Glitches and Opportunities

I have to move to another hostel, since the dormitorio I've been occupying at Oasis will be taken over today by a group traveling together. I'll see if there's room at the Bearded Monkey, which is also highly rated by travelers. The Oasis has been fun, and I've met some interesting and fun people. Most of the travelers I've met have been Canadians, and most of these have been from British Columbia.

Over the next few days I'll have to focus on editing the video I did of the ex-bananeras at their protest camp in Managua so that I can give them copies when I return. After a couple of days there, I'll be off to Costa Rica and Panama. From Panama, I'll have to find a way to get to Bolivia. There are possibilities for traveling to south America from Panama. It's possible to go to Colombia by boat, although I'd prefer to find a boat going to Ecuador. From there, it's either on to Bolivia (a long, difficult trip over the Andes) or to Peru, and then on to Bolivia (also a long, difficult trip over the Andes, but perhaps at a lower altitude -- according to someone who knows a little about traveling in this region). As always, my itinerary is difficult to predict. I've found that it works well for me to take it step by step and get travel tips from people I meet along the way.

One thing I've discovered is that travel books do not usually provide up-to-date information. Things change quickly, and what was good information when the book was printed has changed in the year or so since its publication. Even online information is incorrect when it comes from travelers blogging about their trips. A lot depends on how adventurous or demanding the writer is. I've stayed in hostels that were criticized by people submitting comments to Hostelworld or sites like Lonely Planet, and yet I've found them to be wonderful places to stay. I've stayed at others that some people found adequate, and yet I didn't find them adequate at all. The best information comes from the travelers you meet along the way.

Well, I'm off to check out the Bearded Monkey. Later today I'll be taking a trip to the Masaya Market and the volcano. More about that (and photos) soon.