AVENTUREROS - My Brave Family

We have had a long week of language school. We did nothing touristico during the week so we decided we would go on a canopy tour at the Mombacho Volcano. It was described as a number of platforms and ziplines near the top of a cloud forest and above a coffee plantation. Pam was OK with the idea if the zip lines were not too steep/fast. The kids had no idea what we were getting into.

On Friday after class we went with someone from our school named Andres, whose nickname is Guopo, which means handsome. He brought us through a poorer part of town where we picked up a broken down school bus. Isn’t that where all the bus stops are? It was HOT and took well over 30 minutes to cover 8 to 10km with lots of stops to pickup and drop off people. It is National Flag day here so there were many kids lined up to carry flags. We then walked about 1.5km uphill to the park/preserve. As they say – the journey is the adventure.

From there we took a truck up, up and up to near the top of the volcano. We quickly got suited up with harnesses and helmets and hiked up to the first platform. While we were getting our instructions the fear started to set in. No one was quite sure about the idea now that all we could see is a steel cable and a platform far away high in a tree. Pam and Danielle were ready to back down and Simon would only go attached to the guide. So our brave Simon went first and then Danielle, Pam and the guide, all attached together. There were smiles around. After a few zip lines Pam and Simon were on their own and Danielle was starting to go with the guide but holding on herself. After one zip line she said she would like to go like the last time, with the guide beside her. Instead the guide hooked her on and shot her down the line. She ended the ride with a smile and from there on rode solo. By the end we were going upside down and no hands. By the end of the afternoon we had done 13 zip lines for a total of about 1,500m. The view was spectacular from the lines and platforms. Although there was no explanation of the trees and other features we certainly saw many big trees, parts of a coffee plantation and some huge tiger ants.

Look Mom, no hands!

Everyone got the last laugh on Dad though. When we did the last zip line to the ground the guides shook the line up and down and I was sure I was going to hit the ground. You can hear my screams of terror and laughter below.




As we made the hike back to the bus the kids said they want to work at the Mombo Canopy tours – “You get to do ziplines all day for free.”

Next step – sandboarding down the side of a volcano!