Batten Down The Hatches...

Election fever has hit Guyana.

Just a brief post to let you know of what is going down in 'the hood' of Skeldon, Guyana. Tomorrow is election day here in Guyana, which is a very big deal. There are three main parties, all of whom are signified (for the illiterati) by different symbols: the cup, the hand and the key. Currently ruling are the cup, but they do so amidst a lot of accusations of defrauding and misappropriation of funds. Making no comment at all... apart from that the only party that has managed to run a successful ad campaign - with posters, trucks playing music and dance parties - is the said party in control of the purse strings...mmm.

Election day and the succeeding days can be a little turbulent in Guyana, we are led to believe. In the capital there has already been a bit of violence and in previous years people have been killed and attacked in the street, for professing a certain allegiance. Due to this, we have been advised to take the Blitz approach and stock up on food and drink and stay indoors for at least a day or two! Eeeek. This led us to a mad panic yesterday buying all the lemonade, cookie mix, flour, dairy milk and rum that we could get our hands on/afford.

Our plan for tomorrow is to meet up at DC and Sarah's for a brunch and then bed down for the day with movies, games and lots and lots of bad food to eat and cocktails to consume. We are secretly wishing that we need to do this on Tuesday too, as most of us have our time for the month and are crying out for an excuse to stay in bed.

Message to the mother - I will be fine. We should be okay really, as we are mostly regarded as neutral parties, so as long as we do not venture out onto the main road where people congregate and will be travelling to and from the polling stations, the whole thing should pass without incident. The only time bad things will happen is if the popular party lose and then people are know to get a bit aggressive. I will keep you posted!

On a nice note, we had our monthly sign language meeting today at a hall about an hour away - 45 in attendance, on whom 26 were deaf. Not a bad average!

Well, off to lock the gates and plump the cushions and get ready for the joys that tomorrow will bring.

Ciao for now.x

Photos

Hey all

Quick post to say that I have uploaded some new photos from the beach day last week. Please note the brown water and the fully clothed bathing!

Follow the white rabbit: https://picasaweb.google.com/115841554552813020315/GuyanaBeachNov11?authkey=Gv1sRgCMKg_rq83Yj72gE#

Suriname and Beach

Hi to all

As some of you know from my mother's SOS to all, I left the country to go to Suriname (neighbouring country that is in fact Dutch owned). Contrary to her belief, I did not die there, rather, I just popped across for the night to renew my visa for Guyana. 3 months completed!!!

Suriname is a bizarre place, made so by the fact that it is a 25 minute ferry crossing, yet could be another world. It has the same climate etc, yet, it is populated by people who do not walk half naked around, by people who do not just throw their rubbish on the floor as they walk, by shops that have a VARIETY of choices and have air conditioning in their restaurants, hell, they HAVE restaurants. It is like a mini-Europe. I had a very sedate evening in Suriname and then travelled back in the morning for the meeting back in Guyana. It was very uneventful, but resulted in me gaining another 3 months in the country. The immigration guy was extremely reluctant to grant me another 3 months, but I think there was a Balaam moment where the dude said 'I will give you a month... well, I have done 3 months'. Thank you Jehovah! So, I am all good now for another 3, which will take me to February.

Monday was a national holiday so we took the opportunity to head to the beach. I had been before, but this time was so much better. We managed to get an area that was quiet and had a seating section (bleachers to the Americans) where we could all hang out. I spent most of the time in the water fighting with all the young boys. As noted before, Guyana is actually below sea level, but defended - this results in the water being all silty and brown. It is horrible. I folded this time and entered the water - kinda like swimming in tepid tea. That said, it was so nice to be in the water and to have a swim. A good day had by all. Posting a couple of pics, and will try to upload more to picassa later.

Miss you all.

OASIS

It is both eponymous and literal. I am currently sitting in an air conditioned, wireless connected, proper coffee serving, Perrier providing coffee shop called ‘Oasis’ – but I am still in Guyana! It is like one of the wonders of the world! Amongst the arid wasteland that is Guyana, the capital still smells like the backside of a cow, yet, thanks to the Embassy Quarter, Oasis has been created to cater to their more Western needs, much to the glee of Guyana’s inhabitants.

I am in the ‘metropolis’ today to apply for a visa that will allow me entry to Suriname for a few days and see me popping across the waters to renew my visa for Guyana. Yes, guys and girls, I will have completed 3 months here by Tuesday – sorry to whomever lost the sweep stake with that prediction. I had planned to go to Trinidad, but I was a little scared that if I went over, I might not come back! I would have had to have stayed for at least a week in order to get the cheaper flights, and I did not feel that I yet deserved a week off. I am going to save it for a treat, much like the whiskey that Leon bought me – ‘open in emergencies’.

It doesn’t feel like 3 months has passed, it feels like a much longer time, which I am not sure is a good or bad thing. I have already done quite a lot here and feel in a rhythm for the min etc, have learnt some local lingo and know what Guyanese food I do and do not like – fast work for 3 months me thinks. Will I last a full year, who knows! Some friends went across to Suriname on the weekend and brought be back some chorizo, salami, proper coffee and some red and white wine! That will enable me to last another few months at least!

Missing home a lot. Missing London and all that it gives. I am, however, glad to be out of the rat race and am dreading the idea of coming back to work.

Miss you all. Thanks to those of you who have kept in touch. To those who have ignored me (Mallika), let this be a nudge ;)