Horse and Cart

An interesting place, Guyana reminded me a lot of Central America, with the main population out of Georgetown focused around the one road from the airport. This road runs parallel with the Demarara River, a huge expanse of water flowing from about 350 miles inland in the rainforests of Guyana, before emerging into the Atlantic.

Road to Georgetown

Rainforest

Flying into Guyana is an eye opener. The rainforest spreads out to the horizon, a thick canopy of green broken only by the brown water of various rivers slowly meandering towards the sea.

More Rainforest

As far as the eye can see…

Georgetown itself, like any capital city, is noisy, dirty and full of hustle and bustle.

Demerara River

This doesn’t mean to say it is not a nice place though. The locals were friendly and welcoming, and the Sunday afternoon/evening lime on the seawall gives them a chance to let off some steam. The majority of the buildings are constructed in wood, a resource in which Guyana certainly has no shortage. This construction includes the one of the tallest wooden churches in the world, St Georges Anglican Cathedral, built in the 1890’s and situated in the middle of town.

St Georges Anglican Cathedral

Georgetown

The Government offices and Prime Ministers official residence are also constructed in wood.

Georgetown

Linden is a town built for the mining industry, and it has the atmosphere of a frontier town. It is on the banks of the Demerara River, but the river is a lot smaller this far inland. The road to reach Linden is fairly good, however it turns to a mud road soon after and all the way down to Brazil.

Road to Georgetown

Horse and Cart

Splashmins Resort

The rest of the photos can be seen on my flickr account, a small slide show is here.

‘You know what I realised?’ he said with his habit of answering one question with another. ‘Away from civilisation you hardly need any money. And when you’re in civilisation, you think “Well, the roads are crowded, and that everywhere they’re selling cars and that cars get dirty in the rain.” So I go to garages and say I’m cycling round the world and can I have a morning’s work shining their cars? It’s not every day they get a round-the-world cyclist so I get the work and then I ride on until the money runs out and I find another garage. Easy, really.’

The rest of the article is here:

It’s ALL about the bike: Just do it:.

The first in the series comes from the Copper Canyon in Mexico, taken only a week or two into the 11 month Latin America trip. The train from Los Mochis to Creel is a must-do for anyone in the area.

Read the blog ntry by clicking here.

Photography – One of my regrets from the previous trip is the quality of photos. I took over 3,000 photos but due to storage constraints, the majority of them were taken in 640×480 format. I think my camera was 2 mega pixel, and to be honest it did a good job. I only had a 128mb card to store photos on though, so I always used the smallest setting available.

Every time I browse through the photos of Latin America I wish I had taken larger photos, as the size of the photos do not do justice to of the places I visited. I have decided that for the next trip I want to concentrate more on taking quality photos, and am willing to buy a better camera to do the job. Storage is now not so much of an issue as memory cards are very cheap – probably only a few pounds per gb. As 1gb will store about 200 photos (assuming 5mb per photo), and blank DVD’s are only a few pence,there isn’y any need to worry about storing photos.

As for the camera, I would like something of a better quality, and having read about the entry level digital SLR cameras being of a very good standard, I have decided to add a Nikon D40 SLR camera to the wishlist, as it is a decent price, and has some good reviews.

I reckon a tripod would come in handy, and the JOBY GorillaPodseems a nifty little bit of kit, but is fairly expensive. I have added to the wishlist as a maybe!

Computer – travelling with a laptop – potential disaster! I am in two minds about this one, I think it would make updating the website a lot easier, as I could organise photos and write entries whenever I like, then just cut and paste the words and upload the photos wherever I can access internet. I wouldn’t need anything too fancy, so at first I thought about a simple word-processor, however the advent of netbooks, and in particular the Acer Aspire Onehave me almost convinced, and consequently I have added one to the wishlist!

Camping Equipment – The choices are endless. I picked one brand Vango and plan to buy the tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mattress from the same place. I picked Vango because their equipment looks decent, is widely available, comes with a lifetime guarantee and isn’t as expensive as some of the other names in the industry.

