Nomad Norwoods
From Quito to NYC and all the places in between
a Change of perspective
We are embarking on an eleven month adventure from September 2022 to August 2023. Travelling to Ecuador, Galapagos, Columbia and various other destinations (which we haven't quite ironed out yet) and ending in New York.
The aim of this website is to be a link for us to share with our nearest and dearest where we are and what we are doing.
If anyone else stumbles across this then you are very welcome.
Adios el salvador
Today is our last day in El Salvador, tonight we fly to New York in the USA.
We had a quick farewell dip in the pool, before a spot of lunch and are now waiting for our taxi to come to take us to the airport.
We have had an amazing time here in El Salvador: the beach is stunning, the weather is hot but not too intense, the rain comes at night and the people are some of the friendliest and welcoming people we have met anywhere on this trip.
We are really sad to be leaving Latin America!
Carmen my fruit and veg lady.
Arnoldo one of our caretakers.
Jose the other caretaker.
The builder-boys from next door.
Views up and down the beach and out to sea. The area is more hilly than where we live, which made the place very pretty.
La libertad
Wednesday was a day to explore up the coast around the town of La Libertad. We found a beach at San Blas and had a couple of hours playing there and in a nearby river that cut across the beach to the sea.
We then had a bite to eat in Papa John's (just like the locals) before heading back to the airport to drop off Rosie.
Isabella built a stone castle on the beach.
Posy and Charlotte playing in the sea.
Isabella having a wonder while looking out to sea.
Messing about in the river.
Great view up the river.
Bye Rosie. Finally a picture of me!
El boqueron volcano
On Monday afternoon our neighbour Rodrigo took me to the airport so that I could pick up our next (probably last) hire car, which was called Rosie by Isabella.
On Tuesday we drove to El Boqueron Volcano which is near to San Salvador, although everything here is pretty close to everywhere else as it is such a small country. We drove up the volcano, parked and then walked to the crater. Unlike Masaya this one doesn't have a lava lake, but it does have an impressive crater. We had lunch in a restaurant with excellent views of San Salvador and the lake beyond. Unfortunately we didn't heed the warnings about it being mucho frio and so had to sit with our coats on. It's amazing that in the space of a 10 minute drive it can go from very hot and sweaty to very cold.
The girls by the sign at the entrance of the volcano park. The park is nicely laid out with various well maintained trails to the crater edge.
The crater itself is massive, I wasn't expecting it to be so. It is hard to gauge this from the photos, but that is forest growing down the sides of the crater.
In the bottom of the crater you can see the plug where the magma came up during the last eruption. Apparently you used to be able to go down into the crater, but the authorities have stopped this due to people hurting themselves.
The last photo is the view towards San Salvador taken from around halfway up the road to El Boqueron.
A quick celebration after a trip to the loo.
The girls relaxing at the crater edge after climbing many stairs.
A quick family (minus me) shot to record the joy of the moment before heading back down.
The view from the restaurant terrace towards San Salvador and the lake beyond.
Isebella was the first to put on her coat as she was freezing; the rest of us followed suit very quickly.
Getting ready to go back to the warmth. Notice all the junk in the trunk of Rosie (lol)!
We were invited round to dinner by our neighbour Rodrigo on Sunday evening, it was a delicious spread enjoyed with good people.
They were fascinated by Posy chowing down on a couple of pork ribs!
Yet another amazing swimming outfit brought to you by Posy. She has her swim pants and her costume underneath also.
Isabella and Posy playing in their bedroom. Posy likes to fill her cot up with all sorts - hence the packet of nappies in there.
r&r week
We haven't really done very much since our little trip upcountry. We had a very quiet and relaxing week: playing in the house to keep cool, going to the beach and the pool and I have been popping into town to get the essentials. On Monday we are picking up another car for a few days, so we will have more to report after I am sure.
Isabella and me playing mermaids. Zachery is Sebastian the crab (obviously).
The girls had a camp-out in the sitting room on Friday morning.
They used pillow cases as sleeping bags and were pleased with their endeavours.
Posy decided to do a stock check of the pots and pans.
While Isabella made a cake.
Posy has started to choose her own pool attire. She finished off this little outfit with her lollypop top, hat and pink beach shoes.
fun with thomas
We hired a car, who was promptly named Thomas by Isabella, this week and went for a little explore of the country.
On Tuesday we went down to Bocana at the end of the peninsula that Costa del Sol is on. Like a lot of places in Central America there were many restaurants and boats offering tours around the inlet, but hardly any tourists. We had a nice lunch in a road side shack before heading back.
