8/10/2014 25km nth of St Georges, FG to Regina
D57, T6, Av15.44, max62, 33,347/7,826
Fine, 33 still, afternoon tropical showers
Though the camp was basic, the location allowed me to freely use the headlight which is always a bonus.
Before leaving at 0830, the tent was allowed to dry.
Once out on the road the riding was still just as enjoyable, rolling hills and hardly a sign of civilisation.
Just forest and birds. There were a few creeks along the way that I swam in.
As the day wore on it got more humid with clouds building some colour. Nearing Regina, the bridge over the River Oiapoque had to be crossed. On the other side the Gendarmes stopped me to check my passport. The first time this has been done since Bolivia.
It was all good as soon as they saw my entry stamp.
I asked them a few things about further north in the country. They did not know. They then told me they only do 3 month stints here from France. Having said this it is not much point asking them for too much local information.
It was a 3km detour off the N2 to get into regina.
Which had one store with a lot of guys drinking beer outside.
It was right on the river and had a promenade to walk the rivers edge. Riding around in the sleepy little hamlet revealed concrete streets with many houses built from timber with shutters.
Children were fishing for catfish from the concrete ramps sloping into the river.
Some tourists were returning in a riverboat from a few nights camping somewhere on the river.
French was spoken by everyone and a few could understand English, but most had no idea about Español and Portuguese.
A further look around lead me to the Ecomussé D’Approuague, I wandered into have a look. From across the road a woman approached I asked if there was internet here.
Tanya introduced herself and kindly let me have a desk in her office and gave me the use of here mobile internet stick.
Outside a torrential tropical downpour was in progress. I said to Tanya how nice it was to be sitting in this lovely wooden building out of the rain.
Soon the head of the museum turned up, Sarah was the kind of woman that you instantly liked, she had a warm smile and pleasant disposition.
Sarah allowed me to use their wifi which was great. On talking, Tanya said I could put my tent up below here hospedaje where a lot of fibre optics cable layers were staying.
Her boyfriend came around with a few beers and we enjoyed an interesting chat at the rivers edge in the light of the full moon.
The air was fresh after the afternoon showers. From here I went to Dominics Bar to have a burger, two were enjoyed they were that good. Along with a couple of Heinekens which seem to be the beer of choice here. There was a bunch of guys drinking there whom I joined whilst there. Again the Peter Blake thing came up in conversation, after all it was a French boat he was on.
All the while I had not yet unpacked the bike. I rode back to the waterfront at 2200 and set up the tent. I was totally worn out.
9/10/2014 Regina to Genes place Beausejour, PK 28
“Warmshowers” host
D83, T7, Av14.89, max74, 33,432/7,909
Fine, 33 still, afternoon tropical showers
I was up early to be greeted by a foggy morning over the river. Wandering upstairs most of the guys were up having breakfast. I got my kitchen pannier and prepared my normal breakfast and made a coffee for Tanya.
On the way out of town, honey was bought at the store and some water.
Once back on the highway, the hill country continued to a point where for at least 60km there was hardly a level piece of road with some slopes 10% on the road.
It was still great riding, with forest always accompanying me. Each climb was followed by a rapid descent. One moment I am doing 60km/hr and the next minute once, out of momentum doing 4km/hr. It was like this for miles.
About midway was a sign to a restaurant, here I pulled and asked for a can of coke, it was €2.50, I thanked the woman and headed off, her parting comment was good luck.
Just around the corner was a new bus shelter. Here I stopped for a hot milo and a can of tuna mixed with onion and Tabasco.
Once again more hills were the norm none were huge, so the effort was always quickly rewarded.
As usual traffic was light.
After one climb it felt like I had reached some open country, or at least that with some vistas across the forest. On the way up here, there were a couple of cloud bursts of cooling rain. Once it past the road was just a trail of steam up ahead.
Coming to a large communications tower the road finally levelled out into scattered cleared lands.
At km 28, my “Warmshowers” hosts Gene and Bertrand said they would leave a sign out and sure enough on the right was a piece of A4 paper with Warmshowers wrttien across it. Then another and another as I rode my way down the gravel road towards their house.
It was amusing.
Once there Gene came to great me at the gate.
We immediately got on with each other, she was French and had been here eight years, whilst Bertrand had been here 20 odd years.
