Horacio did not come to speak to me yesterday after his music lesson so I went to look for him this morning. I passed the football pitch and went to the northern entrance of the village, passed the elementary school, the church, the First aid office and the Pre School. The church was about to start and the assistant rang the iron bell in the garden. I was looking for someone to ask for the house of Horacio and ran into Toni. He was cleaning fish for the indigenous special Saturday soup in the back of his house. The house of Horacio was around the corner but I could only speak to Horacio’s sister, Horacio had a commitment at the border and was expected back only late in the afternoon. I was disappointed because the answer was a kind of a sign to me that he was not committed and not ready to guide me to Mount Roraima.

I passed Toni’s house again, told him about Horacio and asked about the fees for his service to Mount Roraima. We went to the vegetable store, which actually belonged to his brother; I had misunderstood this when we met. The brother had met Horacio in Santa Elena de Uairen and had told him as well about his commitment at the border. I had to make a decision and closed the deal with Toni, 30.000 Bolivares, 50 Reales, transport to Boa Vista together with me plus 50 Reales more once in Brazil. We shook hands; I picked up the money from the car and paid the agreed money. I had my tour, I was my own one man group and I had my guide. I had one doubt; I would have to go with my own car to Paraitepuy on a difficult and steep track.

Yesterday late in the afternoon I had noticed the arrival of a motorcycle in the village. Already then I thought of the couple that they could be potential Mount Roraima tourists. Now that I was walking up the shop alley they came walking down towards me. We passed each other and I had to ask if they would go up to Mount Roraima. They confirmed and a conversation started; I explained my situation and my agreement with Toni; if they would consider joining, with the extra money we could pay secure transport to Paraitepuy and a bit more to Toni. We went to his house and I introduced the couple as potential clients. He thought for a moment and asked for 80.000 Bolivares for both, 50.000 for the transport to Paraitepuy and 30.000 Bolivares for him. Now they thought for a moment and agreed to the price.

We met again in the afternoon to do the shopping for the food that Toni would carry; he would take his kitchen as well and be responsible for the meals, the transport to Paraitepuy and the guide to Mount Roraima. We decided that we want to walk quickly to the top, two days instead of three days and that we want two days at the top instead of one day. We bought vegetables at his brother’s store, Pastel and cheese around the corner and spaghetti and tuna at one of the police officer’s store close to the football pitch. I had decided to take advantage of this trip and clean my body and make a diet; one banana a day and only water.

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Juan and Sylvie had convinced Toni to visit the nearby river cascades and we went for an hour to take a bath before we met again after dark at the brother’s store; Juan brought a bottle of rum. It was Toni’s aunt 72^nd birthday and the family had organized a party next door. Two neighbors from the posada from Juan and Sylvie joined the table; the birthday party started slowly. Toni bought more beer, the Juan offered more rum and Toni bought more beer and the Juan offered more rum. Toni asked Sylvie to dance; we had to get up for the birthday song. We received a slice of the birthday cake and more beer from Toni. We wanted to leave the next morning at 07:00 hours and I was the first to say good night.

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