Surf at Last 🌊🌊

We had one last day on the Ruta De Las Flores so dropped into the last town on the road. A bustling market was on and the streets full of fresh greens and colourful old ladies. Had the best brunch pupusa on the plaza and stuck our heads in the local museum to discover there was another badass waterfall nearby. We looked at each other and nodded, another adventure ahead, so asked the staff how to get there and declined the offer of a guide for the chance of more mischief.

We drove the back lanes a few kms out of town, past a local swimming hole and through narrow lanes into a small village. The store lady, between flirting with the baker, welcomed us to park on their drive and so we wandered off down the track with Franky safely watched. Initially through orchards and farms set on the hills, we lost the trail, asked for help, found it again then almost missed the turn off. A family was there and their 10yo daughter quickly caught us up and offered to show us the rest of the way, hand in hand with Jelly.

We dropped into a deep canyon and followed the river around 100ft sheer sides to a small pool and high falls, an impressive sight with sun beams braking through the canopy. We swam and retraced our steps, learning lots from the young girl and were welcomed into the family yard on our way past. Three of them, three of us, we sat around drinking fresh coconuts, talking and laughing. A beautiful family living in the middle of the cultivated hills with no road access but warm hearts and fresh food everywhere. It was a special experience, especially when the father insisted on a beer run to keep us chatting longer. We could have stayed all day and night! But the road was calling and so was the beach.

It was getting later in the afternoon but we boosted through the final few corners of the Ruta de las Flores and through the big town at the end, skipping a supply run, we were keen to hit the coast before sundown. An hour to the sea then half an hour round coastal corners until we turned into Mizata. The first campsite was a no go but we drove past a perfect property and Armie did his finest German negotiations to get us a cheap camp in a beautiful plot, Don Miguel's! An acre garden of coconut palms and grass, across the road from the beach, surf and sand football pitch. It felt like we were home!

Over the next 4 days we refused to leave. The camp was all ours and so chilled, Miguel greeted us warmly every morning, the shop/ bar/ restaurant at our front gate got to know us well and laughed at our evening beer runs and the pupusa ladies round the corner were a very cheap daily fed! We lived well for our time there, made friends with some of the other local business owners and surfed twice a day for 4 days, otherwise lounging around hammock style and pocking about the sleepy village. The surf was tricky but so

enjoyable, for those who know... the beach break was a left or right and dominated by body boarders so hollow and heavy, a left over the beach reef too but the wave of choice was a hidden cobblestone-bottom, shallow, river mouth righthand point. It was challenging, beautiful and entirely empty of others! With sunrise views along the cliffs and sunsets down the beach it was an amazing place to call a local break for 4 days. I felt very fortunate! I surfed well and loved it, Jelly took on the point one nervous sundown evening and smashed it too getting a clear wave of the day winner. It was good to surf again!

Mizata was absolute camping perfection and a real paradise village but after putting off leaving twice we did reluctantly head on as the rest of the coast was full of other perfect righthand point break waves and backpacker fishing villages. The next few days we cruised the coast, surfed all over the place and camped rogue more than

once. Our favourite being with a guy called Elvis, clearly a big deal in a small town, he saw us drive by to the beach and as we passed again Armie flirted his way into camping in a derelict plot opposite Elvis who was sitting on his drive with a fire pit and rocking chair, smoking and drinking, celebrating his birthday! Naturally we joined him and even got a slice of the cake each. Salvadorians were really fantastic people!

Our last night with Armie was a camp on the most famous point break in the area, we cheersed to each other and fell asleep beery and the next morning we all rose early to watch the sunrise over the surf. A perfect wave but a hundred people already fighting for it, after empty days we let them have it and enjoyed the beauty in the day break. On our way out of town and a somewhat overdue supply run, we left our mate Armin on the side of the road, waiting for a bus or a hitch, which ever came first. A pleasure to have travelled in each others company, and mad memories made on the road!!