The trip to Bartica was organized by Koen who is leaving Guyana very soon and he want to have a last outing with the VSO volunteers. He wants to go to Bartica as he and most of us haven't been there before so good opportunity for us to go there and explore the speculator town around 2 1/2 hours from Georgetown by bus and boat. There are 12 of us who want to go on the trip to Bartica. It is good number of people and we are looking fwd to the trip. We meet at the bus park at 9am and we set off to the local boat depot to take us across the river from Georgetown to another side of the river which it is much quicker than taking the bus ride all the way to the bridge and cross the bridge to go to Parika boat depot. Back to the river, we cross the river on the boat and we took the bus to Parika. We had a bus to our own as we filled the bus with bags, foods and people! The bus ride took 20 minutes instead of 45 minutes via the bridge. We arrived the boat depot and we took one of the boats and make ourselves comfortable as the ride will take around 1 and half hour and the sun are shining on us. It will be really hot and rough ride!! We chatted and enjoying the ride and the time fly past quickly and we approaching Bartica. Bartica is sitting along the River Essequibo and it looks beautiful as we approaching the town. There is an island sitting a km away from the town which it is a former prison town which they used to send the prisoners there to jail and do the work on the island. Now it is another settler town which it is gorgeous place to live. Anyways back to Bartica! We got off the boat and collect our bags, we all are starving and want to have a good and gorgeous food, and we set off to look for the place to eat. Some of us have been in Bartica before suggested for Moroccans restaurant, when we arrived there and they are closed!! But one of the workers there suggested for a Brazilian restaurant round the corner, we are happy to go there as we would like to try out Brazilian food! To our amazement they are serving the food out of BBQ and it is unlimited amount of food and drink for 1,200 GYD! (roughly 4 pounds) and we enjoyed the food and the woman, herself Brazilian, keep offering the different meats and we keep taking them until we all totally stuffed ourselves! : D it is deffo worth the money and we enjoyed the atmosphere. We can't walk with so much food in belly!! We decided to chill for a while and chatted about the weekend fun and adventure. We want to go on boat tour and to explore the Bartica town. Finally we have settled our food in our stomach! Some of us set off for the house that Koen booked for us to stay overnight and Koen, Tom and I stayed behind to do some more food shopping for the evening dinner. We explore the town markets for vegetables, fruits, rice, bread, egg, drinks etc. We also bought 2 case of beers and 4 bottles of rum for the evening socializing, and we got the taxi to take us to the house as it is a mile walk which we couldn't carry all the stuff we have bought! The road was rough and taxi drove slowly, taking care of the car as the bumps and rocks are lying on the road that can damage the taxi. We approached toward the house but the taxi stopped around 400 yards away from the house because of inaccessible road. So we got off and took everything with us which it is bloody heavy but we just managed!! When we got closer to the house, we cant believe what we saw, a huge and beautiful house with a swimming pool. The house is amazing itself, it is like a mansion and all is white. We got in and put the stuffs down and explore the house. It is so wonderful and nice house. It got 5 bedroom and huge kitchen and huge balcony overview the swimming pool and the river nearby. It got a nice living room and every bedroom got ensuite which it is nice and it got double bed in every bedroom. Wonderful as I will get my own double bed! :D I straight away get changed and jump in the pool as the weather is so gorgeous and hot so am making most of it! Most of us were in the pool, some lying on sunbed and others in balcony, see sighting the place and chilling out! We spend most of the afternoon by the pool and drinking some beer, yes I had some! And chatting about everything! It was wonderful afternoon and I totally enjoyed the day. In the evening, I helped out cooking vegetable curry and rice with some of vols. The food was delicious but I was feeling bit ill as I don't know why!! Maybe it was beer causing some trouble in my stomach as haven't drunk much beer since I came to Guyana. It could be the main reason. We spend the night drinking and playing games of card and dominoes and chatting... we stayed up until midnight as it was time to go to bed! Everyone were worn out from the day and want to rest for tomorrow boat trip around Bartica and its heritage and swim under mini waterfall! Nice: D Woke up at 9am and the sun is shining and the weather is beautiful, a perfect day for the boat trip. The boat came at 10am and we all apart from 3 volunteers went on the boat and we set off to view the town, as the Guide telling us about how it was set up and talking about Dutch settlers living here and did some beautiful building, especially on small island which it is very old tunnel link from Bartica to island but now it is closed. Showing us the prisoners island and other stuffs. Then we went to stop in the Jungle to take a little hike to Mini waterfall! We got changed and climb up the stones to get top of the waterfall, it is only 15 metres high!! Lol but still the water is sooo cold and refreshing.. perfect to keep cool under the weather! We stayed there for half hour before move on as the other group is coming to take over the waterfall!! We went back to boat and to the house. It cost us 1500 GYD (4 pounds) each which it is deffo worth to go and enjoy the morning. We had a lunch and last swim in the pool before we set off for Georgetown, We all are disappointed to leave the beautiful house but we all had a great time and it will last forever in my memory. I am glad that I went there and experienced the trip with other volunteers. I won't mind to go there again before I fly back to England in August.