León

We slept in (just until about 8) and then enjoyed the complimentary breakfast before packing Ruedi and making our way to the border crossing. And Honduras really did it's worst in terms of road what it could offer... Giant potholes and cracks through the whole road. But we managed to arrive at the border at around 11:30, so plenty of time. First we stopped at the Honduran side to cancel our Temporary Import Permit. But the border agents there and also at the immigration said that we should go to the Nicaraguan border agents first. They should verify that we can go there before our status is cancelled, even though it makes sense we were still a bit confused... If they recommend this behavior, there must be a reason for it, meaning that they oftentimes don't let people immigrate 🤔 But for us it seemed okay and we could continue. The border agents on the Nicaraguan side seemed very bored and they had a curious look into our van. Then we got into a bit of an argument because we hadn't filled out the immigration form online but we had tried and we couldn't do it. So they let us wait until they cleared the paperwork. Overall it took us three hours and cost some nerves but we made it into Nicaragua and were on our way to León!

It was a 4 hour drive and we had some delay because of the time it took at the border. But we were so very positively surprised by the roads in Nicaragua!! Despite some potholes, the overall conditions were pretty much perfect and we even managed to catch up on some time. Also the scenery changed in a remarkable way to a flatter profile while still keeping the green tones. It felt generally cleaner and prettier than what we had seen in Honduras even though it's supposed to be a poorer country. Our first impression was great!

Also when we arrived in León, found a hostel and then went out to get dinner, the town looked run down but with a charming atmosphere. On the main square and park were people sitting, chatting and eating. The general feeling was very welcoming and we enjoyed the festivities. We found a little restaurant with local foods and tried the options, finally even one with a vegetarian speciality, Gallo pinto ☺️ Even though the name contains a meat, it's a rice beans combination and very popular to every meal in Nicaragua. We walked through the whole historical center in the evening until we felt the exhausting day in our legs and especially minds.Read more