Speedboat trip

I went off for the weekend to visit another VSO who is working near the coast to the north of here. We went on a minibus at 6.30 am from the market place in Georgetown, then a speedboat ride on the Essiquibo river for an hour, then a shared taxi to the place which is called Charity. The speedboat was pretty exciting taking a dozen people on a wooden boat alongside mangrove covered islands (lifebelts provided and tarpaulins to keep off the spray). Charity is the end of the road literally, where goods get traded with river craft from up the Pomeroon River. Our VSO friend used to work for the World Wildlife Fund so is very knowledgeable. He lives in a quiet place on the first floor with views from the balcony across paddy fields towards the palm trees on the coast. We saw scarlet ibis flying over, the locals call them curry curry birds because of the colour. Also saw vultures, birds of prey, lizards, wasps an inch long and other flying bugs worth avoiding. On the way back we were in the taxi and were stopped by armed police. I think they are looking for drugs smugglers bringing stuff down from Venezuala down the rivers. But they let us through without any bother.