Only 3 days left before departure… Guyana! Just the name makes me dream. It will be my first time setting foot in South America. The word ‘Guyana’ alone takes us into the rainforest, evoking gold mining, which is probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear this name. But actually, is it ‘Guyane’ or ‘Les Guyanes’? There are, in fact, three Guyanas: British Guiana, the westernmost one, which became independent in 1966 (the year I was born!) and is now named Guyana; Dutch Guiana, which gained independence in 1975 and is now known as Suriname (the smallest country in South America); and French Guiana, the one we are heading to, an overseas region located on the border with Brazil. Before being an overseas region, Guyana was a French colony inhabited by numerous Amerindian tribes. During our journey, we will have the opportunity to interact with the descendants of these tribes in a few remaining villages where they still reside. The first Europeans arrived in Guyana in 1604. At that time, the borders of the three Guyanas did not exist, and the Amerindian peoples roamed the entire territory from Brazil in the east to Venezuela. With the arrival of Europeans, the Native American population suffered a high mortality rate due to infectious diseases brought from Europe, for which they had no immunity. Alcoholism was also introduced by the first settlers. It is estimated that the Native American population was reduced by 75 to 90% after the arrival of Europeans. The history starts off grim… We will have the opportunity to delve into Amerindian customs throughout our journey.

After this brief historical overview, let’s return to the reality of our departure. The preparations have been extensive because we are venturing out of our comfort zone. The nature in Guyana is absolutely breathtaking, lush, and rich in fauna and flora. Its rainforest is part of the Amazon rainforest, the largest primary forest on the planet. Many areas of this forest have never been visited by any human since the Earth was Earth… Don’t worry; we won’t be venturing into uncharted lands, but any excursion in this environment is not a leisurely walk in Fontainebleau forest!! So, we are equipped according to the recommendations of local guides with hammocks with mosquito nets, machetes, and water purifiers… This trip will also be a real photo expedition: we are taking several kilos of equipment that we will need to carry on our backs, protected from the humidity (cameras do not like humidity at all), to capture and share our emotions with those who will follow us throughout this journey. Photos and videos will allow you to discover Guyana with us. We will do our best to explain the fauna, flora, history, and geographical features as we make our own discoveries. Links to our YouTube channel will enable you to view the videos. Alright, enough talking… Let’s finish the final preparations, and we’ll see you very soon for the continuation of our adventure…”

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