Guyana: Going Out With A Bang!

Word spread fast. Somebody told somebody and somebody told Sharon (please pronounce as 'Shay ron') that the world travellers were in Guyana. Sharon was one of Vibert's high-school debating opponents. She told Andrea - her sister - who was now all grown up and the producer/editor/interviewer of her own tv talkshow program. Andrea invited us for an interview. Against a black background in the studio we sat answering questions about the who, what, when, where, why and hows. It was a taped program that would be edited and played later. Feeling pretty special (we had made it to national tv), we set about the final exit events - quick 'goodbyes' to our friends and people who had assisted us, reconfirming our flight and eating some favorites. We caught up with some of Vibert's colleagues from his insurance years in Guyana at the sports club of Hand-In-Hand and then Vibert proceeded to severely thrash all-takers at table tennis.

Our time in Guyana was almost up. In a day, we'd fly to London, England and then bus to Cardiff, Wales. The 5000-mile, 8-hour flight would take us from the region we'd come to love. Guyana was Vibert's country of birth but he

On national tv
In the studio

had never experienced it like this. The awesome grandeur, beauty and diversity of a place so unique moved him beyond words. In quiet reflection he sat, dreaming out loud about what would be possible for his country if its politicians and people could just rise above the age-old, divisive, petty politicking that had strangled and still was strangling the country. His silent fear, but the true reality, is that local Guyanese may never, in their lifetime, be able to see what he had witnessed over the past three weeks.

For her part, Shanna was swept off her feet. She hardly believed that such pristine, astounding places still existed. Her 'pinch-me' expressions and wondering eyes told all who could see that she was in love. And with bitter-sweet feelings, very early one Sunday morning, we waved with tears in our eyes, thru the glass separating us from Mom and Pops. LIAT Airlines was taking us to Barbados for a connecting British Airways flight.

This was it: our exit from the Caribbean. So many memories were created here. How we had criss-crossed these islands and territories! Far in the north, we met in St. Maarten and then finally started this tour way south from Curacao. Over the years we had accumulated much but what we valued above all were the friendships we had cultivated with wonderfully genuine people throughout the length and breadth of the Caribbean and into South America. We thought about family and friends we'd long to see again and about Panic - who had made us so happy. These were the thoughts that dominated even as the wheels of the plane lifted high above the emerald carpet below. A tear slipped down someone's cheek. We hugged.

But soon we were above the clouds and the sun was signalling that it was going to be a bright, sun-shiny day. And our spirits were lifted. And the excitement of a whole new world filled with new adventure and challenges, possibilities and opportunities overwhelmed the sadness. We smiled in sweet anticipation.

"The only thing constant is change".

Special thanks to:
Mom and Dad. We love you dearly
Robert, Petra and Ammiel
And EVERYBODY else who contributed to making this stop the best ever.

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