He is coming !! Oh my God !!
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So we are up, super early. We've got up at 6 o'clock, because today we are heading
to Somoto Canyon, with the Tour Group Somoto Canyon Adventura Extreme.
Yeah!
*** LATINO MUSIC ***
So we've just had our free briefing, from Maynor, who has explained that there are
actually, three different trails, easy is about two hours, middle is about four
hours, and the long one, is about six hours. We're definitely going to do the
middle one. The long one is far too much! And it's very varied it starts with a
hike. Then you trek through some water, varying
from ankle height, to sort of this height, then down the river on a rubber ring!
Throw yourself off a cliff! if you want to! And then a bit of canoeing, and then
finally a short hike, back to the beginning, of the start. So all of that
will take about four hours.
*** MUSIC ***
So after a short ride, we have started our hike with our guide, Juan, who is going
to be our guide for today, to make sure we don't get lost and look after us, and
yeah, it is beautiful, beautiful scenery. The sun is out, but not too strong at the
moment. It is 4 km from the Honduran border. We chose to leave early, at 7 O'clock this morning, because the sun
does get pretty fierce here, so by lunch time, which is when
we're going to finish. It's gonna be pretty hot, so bare that in mind, that if
you start your hike late morning because you want a lie in, when you finish you're
gonna be burnt!!
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The river behind us, is Rio Coco and it is the longest river in Central America, and it is 680 Kilometers long!!
So the canyon here in Somoto, in parts of it can be as high as 250 meters high! I'm definitely not jumping off that !!
*** MUSIC ***
So Juan, was just explaining that the oldest person he has taken on this tour
is 71, so if you're worried about your age? It's not your age that's important!
It's your physical ability, which is why we're struggling !! So what's amazing is
that although the water level here in the canyon, is really low, because it's
the dry season, actually in the height of the rainy season, the water would
actually come up to about where we're standing now. Which when you look behind,
it's quite hard to actually imagine. How spiky is that tree? The Sabre tree
is actually covered in these little spikes, so you definitely wouldn't want
to be climbing that one!!
*** MUSIC ***
So today, is actually is one of our first days ,where we're gonna film the
entire video on new GoPro 7, (Gladys) yeah, Gladys the GoPro because
obviously there's lots of water involved today, and although I have a dry bag and
they give you a dry bag, it makes you nervous, taking your good cameras
into the water, so we're using the GoPro because apparently it's
waterproof!! Famous last words!! NO ! the GoPro is waterproof to 10
meters, so today we're going to do everything on our new GoPro
*** MUSIC ***
So we just started our actually in the canyon now, and the rocks around us
are amazing.
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JUAN has been super helpful, and been spotting birds and trees on the way. But we have just arrived at this point of the canyon,
and you can see behind me there is like a massive hole and there is a rock in it, and apparently when the torrential rain.
And the water is flooding through this canyon, this rock will be moving around, actually cutting out,
and creating this big circular hole, that is why it is all smooth, how fascinating is that, the power of water!!
*** MUSIC ***
So we're just getting changed now. I've got my swimmers under my shorts, we've
got some water shoes, because this is the part of the trek where we're gonna get wet
So when you're walking through the water, just be careful, as some of the
rocks are super slippery!! He says holding a GoPro in one hand! so
you might be thinking. why have they got water shoes in a rucksack?
Where you hardly carry anything! Because, we like to swim in the sea and we've
seen and experienced, so many mishaps in the sea and bare feet, from sea urchins,
to glass, to shells, but we always carry a little pair of water shoes with us.
And today, is a perfect example, of why they good to carry with you.
*** MUSIC ***
Marianne's just spotted the rubber rings waiting for us as she's super
excited!! Rubber rings - Woooo Hoooo
*** MUSIC ***
So actually, this Canyon in Central America is very unique, and it's one of
the main tourist attractions, here in Nicaragua. So if you do come to Nicaragua, head
up North to Somoto. Because this is my kind of day.
