We have been in Guyana for 2 months now and things are
definitively improving here. I started running again: very difficult after 3
months with no aerobic exercise and the heat here. I wait until 5:30pm and do
short 20-minute runs for now. I also acquired an old bicycle (from another
volunteer leaving). A bit rusty and clunky but that will do: it’s so flat here
with lots of bumps and holes in the street. It is also a much lower risk to get
it stolen: if someone go to the extent of cutting my lock that means they need
it more than me!
Last weekend we went to another resort a little further from
Georgetown. With a first car drive to Parika, a speedboat ride (rough on the
return trip) across the Essequibo River and another taxi on the other side,
after 3 hours of travel we made it to Lake Mainstay Resort. Much larger than
the other one we visited before and the facilities are a bit run down but the
big attraction is the fresh water lake and its beautiful white sand beach. It’s
the same clear “dark-rum” color than anywhere else but warm: the temperature of
the water is about the temperature of your body so you walk in the water and
you can hardly see a difference. Still refreshing and very nice to swim. This
resort is where Patricia is planning to take her group of participants for the
course she is preparing in November. When she is there I was planning to go to
French Guyana, 680 kilometers from here. Well it looks like there is no way to
get there from Georgetown!!! Even by road the trip is not a small adventure and
flying would involved a long detour to Guadeloupe or Martinique!!! I will start
checking the various tour organizers in town to see what can be done. My main
interest there (beside the wine and croissants) would be to go to Kourou the
European Space Centre where they launch all of their satellites. At more than a
dozen launches a year there is a good chance I would be able to attend one of these launch
and visit the Centre. We will see…Jean-Claude
(From Patricia)
Lake Mainstay was a wonderful rest. I spent most of the time in the
water. The lake was clean even though the water was black from tannins (I
think!). The water was HOT but refreshing none-the-less. The boat ride
across the second-largest river, the Essequibo, was the most harrowing as the
water was rough and the little speed boat just bounced around (see photo
below)! One really needs to trust the drivers of minibuses, taxis, and
boats!!! I just keep on telling myself that they don't want to wreck
their vehicles so they must be very careful!
I too am finally
settling in, especially since I have found a gym and can start exercising
again. It is small but air-conditioned, a critical factor for me.
We also hope to start yoga classes at the Indian High Commission in October. The heat makes it impossible for me to exercise outdoors (J.C. is very brave to
go running) and walking at night is not advisable given the security
issues. We continue to explore the restaurants of Georgetown, going to a
new one once a week. Visiting the neighboring "resorts" every
second weekend helps us to cope with Georgetown. The VSO/Cuso library has
several DVDs that we watch on our laptop. There are lots of books to read
as well. So life continues to be good.....
 |
| My new "clunker" - ma nouvelle bécane |
 |
| The small speedboat ferries to cross the large Essequibo river - les petits bateaux passeurs qui nous font traverser la grande rivière Essequibo |
 |
| The "sardines" in the speedboat - les "sardines" dans le bateau passeur |
 |
| The entrance to the Lake Mainstay Resort - l'entré du centre de villégiature du Lac mainstay |
 |
| Our little cabin - notre petit logement |
 |
| Other larger cabins with 2 bedrooms - d'autres chalets avec 2 chambres à coucher |
 |
| Ha the beach: no sea water but beautiful white sand - Ha la plage: pas d'eau de mer mais un magnifique sable blanc |
 |
| Same nice and clear "dark rum" color water in this lake than the creeks at our previous resorts - la même eau claire mais de couleur "rum brun" dans ce lac qu'on a eu dans les autres centres que nous avons visités |
 |
| Full "blue moon" rising over the lake - levé de la pleine lune sur le lac |
No comments:
Post a Comment