Nicaraguan Adventure // Ziplining and Volcanoes

9.05.2014


This is my last Nicaragua post! I'm going to tell you all about what we did on our last two days in Central America.

On Thursday morning, after three and a half days of medical clinic, we loaded up the truck and headed back to the mission house. There was a mad rush to the showers, and I am not ashamed to tell you that yours truly didn't wash her hair the entire time we were in the village.

Let's just say that when I took my hair out of my braid and ponytail, it stayed right in the same position. Didn't move an inch. DON'T JUDGE ME. I have my reasons. Okay, one reason, actually. I'm lazy.

Anyhoo, after washing every crevice about eight times with lice shampoo, we all collapsed in our beds for a nap. I don't think I'd ever been so tired in my life, and that's quite possibly not an exaggeration. (Side note: whenever people ask how our "vacation" was, I'm like, "Vacation? Um, no.")

Later that night, Jordan's parents celebrated their 30th anniversary (which had been earlier in the summer) by renewing their vows on the balcony of the mission house. It was Jordan's mom's only request for their anniversary. Our associate pastor was in Nicaragua with us and officiated. It was really sweet.

The next morning was Friday, the day before we flew back to the States. 

This is traditionally "free day," which basically means BMDMI has some kind of group sightseeing outing planned where we finally get to see some of Nicaragua instead of just being in the village.

This year, they did something they'd never done before: they took us ziplining in the jungle! Oh. My. Gosh. Coolest thing ever doesn't even come close to describing the awesomeness. I literally cannot think of the words to describe how fun this was, so I'm just going to do this: 

!!!!!!!

Ahem.

^^^ This is me doing the "super chica." 
(When you do the "superman" pose on your stomach, you have to go with a guide so they can hold your legs and break for you. When you go upside down or regular, you're not with anyone else.)

The best part of the whole thing was that Jordan and I almost didn't go. Just two weeks earlier, we'd actually gone ziplining in Oklahoma City at the new Adventure Park by the Oklahoma River. It had been my birthday request.

When we heard they were going to take us ziplining, I was immediately like HECK YES. And Jordan was like, "Um... we just went ziplining, and it was kind of lame." And I was all, "Yeah, but this is in the jungle." And he was all, "I don't know.... Maybe we should just go to the market."

But logic won out in the end, and we decided to go ziplining.

I probably don't have to tell you that ziplining in Nicaragua compares in no way to ziplining in Oklahoma. Sorry, Oklahoma, but you lose this round. For ease of viewing, I made this handy comparison chart for you:


Again, I really don't mean to hate on Oklahoma, but come on. Most of our time was spent standing in line waiting to zip. In Nicaragua, we were literally up in the trees for a full hour, zipping 17 cables. AND THERE WERE MONKEYS. Like, legit, real-life monkeys in the trees. This is serious.

The best part was that we had to use gloves to break ourselves. In Oklahoma, a spring-loaded stopper thing caught us at the end. In Nicaragua, we were in charge of breaking or running into a tree at the end. To break, you pulled slightly down on the line with your hand. At the end of the line, you had to hold yourself up so a guy could unclip you. Sometimes the cables were hooked to the tree directly, and sometimes we had to walk between the trees on rope ladder bridges. 

ROPE LADDER BRIDGES!!!!!

Sorry I keep all-caps shouting, but seriously. You guys. I so wish I had pictures, but since I didn't bring my camera, I'm lucky someone else got one of Super Chica. The rope bridges looked basically like this (thank you, Google):
Short story long, we were so glad we didn't go to the market with the other half of our group. Ziplining for the win.

After ziplining, we hit up Narcy's Pollo for some fried chicken. This is about the time when I started to feel sick. You see, something I didn't mention was that everyone (and I do mean everyone) on our team caught what we lovingly referred to as the Nicaragua Bug. It didn't hit us all at once, but eventually it got us all. My turn was Friday afternoon and all day Saturday on the trip home. Jordan got it once we got home on Sunday and actually took off work Monday because he still wasn't feeling well. The symptoms were different for everyone. Luckily for me it just caused chills, headache, and some nausea.

Friday afternoon was spent at a touristy site where BMDMI usually takes groups for free day. It's the site of an old volcano, which exploded back in the day and is now a lake inside a valley. The sun was beating down, and it was really hot, but it was gorgeous and fun! Now excuse me for a photo dump.


It was a little strange after being in the medical clinic all week to spend the day just doing fun stuff. Seeing poverty like that and then paying $23 to go ziplining felt kind of ridiculous, to be honest. I think the point is to keep perspective and always be grateful for what we have and realize that everything is a gift given to us from God.

With that said, I am so, so grateful for the opportunity to go on this missions trip with Jordan. We both feel stronger as a couple and as people for taking the time to serve, and I will continue to pray for the people of Nicaragua. We're already planning on going back next year!

I hope through these posts you feel like you got to share in at least a small part of the experience with us. And if you have the opportunity to go on a trip like this, you should definitely consider it. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it time off work? Yes. Is it really hard? Yes.

But I promise: it is so worth it.

shelleystirs said...

Ziplining looks so fun! I think I have to add that to my bucket list!

Bethany Carson said...

Ziplining looks like a *lot* of fun! Enjoyed all the photos!

Robyn B said...

ziplining. in the jungle. with monkeys. WHAT! that is awesome! :)

Unknown said...

This is great!!!

1. I love that your in-laws renewed their vows. I think that is good to do on occasion.
2. Ziplining for the win! I'll be sure to never go in OKC now =)
3. No Shower - No Problem! I hardly ever showered in Mexico because there weren't showers available. I even dread lock braided my hair once and I'm here to say part of it fell out in chunks when I finally took it out to shower. Oh well.
4. the paintings - are those people on toilets or am I seeing things?