Here comes Juan, so normally in the rainy season, this canyon would be rapids and
the water, would be moving much much faster, but we're actually in the height of the dry
season which means it's much more relaxing and honestly I'm not
complaining
*** MUSIC ***
I am loving it, it is so beautiful and peaceful, it is lovely.
Ordinarily, there wouldn't be a guide pushing you, because you'd be hammering
down the rapids. But, because it's a little bit slower they're helping you ..
Superb Service!! I love Nicaragua !!
*** MUSIC ***
I love this! This is the best money, I have ever spent.
So relaxing and so safe, it's lovely
*** MUSIC ***
So you come to a part of the canyon, where you get a choice, of where you jump
off !! So just to give you some kind of perspective, down on the bottom here
where the rope is you have to jump a few meters to get into the water, or varying
degrees of height, all the way up to .. Must be 20 meters at the top there. Juan
is already were getting ready to jump off, and I think he's completely crazy !! And
the other guy, says he's gonna go off the top!! but I think I'm gonna
jump off the bottom. Because I don't know how deep is!!
*** MUSIC ***
Oh my god okay so the time
has come for me and MarIanne, to jump into the water, and it's probably gonna be
quite cold !! It is cold!! and although it's only a few meters high it still feels quite high, Uno, Dos, Tres !! Wooo Hoooo
I don't like it !!
*** MUSIC ***
He must be crazy!! ha ha - WOW!! That is amazing !!
I am jumping for my friends from England - Chris and Marianna from TREAD the Globe
*** MUSIC ***
So we've come out of the canyon, and the sun is just beaming down on us now.
And you forget how hot the Sun is here, because we've been chilling in the canyon
which is all shaded. I think I might need to use both hands !!
*** MUSIC ***
So Irvin, the guide with the rubber rings. That's his office!! and what a beautiful office to have and
you can see all the rings piled up there behind us,
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and it's perfect timing just when we've arrived, here comes the boat
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Now we have a nice relaxing boat ride, down the river, with our new captain of
the boat, Francis! behind us. And this is the relaxing part, before we do the trek.
This is the relaxing part ? I think it has all been relaxing! amazing!
*** MUSIC ***
We have had a fabulous time. I have now got my sun protection gear on and we're
going to go for a hike and go and have some lunch. We are having a fabulous time!
Everybody is so friendly, and we found a little pit stop for some drinks which is
always good, after a hot sunny journey in a boat. So the last part of the journey
is a two kilometer hike, along the Canyon and then up a hill. And you do get a
choice to do it with horses, which you can see behind us, but as a big western
English man. I couldn't put my weight on a horse, so we decided that it would be
kinder of for the horse to walk up the hill. We're taking one for the team
because I like horses, and I don't want the poor horse to be
exhausted carrying me up the hill.
*** MUSIC ***
There are loads of tadpoles in the river behind us !! We said it already, but it is really hard to
imagine ,that actually during the rainy season, all of this land that we're
walking on now, would be ten meters or more under
water, because although there are puddles of water around, it's still so
dry. So we're able to take a shortcut along the riverbed.
*** MUSIC ***
So we're finishing our day, with a bit of lunch, so we've stopped off for lunch at
this Commodor, and we've got some chicken some rice, some salad some
cheese, some plantain, some pop and it's All Good.
that's Marianne's best turkey impression!
So behind us is? what's it called Cerra
Negra? NO the Rio Coco !! ha ha ha !! That is the volcano I am wearing the t-shirt for !!! Ha Ha
JAWS !! coming up behind you !! Ha Ha
In the middle !! Three, two .... !! Ha Ha
Okay, behind us is what ? Ha Ha - I can't remember .... Cut !
Go on you can do this !!! ..... It is the height thing but you can do it !! I am here, as long as you land in the middle you are fine! Ha Ha
Yeahhhh Babbbbyyyy !!! Ha Ha
Three, two one ..... Three, two, one ...... Ha Ha
I have got a puppy !!