Trekker Was Our Co-Pilot

Today Trekker enjoyed his first ever play day since we arrived in Guyana seven weeks ago. Our “mystery trip” was an airplane ride to Kaieteur Falls (pronounced Ki-chur) with President and Sister Ricks, newly released Elder Beeson and his parents from Sammamish, Washington and an unknown couple from North Carolina.

At the end of a 55-minute flight – with our Traveling Tiger in the co-pilot’s seat - we circled the highest single-drop waterfall in the world (a sheer drop of 741 feet) considered to be the “crown jewel” of Guyana’s interior (aka “the bush”) before Trekker helped land our little puddle jumper.

After Trekker posed for pictures, we walked a mile or so to the falls through the unique landscapes and forest which make up the 224-square mile Kaieteur National Park, home to a host of rare and endangered species – including the Golden Frog (about the size of a quarter from “stem to stern”).

Only a few more than 2000 people a year visit Kaieteur Falls which makes Trekker feel rather special . . . and only a handful of Guyanese have actually ever been there, likely because of the cost of airfare ($37000 GYD).

The weather was unsettled – pouring down rain in the early morning hours of our day and rainy and foggy all the way to the falls – but as we approached this thundering spectacle, the overhanging umbrella of wispy clouds blew away briefly and we were able to snap pictures to our hearts content.

Trekker got back to the plane soggy and wet, but happy for the experience of flying to these beautiful golden falls. We didn't tell him, but we were thankful his adventure didn't also include finding his Leopard cousin for whom he searched through the whole jungle trek calling "here, kitty kitty." After being there, he is looking forward to more adventures in the bush, which covers 90% of Guyana’s land mass and which our Traveling Tiger thought looks like millions of square miles of broccoli from the air.