Another Puncture in Costa Rica

Wednesday 12th March
I have now been travelling on my own for 16 days and its not that bad at all. At first it was a bit of a shock to discover I was on my own without any notice or discussion but I quite like it now even though some times it would be nice to have some company. My mobile phone is flat again and I need some silver paper for the fuse as I can not get a replacement fuse the correct size here. Send and receive a few e-mails this morning and get a very good supportive e-mail from Bill which cheers me up and reminds me to enjoy the trip. I will enjoy myself. I get directions for NW and head for the airport which is hell for the first 30 mins but then once I arrive passed the airport the traffic clears and the goings is OK. Then soon the traffic is reduced to a crawl for 60 /80 kms its very slow going up and down and past road works. At each road works traffic lights I take the opportunity to get passed miles of traffic ( about 1 km each time) before traffic comes the other way. Its now very hot again so I can remove my jacket sleeve ( so glad I bought this BMW jacket as has 3 layers and plenty of vents and can also remove the sleeves completely still leaving the elbow armour on a net sleeve. Having got passed all the long traffic jams I need some food so stop for lunch (Pasta with shrimps in cream) at 1030 hrs and watch all the lorries goes passed again. I am now somewhere between Canas and south of Liberia about 120 kms from the border town of Penas Blancas which I want to pass though today. Mt right leg is sore but the dressing is OK and my stomach is also fine so fingers crossed. From up here in the mountains I can just see the sea which I think is Puntarenas and there is a large liner in port.
After lunch I discover I am 18kms south of Canas and I can see the cloud covering the mountains ahead again. Thee is still lots of traffic going my way and it is also very hot. I fill up with petrol and spend 2400 local. A little later (1500 hrs) I stop to take a photo and within 5 minutes have another rear wheel puncture. I stop under a bus shelter in the shade and next to a young lad sitting in his pick up truck. I can't believe it another puncture! and in the same place as before ma nail though the centre of the three last patches. The guy with the pick up helps me get the bike onto the centre stand and I remove all the luggage and put it into the bus stop. I find two holes in the inner tube and all too close to the last patches. Luckily I had bought a new HD rear inner tube in Bogota and also discover I have an extra hour as the clocks have gone back again. Again I have lots of trouble getting the bead broken on the rear tyre but am becoming a bit of an expert now doing this on my own. In the end taking in consideration my gained hour I only lose half an hour and may still make the border before it closes. Puncture is repaired by 1500 hrs Costa Rica time and now only 36kms to the border. I have been in Central America 3 days now and by 1400 hrs each day the wind gets up and is very gusty but not as strong as in Patagonia, but not constant so difficult to stay on my side of the road above 80 kph.
At the border the Costa Rica paper work is easy and I change 29000 for Nicaragua currency (about divide by 40) so got about 580 may even have been 480 who knows or is counting.
I head for the Nicaragua border and its hell here lots of people selling stuff, too many offices to have a clue which to go too and then 3 young lads say they will help me for free. ( nothings free I think). Its now 1600 hrs and I accept their offer and so starts a long drawn out procedure.
1st bike clearance document and US$ 12 then entrance fee for me US$7 then back to Aduna and get stamp and then back and forth to offices and see some people 3 times. Bike spray US$3. Police check of bike paper work will take a wait of over an hour unless I pay 180 local which means it will be signed without him even turning up to see the bike. Tip to three lads 100 local. All in all an expensive afternoon but I then pay another US$ 1 to get though the final border control and cross into Nicaragua within one hour ( Nicaragua side only) Costa Rica took 15 mins. Its now 1700 hrs so I head for the Rivas which is only 36 kms away and I think I will be there before 1800 hrs. Entrance into Nicaragua seems a bit of a rip off after all the other countries but I soon discover its not the most expensive country. Every worked as long as you are prepared to pay pay pay. I don't expect to in Nicaragua for more than 2 days. I do make it to Rivas at 1800 hrs and after trying three hotels I finally find one for 200 local (US$10) but nor quite sure of the exchange rate. I go in search of a bank but decide to abandon the idea as area looks a bit dodgy and its now dark so go back to hotel and eat what every one else has ( chicken, rice, tomato's, beans and chips) which cost 60 Cordoras. The fan in the room is noisy, the shower cold but other wise OK but a bit primitive but the bed is comfy even if the bottom sheet looks 2nd hand! I decide to wash my T shirt and pants in the shower but forget to remove my passport holder so my passport gets a good soaking. I also now have a load of wet US$'s. I am also nearly out of Cordoras ( have 40) and I think 500 may be about US$25.