Thursday 1st March
Leave hotel by 0705 hrs and head toward Managua and then plan to cut corner by going to Masaya and Tipitapa but in the end I miss the turning so carry on to the city of Managua which will be a little further but on a faster road. The road into Manaqua is along the side of a large lake with huge Volcano's in it. I arrive in Manaqua by 1130 hrs and soon find the road out to the airport and out of town. At 1230 hrs I am waiting at the front of a queue of traffic at red traffic lights, I pull away once they turn green and 100 metres up the road I am beckoned to pull over by two policemen. I am accused of changing lanes which I deny and am taken to a car on the side road to show my driving licence, passport and bike import papers. These are all in order but now there are 4 policemen and one policewoman who refuse to give me back my driving licence until I take them to my bank and give then 600 Cordoras. I tell them they have make a mistake how could I be changing lanes when I was at the front of all the traffic. They speak no English and me no Spanish and after about 30 minutes they radio for some more assistance, a police motor bike with two more police turn up and offer me a pair of handcuffs. The policeman holding my driving licence tells me I will have to take his word for it, I tell him it is not true and think to myself why did I give up my original driving licence ( this was the first time I had used my original driving licence on the whole trip so I was a kicking myself) I had two colour photocopies for events just like this. I go back to the bike which is blocking one lane of the three lanes out of town and collect my camera and wallet. Me against 7 lying policeman who seem to think I will take them to a bank does not seem too assuming. In the end I give then 600 Cordoras and tell them they are corrupt, I am angry and as I walk away I take a couple of photos of them all but they all turn their backs so I take another photo of their car number plate " Police one". The choice of having to be handcuffed or paying US$ 30 was not a hard decision. As I drove away I remembered I had forgotten to ask for a proper receipt which further annoyed me. Bloody crooked coppers spoiling my day in Nicaragua! how dare they! I thought the border was expensive but now that make Nicaragua even more expensive. I consider not stopping next time and certainly not using my real licence again. I am stopped again for a 4th time today but this time there is no hassle.
I pass a GB plated Land Rover and give it a quick beep and wave. Miles further on I stop for a coke and the Land Rover drives pasted and turns around for a chat. Mum, dad and son (10) have been travelling for about 18 months and have not been in the UK for about 12 years and have been in Africa all that time. We are both heading towards Esteli but I will carry on to the border as I think I need to make up some time. I arrive at the border at 1500 hrs after buying a Garode to drink and then chop down for a fuel funnel. I leave Nicaragua within 15 mins and move on to the Honduras border. Hear I am offered help from an Aduna official with a proper ID badge. The road to the border had been hilly but fast but difficult to take photos as no pull offs. At road junctions there were no signs to say where to go, who's right of way it was or how far any thing was.
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