Tent – If you actually start looking at tents, you’ll soon discover there are literally thousands to choose from. After deciding to get everything from one brand, the Vango Omega 250stood out as it is is under 100, seems to be good quality and has a big storage area.

Sleeping Bag – Onto the wishlist goes the Vango Summit 3000as it in the higher spec range, with a guide usage of -7 to 18C, and at about 60 pounds won’t break the bank.

Ground mat – The Vango Adventurerange seem a decent enough bet, therefore one of the standard models has been added to the wishlist.

Stove and cookwear – The M.S.R.range seems cool. Multifuel is the way forward I reckon.

The Bike – The bike is going to be the most important bit of kit. But they are REALLY expensive! A new Dawes Galaxy costs about £600 and that is not what I want to spend! I am pretty open to any kind of bike, and I have been reding up a LOT on frames and wheel sizes so I’ll keep looking on eBay to see if any bargain pops up. I will write an entry about this separately a a later date.

Saddle – Cyclists spend a lot of time sitting on these things, so I want it to be comfortable! Brooks have developed a reputation as the best in the industry, and are widely available on eBay, so I will be keeping my eye out for any bargains in the coming months.

Tyres – These are (hopefully!) the only thing that comes into contact with the road. The roads being of potentially poor standard, combined with the risk of riding over the odd sharp object, lead me to think that investing in an extra strength tyre will prove to be a wise decision in the long run. Schwalbeare supposed to be the daddy when it comes to tough tyres, so they are added to the wishlist.

Clothes

1 Pair Trousers - used sparingly, in nightclubs and whe ntemperature dipped – especially in Bolivia
1 Pair Cargo Shorts – used extensively. I recommend Gap. Lasted very well, had pockets repaired in Panama then replaced in Colombia.
3 T Shirts - White t-shirts didn’t last too well. Easy and cheap to buy when replacement needed.
2 Vests - Easy and cheap to buy when replacement needed.
1 Shirt
Haverhill C.C. Baseball Cap
Woolly Hat – used sparingly, but always handy to have – again especially in Bolivia.
Belt - As it turned out, I put on a lot of weight around the waist. Who would have thought.
Swimming Shorts
4 Pairs Boxer Shorts – Not enough.
3 Pairs Socks – Enough.
1 Pair Flip Flops – Every day wear. Replaced in Argentina. Havaianas are the way forward.
1 Pair Reef Sandals - Used very sparingly, posted home from Bolivia.
1 Pair Shoes/Trainers – Replaced in Colombia.
2 Jumpers – One stolen from hostel in Oaxaca, replaced in Guatemala.
1 Raincoat – Again, used sparingly but useful in colder places.
Sunglasses
2 Pairs Glasses
90 Pairs Contact Lenses - used all and bought new ones in Colombia.

Toiletry Bag

Toothbrush – no need to worry, these things are available everywhere you go.
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Shower Gel
Razor
Shaving Oil
Aftershave
Deodorant
Ear Plugs – Absolutely indispensable. Used a lot, enabled me to sleep in places I wouldn’t have otherwise slept. If you are thinking about travelling, take earplugs. Simple as that.
Sleeping Mask – never used.
Vitamin Tablets
Sun Cream
Aftersun Cream
Sun Protection Lip Balm
Spare Razor Blades
Cotton Buds
Insect Repellent
Nail Clippers
Shaving Mirror
Eye Drops
Hair Wax

First Aid Kit etc.

280 Doxycycline Tablets (Malaria) - didnt end up taking.
Chloroquine Tablets (Malaria) - took them through Central America. Lots of people don’t bother.
Plasters
Antiseptic Wipes
Dressing Bandage – didn’t use
Dressing Pads - didn’t use
Germoline – didn’t use
Bonjela – didn’t use
Antihistamine - used sparingly
Ibuprofen/Paracetamol
Condoms
Sewing Kit – unless real emergencies are required, very cheap to go to a launderette and pay a tailor to make repairs.
Dental Floss
Ear Plugs

As a side note, all of these toiletry and first aid things are widely available in every town and most villages. Probably worth buying as and when required, unless planning to do a lot of things away from towns and villages.

