On Wednesday, March 22th I crossed the border of Guyana without difficulty. As a preliminary I had sought the post office of the border in Brazil. Bonfim is little village without indication, I got information to the local people. Immigration is right before the new bridge which spans Rio Takatu. Exit stamp of Brazil lasted time to take copy of my passport by computer and to asked me the usual questions, from where I come where I go etc. After the bridge crossing the buildings of immigration and customs accommodated me, I were alone. At customs the employee filled out the card and asked me for my notebook of vaccination for the yellow fever. Phew! The date was valid. At immigration the employee took my passport, filled out the card then affixed the stamp of entry in Guyana with a one month visa. The procedure lasted hardly ten minutes. It was 17:00 when I arrived at Lethem at three kilometers away.
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The following day I finished the preparation of the publication of the last page of Brazil and the entry Guyana. Then around 10 a.m. I went to the bank ATM beside which I bivouacked. Alas it refused my visa card. To the counter of the aforesaid bank the employee explained me that the foreign cards were not accepted. On the other hand I was to present two documents proving my identity, my passport and my driving license to withdraw G$25,000 i.e. equivalent to approximately 100€. After having signed several documents I waited 45 minutes to have money. The day before the customs and immigration officers were more effective. Then I sought a WiFi connection. Always beside my bivouac the shop of the Internet access provider was. Alas connection was too slow to have connection with the shelterer of my site. The employee gave me the address of a shop, Welcome Shop, which has a faster connection. Bingo I can publish the pages of my website. Lethem has only one asphalted street and broadside with very coloured shops. Tomorrow I took the track of 565 km to go to Georgetown capital. Good wind!
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Guyana is an ancient British colony since 1796 became a republic in 1970 . It is composed of 44% Indians of 30% African, of 17% of mixed heritage and 9% of Amerindians. The surface is of 215,000 km² and the population reaches 765,000 inhabitants
The Good Friday, March 25th, I put in track, bad pun, to go to Georgetown. At the exit of Lethem the track during several kilometers is covered with corrugated iron making the progression painful. But the inhabitants created a softer parallel track. The first part of the track traverses a plain without relief and much interest. Then it slaloms between hills of which some have spontaneous fires or burn-beating by peasants. At the time of the pause lunch I stopped in a small plain then I decided to remain there. Heat was overpowering +36°C.
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On Saturday, March 26th the track curved in the mountains and its surface became less soft with the frequent pot-holes. A first police station controlled my passport and the registration of my vehicle. Further away a customs station asked for the license of circulate. The customs of Lethem had not given one to me. The employee telephoned at Georgetown. I was to go to the customs of the capital to obtain this license to circulate without which I could not leave Guyana. Finally in Kurupukari I took a ferry to cross Essequibo River, free in the Lethem/Linden direction. Around 13:20 I stopped at the edge of the track on a broad quay level to lunch and bivouac.
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When I begun again the track on Sunday morning, Easter Days, it was softened because it had rained all during the night. I drove prudently to avoid slipping without control. In Mabura a police checks was very cool , it was a holiday. Sometimes the track is smashed by the trucks transporting of the logs. I arrived at Linden around 13:00 to seek a bivouac at the exit of city before going to Georgetown.
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