Moving into the Amazone

Trying to travel Suriname independently is a difficult task. Where do the mini busses leave from? At what time do they go? Where do we get out? Where will we sleep? How will we cook dinner? But we found out that it is not impossible. You can travel Suriname safely and cheaply, you just need time and guts.

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After a week in Paramaribo we were starting to crave for more natural surroundings and some true Amazone adventure. It was time to leave the safety of Aunt’s house and see what else Suriname has on offer. Well. We got everything we wished for!

Bronsberg
The goal was Bronsberg, a nature reserve in front of the Brokopondo lake. We visited Stinasu, a Surinamese nature conservation organisation, who control the park. They sorted our hammock accommodation and entrance fee. Eazypeazy. But all we knew about transport was that there are buses leaving in the Saramaccastraat. Right, there we go!

With just one backpack for the both of us we packed lightly. The people getting onto the bus to Bronsweg (the town just underneath the mountain) drag massive bags with them. Even so many that most of the bags are moved onto the top of the bus. And all we do is wait. From 8am until 11 and still waiting. The bus only leaves when full we hear from Kip, the driver.

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Muddy sludge
Brian needs to squash himself between some boxes and a spare tyre, I find a seat next to the window and a little girl with sticky hands. When we finally leave its past 11. Just outside Paramaribo the road changes into a red muddy sludge. The bauxiet road is in a terrible condition, it would be much better to have either a 4×4 or a massive truck. It wasn’t long until the first breakdown. We hit a rock and burst a tyre. The taxibus in front of us started leaking oil. Later on the exhaust came off but it was hammered back into its place.

We got out of the crammed bus in Bronsweg, preparing for a 13 km hike up the mountain. The only transport going up are chartered 4×4 that cost a fortune. Rather hike. I was about to put on my right hiking shoe when a blue car appeared around the corner. ‘Stop, stop’! A smiling face from inside the car and a thumbs up. We got a lift to the top!

Rocky told us how lucky we were with getting a lift. He normally doesn’t leave Bronsberg mountain because he runs a busy restaurant and bar there but he needed some eggs. It was 14h when we reached the top, driving through large pools of rain water and close to the ravine. Time for a djogo. We didn’t see much of the park that day…

Chasing monkeys!
Bronsberg is really pretty. The views onto the Brokoponde lake are just stunning and off course there are the excellent hiking trails. Most tourist and daytrippers just visit the Leoval and Ireneval, which are easy hikes and not the most impressive ones. I’m glad we stayed for 4 nights, this way we were able to really explore the forest. Without a guide (come on, we survive in Africa so this should be fine) and our hikingboots on we spend the days chasing monkeys, running away from monkeys, spotting poisenous frogs and checking out all the weird looking insects.

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Most daytrippers and groups of tourists (say more then 4 people) do not see any of the eight monkey species that live in the forest. The animals are still very shy and run away from people. Spending the four days we managed to see red-handed tamarins who were under attack of hungry Harpy Eagles, some playfull wedge-capped capuchin who are the most elusive of all monkey species and hardly seen, two groups of white-faced sakis fighting their territory, the red howler monkey and its crazy howl from way too close and… we were violently chased away by black spider monkeys.

Large mammal
What an adventure. And I haven’t even told you about the times both Brian and I were so afraid we almost ran back to camp! We startled a rather large mammal during a hike to Wittekreek. Trust me, it was in just of a shock like we were. What is was? No clue. There is also the scare of snakes. Nasty snakes like the Bushmaster take you out within 10 minutes. All the lizzards and squirrels making their way through the dry leaves did not help our nerves. Back in the hammock after eating either nasi or bami with Rocky we fell asleep listening to the howler monkeys.

While Bronsberg was awesome it was also very wet. It was impossible to dry our clothes and unfortunately my photo camera couldn’t handle the humidity. The memory card also doesn’t work anymore but maybe I can do something when back in Europe because it is impossible to get anything digital fixed here in Suriname. Got a new camera now, a cheap Samsung. Hope it will do.

