Where are my Picturesque Islands?

Big Corn, Corn Islands, Nicaragua

The plane touched down and my first thought was, “Hmph, I pictured Caribbean islands as being sunny.” I’m not all that unjustified; the Bay Islands in Honduras were the picture of perfection. Instead, the sky was slate gray and it was windy. Really windy. It felt like there was a hurricane blowing through sans rain. This was not meeting my picturesque idea of Caribbean islands of sunny blue skies, white sand and turquoise water. Apparantly, December is “Windy Season”. Fantastic.

From Corn Islands 2011-01 Windy on Big Corn Island

Luckily December is almost over so I’m hoping the wind ends when the new year begins. My second day on Big Corn began the same way that yesterday ended; cloudy and windy. At 12:30 the clouds separated and I headed to the beach. The wind persisted but was a welcome relief from the piercing heat of the sun. The fine, white sandy beaches felt how I imagine fluffy, white clouds would feel if it were possible to walk on them.

Over time I’ve found my mood is solar powered. If it’s cloudy for too long I’m not happy. Traveling in Central America has only exacerbated these feelings. Two days of clouds has me unhappy. Maybe I’m just getting spoiled or maybe travel has me realizing what I like in life and what I don’t like I simply have little patience for (Is this my father’s personality beginning to show in me?). Other things I’m beginning to have no patience for are taxi drivers, people wanting to ‘help’ me and street beggars. I’m finding myself hardly acknowledging their existence and when I do it’s not usually in a very polite manner.

Whatever is causing the bad weather on the islands doesn’t matter too much. I have time to wait. I have three reasons for coming to these islands.
1. Diving
2. Enjoying white sandy beaches and crystal clear turquoise water.
3. View the frontiers of Nicaragua.

All three will be done.

Photos of the Corn Islands