Caroline @ In Due Time said...

haha love the comparison of the two!! We have ziplined in St Lucia and Honduras and loved it!!!

Rebecca Jo said...

Look at you Adventure Girl!!!

Amy said...

people rarely understand that a mission trip is NOT a vacation - sure you might ahve some "free time" to explore but you're going, going, GOING all the time.
eeek lice shampoo!
ZIPLINING WIT MONKEYS!!!! yesss that is so dang cool!
(and that oklahoma list vs nicaragua ....hands down nicaragua had it!)

Kayla MKOY said...

This makes me want to drop everything and go zip lining and eat all the ice cream ever!!!!!

Allison said...

Ziplining in the jungle looks like an adventure in itself!!! So fun!

Rachel said...

So, your comparison between going ziplining in Oklahoma and ziplining in Nicaragua feels incredibly similar to going caving in the USA versus caving in Malaysia. And...if you have any interest at all in caves...you have to choose Malaysia. 5 hour cave tour, no waiver, no safety equipment...you can wear flip flops if you are so inclined...the only light in the cave is whatever flashlight you happen to bring with you...belly-crawling through tunnels literally 1.5 feet high half filled with water. In the USA all of our very practical safety laws do take away a bit of the adventure....

Kerry @ Till Then Smile Often said...

Heck yes to ziplining. The everyone getting sick not so much fun. Is that really a sign about paying to use the bathroom?!

17 Perth said...

Absolutely LOVE this!! Zip lining?! Never been, but I begged Judah to go with me--he is afraid if heights. Um yeah--no go. Haha. Anyways, am I the only one who thinks it's weird u can't take pics while zip lining in Oklahoma? And love your logic on why to go-hilarious and makes total sense. ;)

Anonymous said...

Ziplining through the jungle is the way ziplining was intended to be. I went in Costa Rica and it was amazing. I am not brave enough to do the Superchica move though!

-Amy

Kristin said...

Those zip lining pictures are epic! That looks like SO much fun! And I love all your pictures from in town - so bright and full of color!

Anonymous said...

I've never been ziplining, but it looks like so much fun!

Manda | musicalpoem said...

I love ziplining! I've only been once, when I was in China, and I ziplined in the mountains over this lake. IT WAS SO COOL. I wanna do it again!! Your experience looks much more impressive :)

Al@PolkaDotsandPaisley said...

It sounds like an incredible experience. I was lucky to participate in a trip to Mexico when I was in university. We helped dig wells and build houses, and was truly an incredible experience. It's always such a humbling reminder of the things we take for granted.

Miss Nutralicious said...

Ha! I was wondering the same thing about the pictures of people on the toilets! That it funny artwork. And does it cost $10 to use the bathroom? If it does, I would never shower either.

Miss Nutralicious said...

I went ziplining over a rain forest in Hawaii, and it was AMAZING! We were allowed to take pictures, but we couldn't do the superman move (looks fun) and there were zero monkeys. We also paid way more than $23, but lunch was included. I would go again in a heartbeat. So fun!

The Lady Okie said...

So, yes those are people on toilets. And I have no idea what the heck they are! But all the shops in the market had them...? I don't know.

And it cost 10 cordovas to use the bathroom just in that touristy area, which is like 50 cents :)

Unknown said...

wait, they didn't give you gloves in Oklahoma?! How did you slow down?!

Jennifer Prod said...

aww, i love love love this post (like all the nicaragua posts) -- so, so sweet that jordan's parents reviewed their vows at the mission house, and the ziplining pictures so happy :) we went ziplining in cancun and while i *loved* it, jon couldn't really get the hang of it and kind of dangled like a doll through the jungle.... :) (don't tell him i told you!!)

Unknown said...

I loved that comparison chart. And I don't mind the all-caps shouting. Totally understandble. I mean, you ZIPLINED in the JUNGLE!

The Hungry Goat said...

Um, your in-laws renewing their vows is PRECIOUS. And I actually prefer for my blogger to scream at me in all caps so keep it coming.

Seriously. Your not-a-vacation seems like it was just the coolest thing ever on so many levels. I'm glad you got to learn a lot and volunteer but then also have fun after working so hard.

xxoox

Unknown said...

Wow. This looks amazing. I need to get caught up on the not so fun parts of your trip, but this looks SO FUN! Zip lining has always been a favorite of mine. Well, at least my memories of it as a child were pretty great. I was all excited about the zip line thing in Oklahoma until I read that it was kind of lame. Bummer. The more you know. Okay, I have more posts to read now...

Julie @ Just the Joy's said...

How awesome is this!!!! I've been way behind on blogging so I totally lost the memo about your trip! I'm so glad you both had a good time and enjoyed the mission trip. It's got to be an honor to be a part of something like that! Ziplining in the jungle sounds amazing! We went ziplining in the forest in Alaska and that was pretty cool too :)

Allie @ Everyday Adventures said...

I love that you got to go ziplining, and that's crazy about it being so much more dependent on your own strength and stuff, but no one's asking you to sign a waiver! We're just too afraid of getting sued in America. :) And how sweet that your in-laws got to renew their vows in such a beautiful location!

Caitlin said...

This sounds / looks like SO MUCH FUN! And really, OK zip lining? What happened there? Sounds like they fell short - way short.

PS - It was so cute reading about Jordan's parents' anniversary. What an amazing way to renew / review your vows :)

Food, Booze, & Baggage said...

Love your posts on the trip, you really get the feel of what an amazing experience it was for you guys!! Yes, it certainly was not a "down" time kind of vacation. The zip-lining looks quite fun, I mean monkeys!!

Megan said...

Haha I love your comparison breakdown between the two zipline locations. Looks amazing! And those market pictures have such vibrant colors - great shots!

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