Gene could speak Spanish but little English so we were able to communicate because my French is minimal.
They have this laid back totally open tropical timber lodge like place that has a huge balcony to the west and another to the east on a few hectares.
I felt comfortable in her company, she soon had to pick up their two boys, Pablo and Julian from the bus.
They reminded me so much of when my sons Ben and Callum were that age. Endlessly making their own fun outside at the back.
Bertrand soon arrived home from his work in management at the national parks here.
He is a great guy. It is quite amusing, he can speak English but no Spanish, so the three of us can’t have a complete conversation. It is all good and makes for an interesting dialogue.
Yesterday Gene had to go to work and she dropped me off in Cayenne for the day to try to organize my visa at the Suriname Consulate. Unknowingly they are closed to 28 October.
Having lunch with a guy from customs in the markets he said I could get one at the border.
Lunch was at the markets where alot of Vietnmese people have little indoor kitchens. It was a prawn soup with greens to die for . Vietnamese being my favorite food.
The rest of the day was spent just wandering, stocking up on food and getting a couple of cables for the bike.
Money was extracted from an ATM, as they are only here and St Georges.
Everything is very expensive here, most packaged goods come from France Most cars are French and all have French plates with the French Guiana symbol in at one end.
Last night was spent over at their neighbours house for home made pizza and some lovely French desserts. Accompanied with some great rum. Their house was surrounded by heavy forest, it was not long ago a Jaguar came in to their house and ate two dogs.
Such is the forest around this subdivision here 40km south of Cayenne.
For me staying here is like being in a luxury jungle lodge.
Gene and Bertrand are such nice people and we have a bit in common which is a huge help.
The two young boys are endlessly playing in the back yard and around the creek. It really is idyllic here.
Bertrund was saying his biggest problem at work is illegal gold mining in the rivers within the parks and the associated river pollution.
They have a policy here of some development in the parks as indios live in the southern and western river areas.
He said it is quite a balancing act.
D57, T6, Av15.44, max62, 33,347/7,826
Fine, 33 still, afternoon tropical showers
Though the camp was basic, the location allowed me to freely use the headlight which is always a bonus.
Before leaving at 0830, the tent was allowed to dry.
Once out on the road the riding was still just as enjoyable, rolling hills and hardly a sign of civilisation.
Just forest and birds. There were a few creeks along the way that I swam in.
As the day wore on it got more humid with clouds building some colour. Nearing Regina, the bridge over the River Oiapoque had to be crossed. On the other side the Gendarmes stopped me to check my passport. The first time this has been done since Bolivia.
It was all good as soon as they saw my entry stamp.
I asked them a few things about further north in the country. They did not know. They then told me they only do 3 month stints here from France. Having said this it is not much point asking them for too much local information.
It was a 3km detour off the N2 to get into regina.
Which had one store with a lot of guys drinking beer outside.
It was right on the river and had a promenade to walk the rivers edge. Riding around in the sleepy little hamlet revealed concrete streets with many houses built from timber with shutters.
Children were fishing for catfish from the concrete ramps sloping into the river.
Some tourists were returning in a riverboat from a few nights camping somewhere on the river.
French was spoken by everyone and a few could understand English, but most had no idea about Español and Portuguese.
A further look around lead me to the Ecomussé D’Approuague, I wandered into have a look. From across the road a woman approached I asked if there was internet here.
Tanya introduced herself and kindly let me have a desk in her office and gave me the use of here mobile internet stick.
Outside a torrential tropical downpour was in progress. I said to Tanya how nice it was to be sitting in this lovely wooden building out of the rain.
Soon the head of the museum turned up, Sarah was the kind of woman that you instantly liked, she had a warm smile and pleasant disposition.
Sarah allowed me to use their wifi which was great. On talking, Tanya said I could put my tent up below here hospedaje where a lot of fibre optics cable layers were staying.
Her boyfriend came around with a few beers and we enjoyed an interesting chat at the rivers edge in the light of the full moon.
The air was fresh after the afternoon showers. From here I went to Dominics Bar to have a burger, two were enjoyed they were that good. Along with a couple of Heinekens which seem to be the beer of choice here. There was a bunch of guys drinking there whom I joined whilst there. Again the Peter Blake thing came up in conversation, after all it was a French boat he was on.