Documents

Passport – oh dear.
Flight Tickets – never once got asked for proof of onward journey.
Address Book – never used
Vaccination Record Card - never got asked to show it.
Notebook/Journal - used a lot. Sent home full one in Bolivia. Replaced in Arequipa.
Hotel Reservations for USA
Photocopies of Passport – came in handy when passport was stolen.
Insurance Policy
Glasses and Contact Lenses Prescription – came in handy when buying new contact lenses.
Elastic Bands – ?
Pen
Calculator – never used

General Bag

Battery Charger c/w Adaptor – lost and replaced in Guatemala
Alarm Clock -
Victorinox Swiss Army Knife – confiscated in Panama City. Forgot it was in my pocket and tried to board a plane! Whoops.
Duck Tape – Used to repair pockets in trousers and money belt, and to keep camera battery compartment door closed.
Cable Ties – never used.
Torch - Don’t remember ever seeing this!
Padlock – Used a lot, especially in hotels with lockers.
Batteries for MP3 Player
Camera Memory Card

Books

Lonely Planet Mexico – very useful. Heavy. Left in Guatemala.
Rough Guide Central America – ?
Rough Guide South America – Not brilliant. South America is too big a continent to condense like that.
English-Spanish Dictionary – helpful.
Lonely Planet Health Handbook - never used.
American Psycho (some light reading) - book exchanges in hostels are for winners.

Other Stuff

Travel Towel – not good. felt horrible, didn’t dry properly. After a few days I bought a normal towel. Started using a sarong in South America, which is lightweight and dries quickly.
Sleep Sheet – not good. Too small, too hot in Mexico to sleep with anything covering. Sent home from Bolivia
MP3 Player – used to store photos. Have since bought an iPod.
Digital Camera & USB Cable - worked wel until Panama, where it died. Would take small camera and possibly a larger better quality camera next time.
Money Belt – works well if you actually wear it. Doesn’t do so good if you leave it in your daysack. As I unfortunately found out. Replaced in Arequipa.
Day Pack – stolen in Peru. Replaced. handy to keep with you when on buses.
Laundry bags – useful for separating dirty clothes from clean.

Things I bought when away

Casio watch – needed to know the time. worked well until stolen from hostel in Lima. Replaced with imitation in Colombia, which didnt work too well.
Extra jumper - didnt really need this, just bought it because I liked it.
Pen and small pad – I kept wanting to write little things down but never had paper available, so I bought a little notepad and kept it with me all the time.
Hiking boots – cheap ones, from a market in Bolivia. The Hi-Tec Squash – although awesome – were not up to the rigours of hiking in the Andes. Would probably buy better ones next time as they were not the most comfortable.
Blanket – for cold nights in Guatemala. Used sparingly and sent home from Bolivia.
Sleeping bag – bought in Argentina. Never really used and got lost on the plane journey from Panama to Madrid at the end of the trip. Quite hard to find a decent camping store, so I would buy from home next time. I thought about getting all the camping gear and starting to camp more to save some money, but the equipment (where available) was not of a great standard and not cheap either.
Valium – used to sleep on buses. Needed a prescription in Lima, but available over the counter in a small village pharmacy. Work well but leave you very drowsy the next morning. I read the whole of Mice and Men the morning after taking one, and I can’t remember a thing about the book. Not sure about the legality of taking them across international borders?

If you like this equipemtn review, or are trying to research your own equipment needs, be sure to read the review of my Six Essential Items to Carry Whilst Travelling

Back to Latin America Summary >>

I didn’t stop training though. I now train at home.

One day I was in the supermarket and I saw a guy who I always spoke to in the gym. At this point I hadn’t been into the gym for a couple of months, and he asked what had happened, where I had been.

“I’ve stopped going” I said, “I’ve started training at home instead.”

“Ah but lets be honest,” he replied, smirking, “no-one actually does anything when training at home.”

“On the contrary,” I protested, “I’m probably working harder now than I ever did in the gym.”

