enjoyed the superb sunset and eaten the most enormous supper of quesadillos, rice, beans, salsa, yucca chips and ..a cup of earl grey tea.

Sunset from Ometepe

I am a very contented soul tonight.