Visit50: Travel the World

I went Volcano Boarding! (and lived to tell about it…)

Volcano Boarding is #2 on CNN’s “Thrill seekers bucket list: 50 things to do before you die.” They say Cerro Negro Volcano in Nicaragua is the only place in the world that has it. Naturally I booked my flight right away. It was so much fun!

Here’s the experience, in 26 photos:

wearing orange on the top of Cerro Negro before Volcano Boarding Nicaragua! — Prison Break? Orange Is The New Black? Nope – we’re on the top of a volcano, about to sled down as fast as we can. Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua!

Volcano Jumping! - Volcan Cerro Negro — Volcano Jumping! – jumping on top of Cerro Negro volcano in Leon, Nicaragua

What is Volcano Boarding? Volcano Sledding

It’s a bit of a misnomer – Volcano Boarding is less like snowboarding, and more like sledding. You’re not standing up; instead you’re

Cerro Negro is a live volcano, which erupted as recently as 1999. They’ll have a speed gun to track you – the record is more than 80 kilometers per hour down the volcano.

right after my first time volcano boarding in Nicaragua! — this is right after my first time volcano boarding in Leon! That was awesome!

Ready to hike the volcano with our volcano boards. You can see how high tech these boards are (sarcasm...) — Ready to hike the volcano with our volcano boards. You can see how high-tech these boards are (sarcasm…)

Climbing up a volcano cerro negro in Nicaragua. Lava rocks carrying plywood sleds and uniforms that look like prison suits — Climbing up a volcano full of lava rocks carrying plywood sleds and prison suits? check.

At the top of Cerro Negro in Leon Nicaragua. You can see where the lava wiped out everything in its path — At the top of Cerro Negro. You can see where the lava wiped out everything in its path

I can hardly believe we climbed this beast

this pic almost doesn't look real. He's standing at the edge of the top of the volcano — this pic almost doesn’t look real. He’s standing at the edge of the top of the volcano

View from the top of the volcano; it almost doesn't look real. That hole behind me would be quite a drop! — View from the top of the volcano; it almost doesn’t look real. I’m one step from falling into a huge crater behind me!

Hiking Cerro Negro Volcano – the climb

The hike was just a few hours long, and isn’t as difficult of a hike as it seems. The only challenging part is that you’re awkwardly carrying your board while hiking. There’s barely a trail and no trees to hold for stability. The first third of it is challenging because of the uneven rocks, while carrying a board. The rest is challenging because of the incline, while carrying a plywood board.

hiking the Cerro Negro volcano in Nicaragua — there’s no ski lift – we’re about to hike this active volcano in Nicaragua (in Leon)

hiking up the edge of a volcano, before boarding down. There's no rails or trails here! — hiking up the edge of a volcano; there’s no rails or trails here!

climbing up for Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua — we’re living on the edge!

Breathtaking views from the top

Once you arrive at the top, the views are stunning! They’re also very scary once you realize you’ll be volcano boarding down this volcano.

Volcano jumping! That's the edge of the cliff of Cerro Negro Volcano below me — Volcano jumping! That’s the edge of the cliff of Cerro Negro Volcano below me

scary view down Volcan Negro — Are we really doing this?? It looks reeeeally steep. I had a little “stage-fright.” It’s a long scary way down. If there was an easy way to chicken out I might have…

Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua -view from the top — Views from the top

What’s it like to go Volcano Boarding?

You get into these (seemingly) former prisoner one-piece outfits. They’re hot so you won’t want to put them on until you need to.

You sit on the board with your hand on the rope, and feet on the board. You can go faster by leaning back; slower by sitting up. You can let your heels go to the outside of the board to apply the brakes. It surprisingly felt like I had some control. If I did it again, I’d certainly let myself go faster.

check out the world-class Volcano Boards we're about to use, wooden toboggan, made of plywood with a piece of Formica on a strip of metal — check out the world-class Volcano Boards we’re about to use, wooden toboggan, made of plywood with a piece of Formica on a strip of metal

they use a speed gun to measure how fast you go volcano boarding down — introducing…Volcano Boarding! CNN named Volcano Boarding as #2 in the world on the “Thrill seekers bucket list: 50 things to do before you die” That’s a speed gun in the guy’s hand

Is Volcano Boarding safe?

