Rygsækrejsen 2015-2016: Heading for Nicaragua - Costa Rica to Nicaragua with the local bus

Pick up from our hostel at 6 AM. Our friendly taxi driver was a bit sceptical about the bus terminal we wanted to go to. It was not the one he would go to but we insisted, were taken to the bus terminal we thought was the right one and realised we hadn't paid attention to the girl at the hostel when she had told us where to go - and where not to go. Just as our taxi driver had told us we had to go to another of San Jose's many bus terminals.

Luckily the right one with the buses heading for the border crossing at Peñas Blancas was more or less around the corner so we were there in 5 minutes, our taxi driver told us where to go for tickets and then we only had to wait for 30 minutes for the next departure. The bus was "local", a bit crowded but still comfortable. We drove for about 2 hours, then the bus driver stopped at a big cafeteria and we had time for some much needed breakfast - but why does this always happen when you have stocked up on food?

Our GPS estimated 5½ hours of driving to the border. We made it by bus in less then 6 hours, being at the border just after 1 PM. As soon as we made it out of the bus a woman pointed us towards the small house where we had to pay the exit tax. While Malene took care of that, Mikkel got the luggage and figured out where everybody else were heading for immigration and the mandatory goodbye-stamp in the passport. Only a short line on the Costa Rican side of the border and only a short form to fill out meant that we were out of Costa Rica in less then 45 minutes.

Then we did a short walk across the no-mans-land towards Nicaragua and once we passed the first tent full of police officers things started to be a little more opaque so we had to ask where to go next, and next, and next and eventually we realised that we had made it through passport checks, re-checks, forms and stamps. USD 12 per person and we were welcome in Nicaragua. Then we just had to back track a bit to find a taxi that could take us to the nearest big town - Rivas.

The border crossing took less than two hours - both sides included. We were not asked for any documents or proof of onward travel as we had heard and read about from other travellers. We did have a ticket booked for departing Nicaragua we could show, but neither at yesterdays border crossing nor at the one today was this a question. Border crossings were a bit slow but everybody treated us really nice.

Having an open and loud argument in Danish in front of the taxi drivers is a speciality for us. It means that only the bravest and hungriest are left to drive us. It also worked this time and the guy took us to Rivas for USD 20. We couldn't agree on the price to go all the way to Popoyo so he dropped us off at the bus station. From there we got another local taxi to take us to Popoyo - another half hour for USD 30.

It turned out to take a bit longer than that since the small village between Rivas and Popoyo celebrated their annual cowboy festival that day meaning total traffic meltdown. So we were stuck between locals, horses and cowboys for an hour before we got to Popoyo and the place we are going to stay for the next couple of days.

We got our room, headed for the beach and were happy to be here, ready to meet with our friends. We knew that they were on their way from the US and that they would arrive late in the evening. Dinner at the restaurant at Magnific Rock, enjoying the sun set and then we soon went to bed after two long days of travelling, Mikkel was the only one to hear the taxi arrive just before midnight when Frederik and Berit made it to the place after some 24 hours of non-stop travelling. Big hugs and sleep well. Ready for more beach tomorrow.