Baganara

We spent last weekend, which saw some fairly British-style rain, and fittingly commemorated our wedding anniversary (the only day it rained in the summer of 1976), at Baganara, an island resort on the Essequibo river, another big river running in from the coast (Georgetown is on the Demarara). Getting there was quite a trek - most travelling in Guyana is fairly complicated - involving a taxi ride to Parika, a crowded speedboat down the Essequibo to Bartica, and a smaller boat across to the island. The rivers are really enormous and muddy, like lakes, and quite reminiscent of the Finnish lakes we saw last autumn (apart from the temperature), with trees and mangroves down to the shore. We passed ourselves off as 'experienced' canoeists, and kayaked round Baganara island a couple of times, in between the showers, seeing lots of birds and a howler monkey, and avoiding the large groups of day-trippers brought in to celebrate Father's Day on Sunday. The food, to be fair, was pretty good, compared to what is on offer in the eco-resorts, but given this is considered luxurious living in Guyana, it didn't really represent value for money in western terms. We came back on the firm's boat, open to some fairly heavy rain, and saw Eddie Grant's (of 'Baby Come Back' fame) abandoned house in the middle of the river, where Mick Jagger stayed when he visited to see the cricket.

Penny's project is progressing slowly but in danger of hitting the buffers with the Catch 22 of reluctance to 'build capacity' ie get some decent training, because any skilled people leave for better salary and conditions abroad.
UK visits planned over next month, so hope to see some of you then.