Global Wanderer

Chapter 4 - The mighty Kaieteur Falls!

2015-01-16T11:51:00.002-08:00

Happy 2015!!

It’s mindboggling how many time I have tried to write this next blog but for some reason I just haven't been able to finish it. So much has happened since September and I realize it will be difficult to capture every special and exciting moment that has taken place since then without this turning into a dreary essay! So in the next few days I will endeavor to post several short but colourful pieces so that I can share my experiences with you in (hopefully) an easy to read friendly manner.

Happy reading!

xoxo

Global Wanderer

Kaieteur Falls

27-30 September

We left Rewa feeling a little wobbly after celebrating our last night with a few rums. Matt and I say farewell to Richard in Annai who heads down south to Lethem (I will join him later), while we jump into a plane and head north up to George Town.

left: Matt centre: Nat right: Rich

In George Town I am happy to go straight to a local pharmacy and load myself up with antibiotics, which at this stage is the only remedy that will have immediate effect on my ground itch. In a few days I will be on my way to Venezuela for a major hike and despite my positive ‘no worries’ attitude there is a part of me that doubts whether I will be in form. Putting this issue to the back of my mind, I focus on what is coming next: a trip to Guyana’s most visited landmark!

The following morning and after a good breakfast Matt and I make our way back to the airport to catch a flight to Kaieteur National Park. In little over an hour we are circulating the majestic falls and the view from the plane is simply spectacular.

226 metres/ 741feet high

On the ground we have around ninety minutes for a guided tour, which takes us to three look-out points (Boyscouts' View; Rainbow View; and Falls Top), while our guide provides us with information on the local flora and fauna, biodiversity and history of the falls. Unfortunately I only manage to capture one more snap of the majestic falls before my camera suddenly dies on me! : (

Boyscouts view

The Legend!

Kaeiteur Falls falls was appointed its name after a courageous chief/toshao known as ‘Kai’, leader of the Patamona tribe who resided in the area. His people were in danger of being attacked by the Carib’s, a fierce and warlike tribe. The Patamonas believed that a great sacrifice would be required to appease the great spirit ‘Makonaima’ who in return would save them from being destroyed by the Caribs. Therefore to save his tribe Kai took a canoe and paddled it and himself over the falls. Thus the name of the falls literally translates as ‘Kai falls’!

Before we realize the tour has concluded and are making our way back to the plane. For me the experience felt a little rushed. I didn’t feel like I was able to appreciate and embrace the falls for all that it is. I would recommend staying overnight or even better spreading the experience over a 3-4 day hike. It does cost more and requires time but would definitely be worth it!

On a different note

On the way back we make a quick stop in one of the mining towns to pick up a severely injured man, who had a deep gash to one of his arms and despite having bandages rapped firmly around it was seeping with blood. The cause behind this man’s injury was 'unknown'. Unfortunately, ‘accidents’ such as these happen on a daily basis and you have to be extremely lucky to come out of the mining industry unharmed or malaria free. And with it attracts other issues such as prostitution, which as of consequence increases the number of HIV and AIDS cases. I could go on and on about this issue especially on the environmental impacts but for time sake lets just say that it is a risky and destructive industry!

Luckily our flight is a smooth one and we are all relieved to see an ambulance waiting at the airport entrance to take this poor man to hospital.

Coming up next: The Lost World

Chapter 3 – A September to remember!

2014-10-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

September 2014

As we leave August behind, Rewa welcomes back Toria, programme coordinator for Fronteering. Sadly this will be her last working trip to Guyana as she takes on new and exciting projects back in the UK. Her role will be taken over by Ayla who will stay with us for another couple of weeks to complete the handover process. Rewa also welcomes Richard, a volunteer from the UK and two weeks later Matthew, another volunteer from Australia.

Trip up river

After a good four weeks of working, it is time for a little treat! Spicing things up Toria, Matt, Richard and myself head up river, deep into the jungle, for a six-day adventure to Corona falls. Over the next few days we spend our time exploring, hiking, wildlife spotting, fishing and diving in waterfalls, while our evenings are spent liming, gaffing, relaxing, playing cards and throwing back a couple of beers while watching the sunset.

As darkness falls, we make our way to our sleeping quarters and snuggle into our hammocks whilst listening to the sounds of nocturnal animals as they begin their day. It's times like these when your imagination can get the better of you and I did spend the better part of a night thinking that a hungry wild cat was about to have me for dinner, however as I found out the next day, the "growling noise" was simply the cry of a Potoo bird!

