Dear Editor,
There are so many benefits to exploring the North West region in Guyana. It teaches you about cultures, and makes you worldlier. It makes you happier and more refreshed. Too many people stay isolated in one place for too long and that’s not healthy. And contrary to popular belief, it’s not only wealthy people who can travel. You don’t have to go to lavish places like Suriname and Trinidad; a boat trip to the North West will suffice. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Travelling is a beautiful thing, and it shouldn’t be taken for granted.
I love to travel; it teaches you the things that can’t be taught in school, or by your parents; it teaches you to discover, find the things you truly love in life, and take for granted every day. You would never think of the simple things in life and they are in fact the best.
I like travelling the length and breadth of Guyana. The feelings I experience travelling are indescribable. I enjoy travelling by boat and truck into the interior, which is a daunting experience.
A few days ago, I took a couple of Americans to the North West. We caught a boat at the Stabroek Market, which took us to Vreed-en-Hoop. From there we took a taxi to Parika, and at Parika, we took a speedboat to Supenaam. Although the river was very choppy and rough, the visitors thoroughly enjoyed the trip. At Supenaam, we took a taxi to Charity, and at Charity, we took another boat to Moruca (Santa Rosa).
The boat ride to Santa Rosa took one hour, and it was unbelievable and unforgettable. The evergreen along the Moruca River was an amazing and impressive sight to see. My visitors told me that the trip left them feeling breathless. The savannah too pleased the senses. As I was listening to the birds chirp and observing them, I was deeply moved spiritually.
The journey was truly extraordinary and very beautiful. It was all smooth sailing going; however, the trip was very eventful on our return journey. At Moruca, we chartered a five seater, 40 horsepower boat. Although the boat was good for navigating the smaller river better than the bigger boats, it was less stable and slower than the bigger boats. It also encountered some problems because the boat captain was inexperienced. He didn’t know how much gasoline he needed to get to Charity from Moruca, and he didn’t know the channels in the Atlantic Ocean.
Because of this, we hit a mudbank in the Atlantic. Before this incident, I never knew that there were mudbanks in the Atlantic that a small boat could get stuck in. I have travelled countless times the said route to the North West and never got stuck before. So the captain had to get into the Atlantic and push the boat.
Editor, less than a mile away from the Atlantic, our boat ran out of gasoline, and we had to take a different vessel. Fortunately for us, the boat ran out of fuel in the Pomeroon River where there were a lot of boats available to rescue us. It didn’t take us long to get another boat. I was just grateful to God that we didn’t run out of fuel in the Atlantic and drift away. Also, it would have taken us much longer to get another boat had we ran out of fuel in the Atlantic. However, despite the setbacks and challenges, my visitors and I had a wonderful experience. We enjoyed the trip.
The North West is one of my favourite places to go, and travelling there by speedboat is truly an astonishing experience. Not only being in the North West is fantastic, but the journey is truly inspiring as well. The North West is truly one of the wonders of the world and a place everyone should see.
Yours faithfully,
Anthony Pantlitz
