Hey Everyone, Iwokrama Forest Resort was really good and I had experienced the xmas day in the heart of Guyana Forest which it is very different from my usual Xmas with Family and cold weather. I did enjoyed the days of adventures, by the day and nights into forests, rivers and lake. It was adventure Xmas for me! :D There was 7 of us going to Iwokrama, one more joined the next day due to late booking and no seat left on the bus, so had to board the next night bus. I have been looking fwd to it for months as it was my first xmas away from home and in foreign country! The plannings, discussions and talks about Iwokrama has been ongoing for weeks and we even agree to do the secret santa which we had to pick out a name from the hat of the person who each person had to buy presents worth around $1500 GYD (£5-£6). I did some shopping and bought the presents, also boughts lots of snacks and drinks for the trip. Did packed my bag and it was soooo full and almost over packed my bag as brought too many stuffs but worth it at the end!! Lol. On the day of the trip, we meet up at the bus station, which it is very small and unnoticeable, to me, it look like a bar!! But we got in and put our bags in the rack to be taken on the bus. Then we chill out by the bar for an hour and half while waiting for the bus to get ready at 10pm! We had few beer (shocking!!) then we board on the bus. We had to go through rough ride on Interserv bus from 11pm (an hour late) until 9am the next day which it was so tough to get some sleep but I managed to grab few hours in between toilet breaks and did grab a beer at 4am!! Crazy I know but hey it is xmas!! When we finally arrived at the river crossing and we crossed the river and got off the bus. Then we board on the boat to take us a short ride to Iwokrama Forest Resort which it is absolutely gorgeous resort with lovely wooden buildings (see it in the photos for more finer details!!) and there was 4 wooden cabins and one huge centre building where this contains almost everything (apart from beds!). We was awed by the beauty of the resort. We had a look around before having a breakfast and had a briefing from the manager of the Iwokrama, after that we rested for the rest of the morning until lunch. After Lunch, we went out to scroll in the jungle with our guide to show us around the forest, pointing out different types of trees that they can use to make stuffs, and show the places where the animals might lives and come out in the nights. It was lovely scroll and it lasted an hour. Then we chill out for the rest of the evening. We have had a tour around the centre building as it got library, resources centre, mini exhibition of animal skeleton, plants etc and few other stuffs, worth to look at. We had lovely Dinner, then played games of cards and chatted with loads of snacks on the table for us to stuff ourselves up and drinking some rums and cokes. I had few beers and one rum&coke. Not bad after 4 and half months!! :D Went to bed at 10pm cos of no lights as they run it from 5pm until 10pm and we all are tired from bus journey and want to get good night sleep before next day adventure to Turtle Mountain! Woke up at 6am as was excited about the trip to turtle mountain. We had breakfast at 7am then get ourselves ready to board on the boat at 8am to endure half an hour ride up the river to based of the Turtle Mountain Trek. We started the trek at 8.45 and it was lovely weather, sun basking in clear sky with bit of clouds there and about!! We walked through the forest for an hour then climbed up the steep hills to reach the top of the mountain. It was amazing sight from the top of the mountain, some 800 feets high and The sight was beautiful. The Rainforest runs for miles and miles from the top of the mountain. We stayed there for half hour to enjoy the view and taking loads of pictures and chilling out for a while to rest our legs before a long walk back to the based of the hill to catch the boat back to Resort. The walk back was very slippery as the route is bit wet from the rain, so some ppl did slip down especially Ashton!! Lol it was so funny to see it! ;) We finally arrived the base of the mountains after few difficulties on the way. We returned the resort by lunch time (2pm) and had our lunch then chill out in the afternoon and evening, playing games and socialising. I had a good look at the museum and enjoy the reading the books of Iwokrama Forest. Then it was time to exchange the presents that we have been shopping for secret santa!! I got the presents from Jill who got hers from me! Ashton has his from Jo-anne, so do Jo-anne from Ashton, others got theirs. We took in turns to open the presents. I opened my last! I got a magazine, Writing of my name in Japanese!! (as