Having been born and raised in the Pacific Northwest just outside of Seattle, I was definitely no stranger to the mountains and snow sports adventures. While not even a passable skier or snowboarder, I knew many people that were and had tried my hand at both. Although used to snow, rain, and wind, the thought of sledding or boarding down a sandy volcano while volunteering with GIVE in Nicaragua was definitely foreign; but for me traveling is worthless without new experiences. Sandboarding down Cerro Negro in Nicaragua feels like you’re in a GoPro commercial; and, ironically, the activity itself was featured on ESPN’s “Wide World of Sports” only a few weeks after I returned home.  On “The Thrill Seekers Bucket List: 50 Things to do Before you Die,” CNN rated sandboarding down volcanoes as number two and for me it became the number one thing to brag to my friends about.

The minute you are done it seems like it only lasted seconds. As intense as these accolades make it sound, it is actually pretty easy to control your speed by simply braking with your feet.  However, I recommend going as fast as is comfortable for you. While everyone (naturally) dealt with some nerves before boarding down, from those who were afraid of heights to those who bailed out on the way down, my group seemed to agree that we all wished we could do it again.

The thrill of the wind flying past your face and sand flying up in your wake is unmatched, and just like a kid on a water slide, you can’t help but jump up yelling and cheering at the end. The feeling of accomplishment, especially for someone who had broken bones while trying both skiing and snowboarding, was unmatched especially as the whole group returned to the bus dusty and dirty but feeling like champs.