Flight 25

Argyle – Georgetown

I depart from St. Vincent and travel through the islands of Bequia, Canouan, Grenada and the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago (and its two largest islands of the same name).

Although Trinidad and Tobago became a republic in 1976, it is still a member of the Commonwealth. In 1980, the islands experienced a failed coup attempt. Residents of Indian origin (who make up 36% of the island’s population) attempted to seize power and overthrow a government dominated largely by blacks, descendants of slaves (who make up 44% of the island’s population). The islands are known for the ethnic mix of their inhabitants. In addition to the aforementioned blacks and Indians, there are minorities of whites, mixed race and Chinese. It is not uncommon to find a Christian church, a Muslim mosque and a Buddhist temple in the same town.

Crossing the Columbus Canal, I reach the mainland of South America, specifically the country of Venezuela, which is the country with the largest oil reserves in the world. Despite these huge oil reserves, the country is experiencing enormous inflation as a result of bad politics and an economic crisis that is causing a population exodus and high crime rates.

I am moving on to Guyana. It is the only Commonwealth country on the South American mainland. In 1978, Guyana gained international attention when 918 members of the American sect, the People’s Temple, committed the largest mass suicide of all time. Fanatical leader Jim Jones ordered members of the People’s Temple sect to take their own lives en masse. On his command, they drank the deadly cyanide poison and injected their children with lethal injections.

I land in Georgetown, the capital and largest city (213,000 inhabitants) of Guyana.