I am taking some Japanese lessons from Michiyo!) puzzles, some new year eve party packs etc. It was lovely surprise and we all enjoyed that evening, drinking and enjoy our presents! :D Went to bed at 11pm as was tired! Next day is the XMAS DAY, we was excited about the experience of different xmas that we unusually get back home. The weather was nice and hot and we had our xmas breakfast! It was normal like any other breakfast we get! Then we hang around and play games all day long, we talked about different xmas experience and I do miss all my family, been thinking about how they are celebrating their xmas without me! But am sure that they did managed that! :D For our Xmas Lunch, it was rice with chicken and beef and some vegetables. Not the XMAS lunch/dinner I always had on the day of Xmas. But it was delicious and nice lunch! After lunch, me and Ashton played a game of football with 2 children (Manager's Son and Daughter!) and we had fun there! :D we also played different ball games and stayed out all day and other people joined us later on in the afternoon. We enjoyed the xmas as it was very different from what we usually do at home. In the evening, we had dinner, it was similar to lunch, then chill out and play card games until it is bed time! We had to get up earlier the next morning cos we are going for a boat ride by the dawn to explore the beauty of the sunrise by the water and jungle. So we woke up at 5.30 and got ready for 6am boat ride!! We enjoyed the ride as it was so beautiful and we rode up the river slowly, looking out for the monkeys, crocs etc. we stopped cos we saw the black spider monkey hanging on the tall tree, took some pictures of it, along the boat ride, we saw some various of birds, and some fishes riding along with the boat. Then we returned for Breakfast! :D then we set off for an hour drive to deeper into forest to visit the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. It is a free suspension bridge hanging up some 30 metres high on the trees. It was builded in 2002 by Canada Organisation and it took them 30 days to complete the project. It was very nice bridge, it is hanging up and only one person allowed to walk across on the bridge to observer area, there was 5 bridges in total with 4 observers placed on 5 tall trees. We walked across the bridge and had look around the forest and chill out. We took few pictures and stayed there for an hour then went back to Iwokrama resort in time for Lunch. On the way back, I lost my hat due to riding on the back of the open truck and my hat fell off onto the road and it is gone! Never mind! Lol Had a lunch then relaxed for a while until 3pm. We then went out to visit a village up the river to explore around the life of Ameridian people. It was nice visit and we saw cute coati (picture in album) and we stroked it but it tried to bite back!! Even tho it is a pet of one family. Went around the village and enjoyed talking to some people and taking few pictures. Then went to swim in the river/lake which it got strong current but we enjoyed the swim. Then return back to the resort in time for dinner. After Dinner, we went out to do some night boat ride to spot some caiman spottings! We saw 2 caimans and spotted few birds and it was nice ride in the night! When we arrived back to the resort, we saw a massive tarantula spider hanging on the rank holder. It was huge, about hand size and it was good to see the spider as I love tarantula! :D We then played games into night time. Then it was time for bed! :D We got up at 7am to have breakfast and get ready for the boat ride to visit the Stanley Lake where we got off to see the Turtle Eggs and swim in the lake that contains caimans, piranhas etc lurking nearby!! We had good and relaxing morning under scorching hot sun! eventually most of us got sun burned!! I got burned on my leg and my back. It was sore! :( we had a lunch by the lake then hopped on the boat to ride back to the resort by 3pm. We then spend our last night at the resort and we enjoyed the night, playing games until the light went out. Then we all decided to go for a walk in the forest at midnight! We walked and saw loads of massive spiders, and it was great to walk at midnight, don't know where to go but explore the forest floor for spiders, insects etc. got back by 1am and went to bed for 5 hours before get up for the bus ride back to Georgetown. It was rough and bumping ride but got back at 2pm and return home at half 2. I had to say that it was great experience and it was very different xmas! It was good and I really enjoyed the adventure xmas and I was so worn out by end of the adventure. Hope u enjoyed the story and the photos! :D Merry xmas to all of u and Happy new year!! Love Steven/xxxxxxxxxxxxx