Over the next few days, we were very fortunate to see a variety of wildlife including: anaconda, capybaras, tapir, snakes, caiman, water dogs (otherwise known as giant otters) spiders, scorpion, swarms of butterflies, the footprint of a puma or jaguar, a number of bird species and even heard the cry of the very rare harpy eagle! We also had some memorable encounters, first with a group of waterdogs that swam past our campsite and stopped to have a discussion with us and then spotting a tapir we followed it for a good ten minutes down river and onto land!

Much fishing was done on this trip using bow and arrow, fishing lines and rods. Piranhas seemed to be all we could catch and were reeling them in faster than we could say "another Piranha"! Not surprising really, as the dam things are always the first to latch onto anything! I was lucky enough to catch a peacock bass and after quite a battle Richard caught an awarmie fish! Our guide, Rovin also caught a very striking catfish, which we released back into the river.

And before we know it our boat was indeed drifting back to Rewa's landing confirming that our six-day trip was over! After an exciting and relaxing week, it's now time to head back to work!

New duties

As school days return I too found myself back at school but this time in a teaching role. In the mornings I would help out at the nursery working with the little ones (4-5 year olds) who are without a doubt the cutest, funniest and cheekiest little monkeys ever! I was happy to see that our educational walls (that were painted last month) were being used as a learning tool.

My afternoons were spent at the primary school and despite my lack of experience and qualifications I often found myself teaching one of the classes (sometimes two at the same time). Why? Simply due to lack of resources! Imagine six classes squashed into a concrete building under a zinc roof, which traps the morning heat so that the room feels like a sauna. In total there are three teachers for six classes, which means that the children are often left unsupervised and to their own devices. Blackboards separate the classes and the teachers have to speak rather loudly in order to be heard by their students. The school has very little materials and what they do have is more often than not in poor condition. How they make do with so little and in such conditions is beyond understanding. They deserve so much more…

Having tasted what it is like to be a teacher, I honestly have a great appreciation for the profession. Being able to captivate pupils by making subjects interesting and fun whilst catering to different learning styles and needs is a rare and precious talent.

The return of ground itch!

For those of you who don’t know, ground itch (from what I understand) is a lovely fungal/parasite that lives in the sand, which normally infects dogs or cats. Humans just happen to be accidental hosts! Well lucky me managed to catch it (AGAIN!!) but this time in both feet! This nasty infection starts off pretending to be a mosquito bite but before you know it is has spread (scratching) from one part of your foot to the other. Bites turn into sores or blisters, making walking painful and your life simply uncomfortable.

Remedy? The list goes on and on but the most popular recommendations include: boring (bursting up the bites/blisters/sores); boiling leaves from the “tree of life” and squeezing the juice over the infected area; boiling bark and squeezing the juice over the infected area; kerosene or gasoline; mentholated spirits; urine (male for female/female for male); lime; vinegar; and anti-fungal cream. I did try a number of suggested treatments but wasn’t quite desperate enough to try urine or kerosene/gasoline just yet! In the end, the best remedy that really clears it up is a good old dose of antibiotics!

Sports day - Jaguar vs. Harpy!

As our final days in Rewa draw nearer we are delighted to spend them supporting the school sports day. The children trained hard and competed internally the week before, which saw the top two athletes from each house: Harpy and Jaguar, qualify for the final race that takes place on sports day.

Athletes who finish in first and second place on sports day are selected to compete at the Inter School competition a week later in Annai.

To my delight even the little ones from nursery school competed! So proud!

Me with some of the children and sanky the dog!

Farewell Rewa!

After two months of living, working and exploring this unique part of the world, it is time to say farewell. I hope to return one day to this special place to see how it changes and grows, especially those cheeky little monkeys who I have become so fond of!

Coming up next: Kaiteur Falls – The Lost World – Kanuku Mountains

Chapter 2 – Into the jungle!

2014-09-20T05:37:00.000-07:00

August 2014

Welcome to Rewa Village and to my home for the next two months!

Where is Rewa Village you may wonder?! Well despite not being able to find it on google maps the village is located in the center of Guyana in Region 9 - North Repununi and sits on the confluence of the Repununi and Rewa rivers. This region is covered by rainforest and savannah and has a rich ecosystem inhabited by a number of diverse species. The village itself consists of a nursery and primary school; a healthcare center; a small shop; church; and an eco-lodge. It has less than three hundred people, with the majority being from the Makushi (Amerindian) tribe.

