A BRIGHT sunny sky held promise for the perfect day trip along the energetic, erratic Essequibo River and as the eager tour party boarded the bus last Saturday in anticipation of the adventure that lay ahead was reflected on each face.

The eight-member tour party comprised of winners of quiz competitions conducted by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) during the recently held Building Expo and Berbice Expo; winners included Mr. Jairam, Kayreen Stephenson, Chris Deen, Chris Davis, Francis Cunje, and Julian Amsterdam.
The lucky eight were offered a day trip of a lifetime to explore the many islands along the river and to bask in the rich history of the area.
The scenic trip began as the bubbly and erudite tour guide and proprietor of Old Fort Tours, Mrs. Camille Boodhoo herself welcomed all aboard the river boat, with the lure of enjoying an unforgettable Essequibo River tour of which Fort Island was the first stop on the day long itinerary.
A 25-minute boat ride saw the tourists arriving at Fort Island where they journeyed to Fort Zeelandia which was built by the Dutch in the 17th century and visited the site Court of Policy; this was constructed after the fort for the meetings of the Court of Policy. It was also used as a church.
Fort Zeelandia and the Court of Policy Hall were declared National Monuments by the government in 1999 and are being maintained by the National Trust of Guyana.
Onward the party drifted to their next port of call, Saxacalli which is an Arawak community located on the left bank of the Essequibo River; while there they basked in the shade of the overhanging bamboo trees and engaged in conversations over sandwiches and frosty beverages, compliments of our tour guide.
As the waters of the Essequibo lapped at the shores, the group reflected on the beauty of their surrounding environment while learning about the inhabitants of the island and their way of life.
The explorers had a sumptuous lunch at  Bartica at noon and a brief tour of the gateway to the hinterland which was the penultimate stop before returning to Parika.
Thoughts of Barakara Falls preceded the party as the women looked for the ideal shop to purchase swim wear, and found just the place at the WK Sopping Mall on First Avenue. The men so patiently awaited their return. Following a brisk tour of the market and making purchases the group made their way to the wharf and away to the Falls just 10 minutes away.
Arriving at their last stop was no easy feat, as the low waters caused a momentary panic when the group attempted to disembark. The trek to the amazing waterfalls was not for the faint of heart but the breathtaking beauty of the site made it worthwhile and several members dived right in.
To sum it up, it was a memorable trip and the prize winners profusely thanked the GTA for making it possible and Mrs. Boodhoo for sharing her knowledge and time.
They all vowed to attend the upcoming GuyExpo 2012 to have the chance to win even more trips and to bring their family and friends to do the same.
 “This experience was great. We would do it again.” This was the resounding response from the members of the tour party.
The GTA last week facilitated a trip to Kaieteur Falls to the group of persons who won the competition at Building Expo and Berbice Expo and to the top performers at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (CSEC).