All the while I had not yet unpacked the bike. I rode back to the waterfront at 2200 and set up the tent. I was totally worn out.
9/10/2014 Regina to Genes place Beausejour, PK 28
“Warmshowers” host
D83, T7, Av14.89, max74, 33,432/7,909
Fine, 33 still, afternoon tropical showers
I was up early to be greeted by a foggy morning over the river. Wandering upstairs most of the guys were up having breakfast. I got my kitchen pannier and prepared my normal breakfast and made a coffee for Tanya.
On the way out of town, honey was bought at the store and some water.
Once back on the highway, the hill country continued to a point where for at least 60km there was hardly a level piece of road with some slopes 10% on the road.
It was still great riding, with forest always accompanying me. Each climb was followed by a rapid descent. One moment I am doing 60km/hr and the next minute once, out of momentum doing 4km/hr. It was like this for miles.
About midway was a sign to a restaurant, here I pulled and asked for a can of coke, it was €2.50, I thanked the woman and headed off, her parting comment was good luck.
Just around the corner was a new bus shelter. Here I stopped for a hot milo and a can of tuna mixed with onion and Tabasco.
Once again more hills were the norm none were huge, so the effort was always quickly rewarded.
As usual traffic was light.
After one climb it felt like I had reached some open country, or at least that with some vistas across the forest. On the way up here, there were a couple of cloud bursts of cooling rain. Once it past the road was just a trail of steam up ahead.
Coming to a large communications tower the road finally levelled out into scattered cleared lands.
At km 28, my “Warmshowers” hosts Gene and Bertrand said they would leave a sign out and sure enough on the right was a piece of A4 paper with Warmshowers wrttien across it. Then another and another as I rode my way down the gravel road towards their house.
It was amusing.
Once there Gene came to great me at the gate.
We immediately got on with each other, she was French and had been here eight years, whilst Bertrand had been here 20 odd years.
Gene could speak Spanish but little English so we were able to communicate because my French is minimal.
They have this laid back totally open tropical timber lodge like place that has a huge balcony to the west and another to the east on a few hectares.
I felt comfortable in her company, she soon had to pick up their two boys, Pablo and Julian from the bus.
They reminded me so much of when my sons Ben and Callum were that age. Endlessly making their own fun outside at the back.
Bertrand soon arrived home from his work in management at the national parks here.
He is a great guy. It is quite amusing, he can speak English but no Spanish, so the three of us can’t have a complete conversation. It is all good and makes for an interesting dialogue.
Yesterday Gene had to go to work and she dropped me off in Cayenne for the day to try to organize my visa at the Suriname Consulate. Unknowingly they are closed to 28 October.
Having lunch with a guy from customs in the markets he said I could get one at the border.
Lunch was at the markets where alot of Vietnmese people have little indoor kitchens. It was a prawn soup with greens to die for . Vietnamese being my favorite food.
The rest of the day was spent just wandering, stocking up on food and getting a couple of cables for the bike.
Money was extracted from an ATM, as they are only here and St Georges.
Everything is very expensive here, most packaged goods come from France Most cars are French and all have French plates with the French Guiana symbol in at one end.
Last night was spent over at their neighbours house for home made pizza and some lovely French desserts. Accompanied with some great rum. Their house was surrounded by heavy forest, it was not long ago a Jaguar came in to their house and ate two dogs.
Such is the forest around this subdivision here 40km south of Cayenne.
For me staying here is like being in a luxury jungle lodge.
Gene and Bertrand are such nice people and we have a bit in common which is a huge help.
The two young boys are endlessly playing in the back yard and around the creek. It really is idyllic here.
Bertrund was saying his biggest problem at work is illegal gold mining in the rivers within the parks and the associated river pollution.
They have a policy here of some development in the parks as indios live in the southern and western river areas.
He said it is quite a balancing act.
many a canoe was seen in this state
Pescadores, Rio Amapá Grande
The bike shop Amapá
The old hut provided great shelter
Onsite concrete bridge construction
Crossing the river to French Guiana
great riding FG
Regina
backyard at Gene and Bertrands
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Fishing fleet Amapá
First stage of the slash and burn clearing method
Indigenous lands near Oiapoque
Yellow Rumped Cacique nests high in an old growth tree
Early morning River Approuague, Regina
With their two boys, Pablo and Julian
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