George Town to Annai to Rewa Village

The flight from George Town to Annai is brilliant. Flying across incredible scenery on a twelve-seater plane is the perfect way to start the day. In Annai I am met by Ayla, who for the next three weeks would be my co-worker, roommate, guide, translator and friend. From Annai we drive to Kwatamang landing and take a two-hour motorboat ride down river through the stifling heat and rain. Destination: Rewa Village.

Rewa eco-lodge

This place is beyond my expectations! The eco-lodge is a well-managed, community run business, consisting of a main benab with fully equipped kitchen, dining area, store room and shop; two benabs used for accommodation for guests and three cabins with en-suite bathrooms, which are also for guests. The main office is also found on the property, as well as a generator (for electricity/internet etc.), equipment/boat shed and lodging for staff. What more could you want?!

Volunteer Projects

For the next month my tasks will include: running a summer club for the children on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings followed by computer classes in the afternoons; painting the nursery on Tuesday and Thursday’s (now complete!); and in my spare time working on ad-hock projects including the eco-lodge’s website and Rewa air strip.

As August comes to a close, so too does the nursery project, which turned out better than any of us could have imagined and in time for the first day of school! We are extremely proud of it but more importantly the children love it and the teacher uses it as an educational tool!

Our goal was to make it bright, colourful and educational. The section under 'Rewa Nursery School' is the 'national zone' where we have painted the national flag and flower. To the left are the nine tribes of Guyana with map and the ten administrative regions. To the right are images of national animals: jaguar and harpy eagle. We designed specific educational themes on the side walls including: the human body; alphabet tree; shapes; fruits and vegetables; days of the week; and months of the year. At the back of the nursery is the play area where we have painted landscapes and nature scenes as well as a musical rainbow.

The project involved many members of the community especially the "big boys" who blew us away with their talent for drawing and painting. We are SO thankful to them!!

A bug’s life

July-August is good old rainy season, which means the mosquitoes, kaboras (blood sucking flies) and ants are out to party! Many of you will know about my love-hate relationship with these creatures and my poor body (especially legs and feet) are suffering! To top it off I've also managed to sprain and break a toe nail in my right foot and have now caught "ground ich" (fungal infection) in both feet! The first time was under my left foot, which had to be bored (bled with a needle), which hurt but cleared up the infection. The second time I caught it in my left foot and toe and the third in my right foot in-between the toes. These were nastier cases and currently on antibiotics and anti-fungal cream. Fingers crossed it clears up soon!

Spare Time

There are plenty of activities to partake in and one of the most important activities is hammock time. There is not a day that goes by where we don’t spend at least an hour or two chilling lazily in our hammocks. The other is liming and gaffing or otherwise known as “hanging out” and “chatting.” This is the best way to get to know everyone and is an essential part of daily life.

On a more active note (as active I must be!) I have tried my luck at fishing, which I failed miserably! They said it was due to the high water levels (rainy season) and of course nothing to do with my fishing skills! Lol!. We hiked up Awarmie mountain and went canoeing at Grass Pond where we saw caiman, giant otters, numerous birds and insects; and super king sized lily pods.

At 5pm every day we meet for football, which is played barefoot in the sand or more recently on a grass field. There is also the odd running in the morning and general exercises.

Life in Rewa is simple and bliss. Work does not feel like work, which is just how it should be!

Coming up next: 6 day river trip - school sports day

Chapter 1 - Nicaragua

2014-08-18T04:57:00.002-07:00

How time flys! It has only been three week since I left Montreal yet with all that has happened it could easily be three months. I must say it has been a pretty smooth transition into this nomadic life. At first I thought I was living in some kind of bubble…life was surreal like being in a dream…but little by little I am realizing that this is no dream…this is oh so real…and I am loving every bit of it!

My blog is a little late I know... but better late than never as they say right?! Unfortunately due to lack of internet access, time, loosing and finding my iPhone (which had important photos on it to share) I couldn't publish the below until now. So here it is! My first week as a global wanderer!

Happy reading!

xoxo

Nathalie

Wednesday, 23 July 2014

Final football match with Montreal International. Despite losing we played well and with heart! Will miss these crazy kids!

Thursday, 24 July 2014

3…2…1 blast off! After a night of no sleep (yep I did it again and left the packing to the last minute) dear Rob dropped me off at the airport in the wee hours of the morning. A few hours later I am picked up at Managua airport by Alejandro and within the hour drinking a nice cold Victoria classico in Apoyo Lagoon. What a way to start a trip!

Friday, 25 July 2014

Spent the afternoon chillaxing in the beautiful city of Granada before heading to Managua for a 40^th birthday party and catching up with old friends.

