Prologue

Until now, I hadn't been able to take advantage of one of the greatest things about being a Peace Corps volunteer - travel. As many of you know, I'm a self-confessed work-a-holic. I spent the first four months at my site on a multitude of self-assigned / self-developed projects and very nearly burnt myself out. I used to rationalize my work-a-holism by claiming that I was working hard for the big Wall Street $$'s. Well, that excuse no longer applies as a volunteer in the Peace Corps so I had to wake up and admit to myself that this inherited habit of mine is a very unhealthy one.

With the coming of the new year, I made the resolution that I'd reprioritize my life and put myself and my sanity a little higher on that list. As a result, and with the financial aide of my parents, I embarked upon the task of scheduling 2 major vacations for myself: a trip to Iwokrama and a trip to Kaieteur Falls. Iwokrama was a 3 day trip which was much more like a holiday than a trek. Hopefully you've had the opportunity to see those pictures. Kaieteur Falls on the other hand was definitely a trek. Proof of this was in the PCV sign-up list - all of whom were rugged outdoors people who had hiked, biked, climbed, and ran their way through or across most of the continental US.

PCVs: Travis, Monica, Jeff, Amanda, Pam, Pat, Brian, Liz. Pat is a hard core mountain climber, Amanda had just finished running a marathon in Barbados (having come in 2nd place), Brian and Liz tandem biked across the United States from California to Florida before they came to Guyana, and Jeff, Monica and Travis are avid hikers. Angela, a Canadian volunteer for the Red Cross, is also an avid outdoors person. Valerie and Annie, our two Guyanese friends were my only two 'beginner' companions.

Did it occur to me that I'd gotten myself in over my head? Hmmm…no, not until the day I showed up to leave. Oh well, I'm slow on a few minor details. Go figure.