All you computer geeks out there should check out the Kaiteur Falls on Google...the single biggest single drop falls that runs all year in the world (the Angel Falls in Venezuela is bigger but dries up for some time in the year)..Geologists reckon that the Falls has been like this for 250,000 years , that the rocks below are deadly slippery and that only a handful of people have abseiled to the bottom. It took us from Monday to Thursday afternoon to travel by minibus, a 4 x4, a river ferry journey three boat journeys three treks through the rainforest and a 1300 foot climb in 100% humidy at 34 Centigrade carrying rucksacs to get to the top.This was a trip and a half with 10 of our collegues and an Amerindian family who accompanied us throughout. It is rare these days to go somewhere so remote where very few people live and there are fewer tourists.It is even rarer for OAPs to get there like this.
The forest is undisturbed and although all rainforests hold within themselves all manner of flora and fauna ( the pictures are only a small sample) the place is a curiously friendly one to explore. Others more experienced than I have commented on this characteristic of the Guyanese Rainforest in comparison with the hostile flora of the Borneo, Indonesian and Madagascan forests, despite the Guyanese one being the least explored!
Trudy proved to herself that she is fitter than most people whatever age by getting to the top but I have never sweated so much in doing so...It was like being put in a bath before the climb and then climbingbut it was not as arduous as the Roirima trip last year. The Amerindian family especially the youngsters Roo ( a delightful 15 year old girl)David and George and their cousin Reuben made light work of it...bmy goodness they are fit and strong people...epitomised by the granny of the family who climbed with her babay grandson on her back in a homemade sling. We slept in hammocks and ate well if a little monotonously but the company was good and we had many laughs along the way. Abi's brother Matt had only been in the country a week and he was great, Jason typically made light of a troublesome toe and Chris our Peace Corp buddy from Bartica coped well with a nastly cut on the elbow..Well done Michelle for geting the whole thing organised..
1 comment:
Hi Derek & Trudy,
I've no idea if this will get to you, but I wanted to say that I had a similar experience overland to Kaiteur back in 1968! My wife and I were VSO volunteers in Georgetown - I lectured in electronics at the Government Technical Istitute and she developed a literature syllabus for schools using Caribbean writers at the Teacher Training College.
We were a mixed buch of about 12 volunteers and we travelled up to Bartica by river boat, where we stayed the night. Next day, we travelled along jungle tracks in the back of an old army lorry with canvas seats - very uncomfortable after many hours of bumpy terrain. We the took two river boats up the Kaiteur river (hiking round some rapids in berween) and ended up at a Government Resthouse on the river bank, where we cooked on a camp fire and slept in hammocks. Our third day was an arduous track through the forest, finally climbing up to come out at the top of Kaiteur Falls. Wow! Unforgettable!
We then had to do the same journey in reverse, during which I was bitten on the toe by a vampire bat. Very painful, but a source of great amusement to everyone else.
Of course, unlike you, we we comparatively young (mid-twenties) but though we are now retired teachers, this was one of our most memorable experiences.
I should love to hear more from you - we can be reached by email at michaeljj42@me.com
Michael JeansJakobsson
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