Saturday-Sunday, 26-27 July 2014

Sunset in San Juan del Sur. We are here for an epic bachelor party, which sees the never-ending flow of flor de caña. Its effects are WELL felt the following morning and somehow I manage to make it through Sunday Funday! To my delight the day ends with a tranquil swim in the sea!

Monday-Tuesday, 28-29 July 2014

After a weekend of partying it is time to take a ferry to Ometepe (meaning "Two Mountains"), largest island in Lake Nicaragua, for some relaxation. The sound of howler monkeys is music to my ears. I feel at home being surrounded by nature and a hike to a waterfall at Maderas Volcanoe is well welcomed.

Wednesday, 30 July 2014
We are on our way to Esteli, northern Nica, which comprises of several natural attractions including hills, mountains, cloud forests and waterfalls. I am excited as I have never been here before. On the way we stop for breakfast at a delightful little café that serves homemade yoghurt, cheese, bread and chai tea. With satisfied stomachs we drive south to Tisey Natural Reserve - La Estanzuela for our first hike down to a secluded waterfall known as Salto de La Estanzuela where I take a refreshing dip.

This is followed by a blissful walk through an enchanted forrest and up to the peak where we are rewarded by a breathtaking view.

On the way down we stop to visit a unique site. Created by Alberto Gutierrez, an eccentric 70 year old, his incredible collection of stone sculptures consist of animals; biblical, political and historical icons; and scriptures. As a child Alberto had a dream that he would one day create stone sculptures. This dream became a reality when Alberto, who struggled from alcoholism, turned to carving stone sculptures to combat his addiction. And after thirty years, there is no stopping here. Alberto has much work to do as he continues to expand his site, working daily on new sculptures.

Like car rally driving pros we head north through Miraflor Nature Reserve over bumpy rocky roads in search of Miraflor Ecolodge, a hotel that is ranked ninth in the world as one of the best green hotels. After a few wrong turns and helpful local guidance we roll up to our destination by moonlight, which only makes this magical place even more mystical.

Thursday, 31 July 2014

One really feels like they are in a different world in Miraflor. The chill environment (vibe and temperature) is instantly felt and after a lazy morning we put on our shoes and hike 8.4km to another waterfall for a refreshing swim...well at least one of us took the plunge! ; )

Before we realize, it is time to leave this majestic place and head back to Managua and suddenly reality bites…my time in Nica is coming to an end.

Friday, 1 August 2014

Today is Swiss National Day and York day and despite it being a day of celebration I can't help but feel a little sad. This week has been truly amazing and has been the best way to start my adventure. It is now time to close this chapter and get ready to start the next. So with a heavy heart, adios (for now) my dear Nica.

Coming up next: Guyana – George Town – Rewa Village

Sometimes only a beer will do!

2014-07-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, sometimes only a beer will do!

As I sit here in Esther and Rafael's apartment, who for the past three weeks have generoulsy let me live with them until I leave for my trip (now only seven days away!), it suddenly hits me how quiet their place is without them. After living on my own for nine years, you would think I'd find this solitude welcoming but actually it feels kind of odd...

I don't believe in goodbyes but saying farewell to these two has definitely stirred some emotions inside and I guess it will only get harder as the big day arrives. Esther and Rafael are the kind of people you hope to meet in life. They are kind, warm, fun, quirky and honest. I will without a doubt miss Esther's one of a kind gin & tonics (seriously AMAZING!) and believe it or not, Rafael's theoretical approach to life (yes I do know how to use the correct knife now! ; ) ) To me they are more than just friends…they are family.

Then I think of all the other wonderful people I have met in Montreal: my dear husband James and Rob; K'trie, Todd and Gustavo; the Montreal International Football Team; my colleagues (you know who you are!). Of course then there is Jane & Arturo and Linda & Duncan who I have known since Switzerland days.

So as I sit here drinking my beer, because yes only a beer will do right now, I can look back at my time in Montreal and be proud of the people who have come into my life. Thank you for making it so colourful!

See you kids soon!

xoxo

2014-06-02T02:16:00.001-07:00

After nine years of working in the aviation industry it is time to turn over a new leaf. What had once merely been a fantasy is suddenly becoming a reality - a year in Latin America! This trip is more than just exploring new places and meeting new people. It is a year to reflect, re-energies and re-focus on the important things in life. Too often we are swallowed up by our immediate environment that allows us no time to stop, breath and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. So I am taking a year for me to do exactly that. No expectations, no pressures and no idea where I will end up. Sound a little crazy? For sure it is! But for those of you who know me, understand that it has Nathalie written all over it.

So here is to a year of new challenges, experiences and to making dreams a reality!

global wanderer