Saturday, February 7. Back on Surinamese soil, I face renewed visa fees (USD 80) for a multiple-entry visa. After a drive toward Paramaribo—during which beautiful scarlet ibises are spotted in the swamps, where we are bitten all over by mosquitoes—peace returns to the capital on Saturday evening.
The next day we travel east toward Albina. They cross the Marowijne River by wooden “korjaal” (dugout canoe) to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in French Guiana. At French customs, we need only show our passports; as an overseas department, the territory is part of the European Union. Although the town is completely deserted on a Sunday, a walk along the waterfront offers free access to the open gates of the notorious old French penal colony.
On Monday, we pick up a rental car for a drive along excellent roads through the jungle to Kourou. Here, we visit the Guyaspace Expérience at Centre Spatial Guyanais (the European rocket launch site). The museum offers an interesting glimpse into the space program, though a tour of the new Ariane 6 launch pad is unfortunately fully booked due to high demand. After a walk along the rocky coastline to a small lighthouse, the day concludes with a successful barbecue.
The next day we go aboard a chartered Tropic Alizés catamaran, they sail to the legendary “Îles du Salut” (Salvation Islands). On Île Royale, we explore the impressive, historic prison buildings and enjoy an unobstructed view of the infamous Devil’s Island. After a refreshing dip in a natural rock pool in the sea and a slow boat ride back, we drive back to Saint-Laurent in two hours to prepare for the return journey.
Wednesday, the Marowijne River is quickly crossed by boat into Suriname, after which our car is retrieved from a local garden for a small fee. The drive to Paramaribo’s international airport (Zanderij) from the city centre is arduous due to a massive, stationary traffic jam.
At the airport itself, there is total bureaucratic chaos. The baggage belts have broken down, causing suitcases to pile up meters high behind the check-in counters. After queuing for an hour to check in, there is another hour-long line for customs and yet another for the hand luggage security check. This inefficient process causes a significant delay; the KLM flight ultimately departs not at 5:20 PM, but around 8:00 PM.
After a quiet overnight flight, the plane lands at Schiphol around 8:00 AM on Thursday morning, making up some of the lost time. The train journey finally brings me back home. The holiday concludes with a cup of coffee with family, looking back on a nice, contrasting adventure through the three Guianas.
