Angel Falls, Venezuela

In 1998, while we were living in New York, my GF and future missus got offered an au pair (nanny) gig in France for the summer looking after a French diplomats kids and once that was done (trivia fact: France won the World Cup that year), she headed direct to Buenos Aires to visit her family. I decided to head down to Argentina to meet the potential new in-laws but I made a few pit stops along the way (it's the backpackers equivalent of stopping off for a wee dram for some Dutch courage).  This was not one of your standard luxury all inclusive holidays.

I flew from New York to Caracas (not my fav city) and then after eventually finding the bus terminal (thanks for nothing Lonely Planet!), I took a non air-con local bus along the North coast of Venezuela where despite the stifling sweat bucket conditions, I think it was the breath taking scenery and interaction with locals bemused by why a gringo (the only gringo on the bus) would take the slow uncomfortable bus complete with chickens in cages, still ranks high on my all time most memorable travel experiences. 

After arriving in a hot and humid Puerto La Cruz, late at night and securing a very basic windowless room with just a  fan and 3,000 mosquitoes who proceeded to feast on my pasty Irish flesh, I continued by bus the next itchy morning to Ciudad Bolivar where I caught a propeller plane to Canaima which is the jumping off point for the infamous Angel Falls (tallest waterfalls in the world).

It took a day and a half by canoe to get to the base of the falls with our guides 'Tarzan and Jane' a French expat couple, who wore only loin cloth (no joke).  We slept in hammocks in the open air at night with another 3,000,000 mosquitoes who turned my belly in a mogul slalom course.  If only they ate the blubber and not the blood?!!


Despite the near death malaria experience, food poisoning, heat stroke and some weird parasite worm in my stomach / stool samples - discovered 12 months later, I highly recommend this trip to everyone.  You know what they say.., What doesn't kill ya .... doesn't kill ya! 


Alas - I didn't have a still camera back in the day and this is all that remains of my tardy recording of the trip :-(( 


Angel Falls, Venezuela - 1998 from Paddy Quickroute on Vimeo.

Tags: ..Angel Falls, Venezuela..

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There's NO such feckin' thing as a flight for 50p

This is dedicated to those of you who have had the pleasure and privilege of flying Ryanair. I discovered the joys of Ryanair on some of their flights to Fuerteventura which were an experience to behold.

Tags: ..Cheap Flights me ARSE!..

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Burger King Copenhagen København Denmark Facebook Group

This is the Original Burger King Copenhagen Group set up in August 2007.

For more information and to find old Burger King friends click here

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14240500252

Working abroad was often the only option for a lot of Irish / English people back in the 80's and early 90's. If you had money you headed off on your holidays to canary islands but as a student sometimes the only way to make some dosh during the summer holidays was to head abroad and work so as to have money to pay for books (ok beer) in the coming semester. It was first time away from home for many of us and we tended to run riot with the new found freedom away from the shackles of 80's conservative Ireland. Copenhagen was a popular destination for many and we ended up working in cleaning companies, paper rounds and restaurants or basically the shi_te early hour work the Danes didn't want to do.

One such place was Burger King. I worked in the BK on Vesterbrogade for a summer in '87 and another stint in '88. It seemed like home away from home as besides the Danes that worked there most people were Irish and the majority from Malahide including the management.

The work was mind numbingly boring but we made our own 'craic'. You'd start out bottom rung of the ladder, cleaning the restaurant and work your way up to the broiler, fry station, whopper table, sandwich table and maybe even as a cashier if you could memorise 'dobel whopper med ost'.

It was shift work and many of us did 5pm-3am which involved dismantling all the kitchen stuff for a thorough cleaning. I can still smell the grease tray from the broiler - yeuch! Afterwards it was party time with a trip down to Rio Bravo pub (game of Mia) which was open until 5am and then on to the English Pub or some place where we usually ended up dancing on the tables at 8am.

We often ended up in Christiana for a side 'trip' at 10am and before you knew it you were back in work after only a couple of hours sleep - oh to be able to hack the pace again! - anyway if you were there around then or have any experiences to share - post a note or upload a photo to the Facebook group here why don't you?

Tags: Burgerking Copenhagen, Burger King Copenhagen Danmark, Burger King Copenhagen København Denmark Facebook Group,Irish, Burger king Irish
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College of Commerce, Rathmines, Dublin, AAT 1988

Basic Info Type: Student Groups - Alumni Groups

Description: College of Commerce, Rathmines, Dublin, AAT 1988

So there were a good ol' bunch o' peeps in the EU sponspored course way back then. I still can't believe we got paid per class to go to college, not that that helped my attendance record much. I thinked I learned more about drinking and pool/snooker/cards than I did accountancy. The binges in 'The Lancer' were great (although the place was a dive) and I'm still recovering from 'rag week'. Share the good ol' times here and post an ol' message or upload a photo here. This was a holiday camp if ever there was one.  I suppose you enjoyed your Late Holidays too?

Contact Info
http://www.new.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=5540733444

Location: Rathmines Road, Dublin, Ireland

Tags: Certified Accountanting Technincian, College of Commerce, Rathmines, Dublin, AAT 1988
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Mission Beach Backpackers Lodge, Queensland, Australia

Now called 'Absolute Backpackers' this was (hopefully still is) a gem of a hostel away from the hustle n' bustle of Cairns. I booked in for 1 night back in 1992 and ended up staying and eventually working for about 6 weeks and came back again for another few weeks later on. Maybe it was just luck but there were a great bunch of people working and passing through at that time. The owners at the time were Judith & Dominic and there was a really chilled out vibe about the place which might have had something to do with copious amounts of alcohol, drinking games & visits to the turkeys nest for a smoke n' a chat. For two hours 'work' a day you got free room n' board and the pub was right across the road and amazing beach with palm trees just down the road. This was definitely one of those great cheap holiday deals. Dunk Island was close by and trips to the great barrier reef also left from here. If you worked or passed thru it would be great to hear some stories / experiences

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Travel Trip Reports

Click on the links below for Trip Reports, tips and details:

South East Asia (15) 2 month, 8 country trip (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar/Burma, China)




Central America (10) 1 month, 8 country trip (Colombia , Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, Guatemala) including all of Central America.

Belize (1) Part of the Central America trip.

Colombia (2) Before the Central America trip.

Costa Rica (1) Part of the Central America trip.

El Salvador (1) Part of the Central America trip.

Guatemala (1) Part of the Central America trip.

Honduras (1) Part of the Central America trip.

Nicaragua (1) Part of the Central America trip.

Panama (1) Part of the Central America trip.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On the Road - Argentina (31) 2 month trip starting in Cordoba and heading north to Salta, via Chile and on to Bolivia, Paraguay.

Torres Del Paine, Chile (9) Starting in Ushuaia and then heading to Punta Arenas, Hiking the 'W' circuit and on to Calafate.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina (3) Just a long weekend trip.

South Argentina (8) A couple of trips south.

Brazil (1) Iguazu Falls

Bolivia (4) Part of the South America trip.

Chile (7) Various trips out to Chile.

Colombia (2) Before the Central America trip.

Paraguay (1) Visiting the inlaws

Outside Argentina (28) As the name says, all the trips outside Argentina this past year.

Uruguay (2) A quick 5 day trip to get a taste of the country.

The trips above were booked without a travel agent and mostly spur of the moment. For me well laid plans are overly complicated and often more expensive. The trips above are what you might call a Bargain Holiday itinerary:

Feel free to ask Questions about travel - click here.

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