The conversation then petered out and I don’t think I’ve seen him since. But what I said is true. I train a lot harder now I don’t go to the gym. At times after a session of burpees or a deck of cards workout I find myself laying down in a pool of sweat, struggling to catch my breath. Its hard, but I love it. I look forward to training, albeit with some trepidation, especially on tough conditioning days.

Motivation is the key. Read this article for anyone struggling to motivate themselves to do some exercise, or read this blog.

RossTraining is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to learn about any aspect of fitness. The forum is jammed full with exercise ideas, workout logs, home-made equipment links, and – most importantly – is frequented by normal people looking to improve their fitness. Just ask a question – you’ll be surprised how quickly you get an answer.

I don’t have a lot of equipment. In fact my fitness equipment is virtually all made from scratch, with the exception of some dumbbells and a skipping rope, and most of the conditioning workouts are finished in 20 minutes or less. I kept a workout log for a while, but I stopped when I went on holiday before Christmas and didn’t start again. It can be found here for anyone interested.

Sometimes when planning a workout is its hard to think of something to do, however there is no need to fret. Crossfit has an excellent resource, a small booklet full of workouts that can be completed with little or no equipment. The emphasis is on bodyweight training. Click here to download the PDF. If they don’t take your fancy, here is a list of over 60 weekly workouts that are just waiting to be completed.

All that left to do is stop reading and try this sample workout, inspired by RossTraining. No equipment is necessary, merely some determination.

100 x burpees – The YouTube video below is an example of this workout.

Have a go, and time yourself see how long it takes. Next time, try to beat that and set a new personal best.

Yami had been assigned accommodation in Penonomé, and assigned her first clinic in Toabré. In order to get to Toabré for 7am, we left at six and took two buses. When we arrived at the clinic, the locals were already queuing outside the clinic, which served as the medical centre for the whole of the mountain region in the area.

Click here to view larger map

The clinic, although basic, served its purpose well and was certainly in demand. The patients were all indigenous people, and obviously extremely poor, the poverty being evident in the state of the teeth of the patients. Children of 7 or 8 came in to have adult teeth removed due to lack of care, and most patients over the age of 40 had very few, if any teeth at all. One lady came in for a clean of her one and only tooth, one of the middle bottom incisors. It was a funny, yet sad moment, watching Yami cleaning this single tooth.

I couldn’t believe how the people had let their teeth fall in such a bad state, but Yami explained they literally did not have any money, and buying ‘luxuries’ such as toothbrushes and toothpaste was simply not an option.

Officially, Yami and the other doctors were supposed to charge for the treatments they carried out, however in reality they didn’t charge, as the majority of the patients would have been unable to pay in any case, and probably would not have came to the clinic to receive treatment in the first place.

To get any idea of the remoteness of the clinic, and the inaccessibility of the region in which these people lived, some of them – kids of six of seven included – had walked 8 hours through the rainforest just to see a doctor or dentist, and of course they had to walk the 8 hours return journey home. A pretty tough walk, especially if you have just had two or three teeth removed.

Although only three hours from Panama City, probably the most affluent city in Central America, Toabré and the highlands of Panama are a completely different world, and the vast difference in living standards between the city and the country is both disturbing and shocking, especially considering it is a country that has a unique commodity (the canal) that generates billions of dollars per year.

Although I had seen a lot of poverty in the previous 300 or so days, I never really saw with such proximity, or interacted with people who literally have nothing, not even the money to buy a toothbrush or toothpaste. Thinking about the plight of the indigenous communities in Panama, I couldn’t decide if it was a sad reflection on the failures of the US administration in Panama, past and present governments or the distribution of wealth and resources of the country, but something was definitely amiss.

On a plus note, after Yami had seen all her patients for the day, she gave my teeth the once-over and a clean! Unfortunately my camera had died on the beach in Pedasi, so I didn’t manage to get any pictures of the clinic or the locals. I do have one of Yami working, though this wasn’t taken that day!

UPDATE: The purchasing process has commenced! First thing bought are the panniers. Now I need to buy some other things to put into them!

Click on the image below to download the detailed version of the Equipment List, together with item manufacturers, models, online retailers and prices.