We had a holiday within a holiday on Wednesday and Thursday. We headed up country to the mountains and the Ruta de las Flores. The road wound up through the mountains and gave us good views of the volcanoes. We then headed to Santa Ana for the night.
We ventured out (relatively) early on Thursday morning to get to the Mayan Ruins of Tazumal before it got too hot. One major pyramid is all that remains of this settlement, but it was pretty spectacular. We tramped around the site for about an hour before heading to Coatepeque crater lagoon near El Congo.Then it was home for a quick dip in the pool before dinner.
Thomas the car after our days of adventure. Actually I felt that this name was one of Isabella's more appropriate ones as he is a Toyota, so he is Thomas the Toyota. Anyway he was a very good car, nice and easy to drive. And economical to run as petrol is cheap here (he was picked up as I was updating this page - sniff).
A view across to the mainland from Bocana
The boats take people across to the other side of the inlet.
Looking out to the Pacific Ocean
Isabella and me discussing the sea.
We stopped on the Rota de las Flores for lunch.
A side view of the cathedral in Santa Ana (notice the soldiers).
A view across the square to the mountains.
We walked to this building as it looked interesting.
The girls in front of the cathedral in Santa Ana.
The main square was very pretty and vibrant. Lots of people milling about and very nice buildings. Not sure what this building is, but I liked the yellow set against the sky.
Posy having her dinner at our hostel.
Isabella got a Twilight Sparkle inflatable from a market stall outside of the Cathedral.
And Posy got a Spider-Man. They were over the moon.
Twilight Sparkle has not left Isabella since and has even slept with her.
Our first view of the pyramid.
Charlotte found the wonky lines of this side of the pyramid interesting.
We climbed a smaller pyramid to get a better view.
Isabella had a great time climbing up the pyramid.
Posy did well ascending and descending the steep steps with such little legs.
Isabella giving very helpful instructions to Mummy and Posy about how to climb the steep steps.
We wandered around the pyramid. This side was particularly impressive.
We had a great time exploring most of the pyramid and the surrounding area.
Coatepeque crater lagoon near El Congo, not like the lagoon near Diriomo.
The girls by the lake.
The whole area was totally built up and touristy. We had to drive for ages just to get to the lake.
From above it looks idyllic.
Charlotte relaxing in her new hammock chair, which she has coveted since Bariloche.
Posy loves it too.
settling in at paraiso del sol
We have spent the past few days settling into our little house here Paraiso del Sol and exploring the local area of Costa del Sol. Our little holiday home housing estate (compound) is right on the beach too.
The beach is just outside our little housing estate.
The sea is warm, the waves big and impressive (good surfing), but it is safe for swimming.
Tranquil beach, with very few developments.
Posy has been practising her 'photo smile'.
Not quite sure what this pose is about, but I like it!
Everyone had a lovely afternoon playing on the beach.
the journey to El salvador
After saying goodbye to Julio we set off from Finca Madinina on Sunday morning and headed back to Managua. We stayed in Hostal Dulce Sueno opposite the Transporte Del Sol bus terminal because we had to catch the 1am bus to San Salvador. It was incredibly hot and humid in Managua even when I was hauling all our luggage over at midnight prior to the bus departing.
The bus set off slightly before 1am and we had a very bumpy and disrupted journey to our first border post which we arrived at around 4:20am. It took two hours to get stamped out of Nicaragua. We then had to get stamped into Honduras which took another hour and a bit. Then it was a dash across Honduras until we hit the El Salvadorean border, but were in the country by 11:30am. Unfortunately, we didn't get to San Salvador and off the bus until way past 4pm. Learning from experience, again, we had booked a hostel near to the bus terminus and so were able to get sorted and have some food quickly. We then hunkered down in our room in La Zona Hostal for the night.
On Tuesday we got picked up 10am and driven down to our house for the next month in Costa del Sol.
Photos: Top; Posy and Charlotte with Julio the grounds keeper and handyman from the finca. Right; Isabella refused to be in the other picture so I had to get her while she was in the car.
Hostal Ducle Suena
Left is a view of the courtyard and the door to our room taken from the second floor. Above, Posy and Isabella had lots of fun playing on the second floor, blissfully unaware of the millions of mosquitoes biting us.
The girls playing in our room in Hostal La Zona on Tuesday morning.
The kitchen of our current home in Costa del Sol.
A view of the pool from our front door. The beach is just over the wall and is gorgeous.