I realize I never completed Story #1 before delving into Story #2 on this blog. Close friends: This news is old. But it’s so, so nice to revisit.

Even though I saved my goal amount to go to Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, I didn’t make it there. The day of my trip, my visa was rejected due to an incorrect fee, and there was no way I could get around it. Long story. But what felt like a tragedy then quickly became a blessing: I switched my travel plans and hopped down to Nicaragua instead for a two-week tour with three close friends.

Nicaragua in a few words: Surprisingly affordable (even a super last minute plane ticket was only $600, compared to the $1000+ to get to Rio from Atlanta). Convenient. We hopped taxis to go most places, even between cities, because they were affordable and quick. It was practically like having a personal driver. Luxury! Gorgeous. Volcanoes with cloud forests, beach sunsets, hammocks at every hostel. Need I say more?

I decided to take three disposable cameras with me to Nica rather than my iPhone/digital camera. This helped me snap a moment, then dive back into the fun of it without becoming image-obsessed. Using the disposable also created a beautiful high-quality print that is so infinitely more satisfying than a digital shot. As a studio art major in college, I developed a deep love for film photography (pun intended!). I’m thinking about how to capture the essence of my time in Cambodia, and am wondering about taking my Dad’s old film Minolta. We’ll see!

These are some of my favorite images from Nica 2012: