Day 2/3 - Georgetown

After experiencing a rather successful first day of shopping in Georgetown it seemed only apt that we experience a taste of the Georgetown nightlife, despite having read in every tour guide not to go out at night here whatever you do. However, our hard day of work left our tummies a rumbling and we really had to find somewhere to eat. Since we had been walking the city all day, we figured we'd try find somewhere to eat around Starbroek market which seemed like the heart and soul of the place. We were NOT wrong in thinking this. It was the busiest 'heart and soul' of a city i have ever witnessed in my life. It was even busier then in the day with hundreds of people pouring into the centre from taxis and vendors selling sweets, rattling cups of pills at us or trying to get us to come drink home made vodka with them. I suppose this is a pretty standard Friday night in Georgetown.

Everyone vehicle constantly beeping, crowds of people bustling past eachother and then us, the 9 white kids trying once again to 'fit in' with the locals. We really should have listened to the guidebooks. After wondering into the first establishment which looked like it may offer some sort of decent grub, we quickly decided that 3 types of dishes which had been left under a hotlamp for what looked like a week were not qoing to satisfy our hunger. We went out onto the street where we all quickly decided to get a taxi out of the sheer chaos we saw. We soon realised that if we stuck around any longer, we were bound to be caught up in drunken brawls or possibly be kidnapped. At that thought, i began to panick and after being bombarded by all 100 taxi drivers who wanted our business we got into two taxis and quickly go out of the market. We headed to a chinese restaurant that the hotel recommended but ended up at an overpriced restuarant in a quieter part of town which we could definately not afford. Against my gut instincts we began walking about to find something cheaper.

We were in a group of nine, it wasnt as if anything could happen to us but it was still the most unnerving night for most of the group and we walked the darkened streets avoiding the pricier restaurants. We did however find a chinese which served our food quick and cost about 15 pounds for all of us! I had however lost my appetite at this point! We got home safe and went to bed!

Day 3 was just as exciting as the last. Breakfast included chicken balls in curry sauce and sausages. As Tosh and I were staying extra nights in Georgetown, we had to move all the equipment into one room. The hotel must think we are pretty strange, carrying sacks of flour, sugar, machetes, gardening implements and water barrels to and fro! After a 40 minute trek, John and I finally found an ATM which would take our cards so we could complete the shopping. We had to buy the last bits of food and equipment. Yes, more rice (that takes us to 128kg of the stuff) and about 30 tubes of tomato paste. Pots, pans, sunblock (very difficult to find in a place where most people definately do not need it) and finally got to sample a bit of fruit from the market. Mangos, watermelon and bananas for lunch which were loving. Emma, Ed and I paid 10 pounds for kidney beans, which must be the most expensive food purchase of the week but we got a free cocnut from a vendor who used to live in the same part of london as Emma! It really is a small world. Once again, the 'barbie girl' calls were loud and clear.

The plan for the rest of the night was to pack up everything and for everyone except Tosh and I to take a taxi which Trevor had helped organise down to Iwokrama. Trevor, who obvioulsy knows the right people in this town helped barter a good price for the taxi, however not all went as planned. In the early evening, 6 hours before everyone was due to leave, the driver came by to check on everything. But.... he was under the impression the team were not going as far as Iwokrama and so when Toshi and John explained where they wanted to go, he wanted more money. For the couple of hours John and Tosh were in negotiation with the driver to make sure that everything was still going to run to plan, the rest of the group were having negotiations of their own. Time was running out and Toshi and John did not want to aggrevate the driver as he was eally our only hope of getting down to Iwokrama that night. We couldnt afford really for the team to stay any longer and so the pressure was really on. Toshi had to call Trevor, the only man who could help.....

Meanwhile, the rest of the team crammed into one room with rotten potatoes and enough equipment to start a small farm to discuss their fears about the situation unfolding downstairs. 'Stranded', 'Kindnapped', 'Gun', 'emergency plan', 'satellite phone', 'safety', 'machete' and 'death' were a few of the common words in the discussion. Our worst fears being that the driver drops everyone in the middle of nowhere and demands more money which we dont have to take us the full way and then leaves us taking everything, even the rice! WE just didnt know what could happen and were starting to feel really uncomforatble........

However, Trevor did save the day. He knew the Taxi driver, Peter, really well and explained our situation. As a result we got the price to $400 for the trip down. Alot cheaper then taking the public bus too! Everyone's minds were eased by Trevor's confidence in the man and so all the previous talk of emergency procedure fell to the back of everyones' heads. We now had to concetrate on actually trying to pack the taxi. After another chinese (Honestly its the cheapest food around and its really tasty), a last shower (the last for a very lonng time) and couple of games of cards, we were all bringing down the equipment (we threw those potatoes away) It began to feel like a real expedition. At 12am, Toshi and I waved goodbye to the rest of the team in a blue minivan with a bulging roofrack. With only water, bread and peanuts for accessible food, the rest of the team will have to get to Iwokrama and clear and set up camp and wait till we have the permit on tuesday to begin our study.

Toshi and I felt like we were sending our kids away from home for the first time and there were almost tears in our eyes! Well not really, they're big enough and ugly enough to deal with it! We will now wait in Georgetown till Tuesday to sort the pemit out and then join them on wednesday. Although i know their journey will be absoultely fine and very exciting, i am awaiting their e-mails impatiently!

So fingers crossed now that the permit is fine for tuesday!!