Dan Taa Bai
From Bronsberg we got a lift from a tourguide who was about to bring a group of Dutch tourists to Dan Taa Bai, an island just 20 minutes from Atjoni on the Surinamese river. Yes, we were very lucky again but our luck was about to turn: numerous tropical rains for the next couple of days got us caught in our hut on Dan Taa Bai. Spending time reading, playing cards, cooking and solving Sudoku puzzles. Luckily there was also a bar.

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We decided to stay for another night because the weather seemed to clear after three days. The river was high, the sula was gone and we later heard that Paramaribo was one massive swimming pool.

Abinestone
Back in Atjoni, a small village close to Poikigron that is nestled alongside the river,we decided to get onto a boat (korjaal) to Abinestone. It is easy to arrange a boat, it is just like catching a minibus taxi in Johannesburg. You speak with the boatsman, you ask about the price and you make a deal. It is cheapest to just wait until the boat is full. Its not so bad to wait in Atjoni. There is a Chinese (that’s a supermarket here) and a place to eat some bami and fish. Its great to see the small town do what they do every day.

At Abinestone we phoned Opa Jack. A Texan Peace Corps man who we met on our first bus drive from Paramaribo to Bronsweg. He told us he’s got a place to stay if we just bring our hammocks. For Brian and me it was a big step: nothing organised and getting into a boat to a place we’ve never heard off to stay in the forest with an American. I’m so happy we went, it was a good opportunity to find out about traditional Saramaccan life.

We got hooked. Awesome people, an easy transport system and the weather clearing up. Back in Atjoni again (you always have to return there to catch another boat) we decided to get into a boat to Djumu. Three and a half hours on a traditional korjaal, over the Suriname river. Forest and some small villages on both sides, rapids, caymans…

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Media training in Asindo-opo
We arrived in Djumu in the dark, the skilled boatsman new exactly what he was doing. Off course Brian and I didn’t go completely unprepared. I met Charles Vervuurd, the director of Apinti Television in Suriname in Bronsberg. He told me that he has been working on getting television into the interior and has just set up a station in Djumu. Charles gave me the number of Captain Albert (capitain is similar to a chief in South Africa, he is a bit like a the major of a town) who was extremely happy to hear that I’m a media trainer. His radio reporters (radio Mai Fei) needed some help.

At Djumu we found out that the TV station is actually at Asindo-opo. Not on our map. The boatsman took us there, we were greeted by Captain Albert and Beatrice who showed us our hut for the next days.

Surreal
Asindo-opo was just surreal. It looked fake. We walked out of our huts seeing the flowing river and another village on the other side. Mango trees lined the grass shore. Heaven. We washed ourselves in the river, explored the village, spoke to everyone who walked into us (people just wanted to find out who we are and why we are there) and ate our white rice (cooked in rain water) on the porch of our hut. Its a very natural way of living, very satisfying.

The media training at radio Mai Fei took from 10am to 10pm. Basic journalism skills, radio production and a computer class…there was a lot to cover. I managed, even though it was very hot and the language barrier slowed us down. It was a great experience that I am willing to take to the next level if it is possible to combine some of the work that needs to be done at Mai Fei with my work at the School of Journalism in Utrecht… Just thinking about possibilities…

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We returned yesterday. Extremely tired. Its a long way back (3.5 hours on the boat and 5 hours in a crammed bus) and we experienced so much that we needed a rest in a good bed.

We’ve spend some time in Paramaribo now, also visiting Parbode (a local opinion magazine) where some of my previous students are working on a journalism project for 12 days. It was good to see Casper and Timon again, well done guys!

Leatherback turtles
Tomorrow Brian and I are going  to Matapica to try and find leatherback turtles who come to the beach at night to lay their eggs. A perfect change to try out my new camera.

Much love,

Elvira & Brian

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