Exploring Nicaragua:
A Country of Coffee and Coasts
The first trip I took by myself, at age 23, was to India and Nepal. I wanted to see and smell and taste a world completely different from my comfortable suburban North American life.
I need to meet the locals, sit in their kitchens, and find out what's important in their lives. I prefer markets to museums, and rugged pathways to pristine parks.
As for Nicaragua: I came for the coffee — to pick it and drink it. I lived with a family on a small plantation during the height of the harvest. Afterwards, I pampered myself at the most expensive place in the country — Morgan's Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge. For two luxurious days and nights, I walked the forest path to and from my private hill-side bungalow, basking in the sound of nothing but the waves breaking below and the howler monkeys hooting above: a true connection with both nature and man — my perfect travel scenario.