Debatable. From one standpoint, it felt fairly safe, but go at your own risk. They say it is, but then again, they’re collecting your money. You’re flying down an active volcano at crazy speeds. While we had a prison jumpsuit to protect from minor skin abrasions and goggles, there’s no helmet or armor. It feels very unsafe but lots of fun.

guide explains how to go volcano sledding — Our fearless guide shows us the ropes – he was a traveler until he went volcano boarding 6 months ago and was instantly hooked. Now he volunteers as a guide in exchange for free volcano boarding

With a straight face, the guide said “the secret to the technology is formica on the back” that helps you pick up speed even though we’re on an active volcano. “But don’t leave it out in direct sunlight , or it might peel off.” Yes he actually called it technology.

There's 1 guy with a camera, and another with a speed gun. Neither has medical training, but that's rarely needed... — There’s 1 guy with a camera, and another with a speed gun. Neither has medical training, but that’s rarely needed…

closeup photo of Volcano Boarding or Volcano sledding in Leon, Nicaragua - in the only place in the world where you can do it — Afterward they show closeups of everyone Volcano Boarding at the hostel and provided your speed.

We lived! We survived volcano boarding. Woohoo!

Where can you go Volcano Boarding?

The only place in the world where we’ve heard you can go volcano boarding is in Leon, Nicaragua, at Cerro Negro Volcano. Book it through Bigfoot Hostel.

I had hiked up a volcano before, but this was an active volcano, and we went sledding down it. Add it to your list!

group photo while riding an hour to the volcano. — Tip: If you go, it’s an hour ride to the volcano. You’ll be constantly ducking and avoiding tree branches, so keep alert!

See the full list of CNN’s “Thrill seekers bucket list: 50 things to do before you die.”

Where is Leon, Nicaragua?

Some other adventures that seemed crazy at the time –

Swimming in shark infested waters without a cage
Snorkeling with whale sharks

The John Lennon Wall in Prague is a memorial to singer John Lennon; it’s been a home to messages of peace, free speech, and non-violent rebellion (as well as some Beatles lyrics) since the 1980’s. The surprising part – Lennon never even visited Prague!

Why is there a Lennon Wall in Prague if Lennon never visited?

Lennon Wall in Prague - Laska means love. This was originally a white wall that said Wall is over. — Laska means love. This was originally a white wall that said Wall is over.

Peace at the Lennon Wall in Prague

While it was once just a regular wall, it was one of the few places in Prague where people could practice free speech under communism. Authorities often painted the wall white, but it would be filled up with free speech graffiti by the next day. People posting political slogans under communism came to be known as “Lennonists.”

What does Lennon have to do with Prague?

While Lennon never actually visited Prague, young pacifist Czechs view him as a hero. They view symbol of peace and free speech. Western pop songs were banned in Communist countries throughout the 1980’s.

Jumping for Peace at the Lennon Wall in Prague!

Fascinating history explained:

When John Lennon was murdered in 1980 he became a sort of hero to some of the young and his picture was painted on this wall, for whatever reason right here, along with graffiti defying the authorities. Back then the Czech people had few opportunities to express their feelings with their lack of freedom. By doing this, those young activists risked prison for what authorities called “subversive activities against the state”.
But the threat of prison couldn’t keep people from slipping there at night to scrawl graffiti first in the form of Beatles lyrics and odes to Lennon, then they came to paint their own feelings and dreams on what came to be known as the Lennon Wall.

The Communist police tried repeatedly to whitewash over the portrait and messages of peace but they could never manage to keep the wall clean. On the second day it was again full of poems and flowers with paintings of Lennon. Even the installation of surveillance cameras and the posting of an overnight guard couldn’t stop the opinions from being expressed. [credit: Prague.net]

More photos of the Lennon Wall in Prague:

here’s the full panorama of the Lennon Wall in Prague from when I visited in 2015

street musicians often play Beatles songs as tourists take photos here. In the center of the photo is my friend Eve

Message of Peace at the Lennon Wall

Just around the corner from the Lennon Wall are these locks of love