Georgetown

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I visited Georgetown many times during my year spent in Guyana. I like to think that I managed to look beyond the tourist scene; sitting in Oasis Cafe with what seemed like all the foreign people in Guyana never really appealed to me.

My favourite thing to do in town was to catch a bus. A mini bus costs $60 which is currently about 15p or 30c. I love catching a bus into town because the music and atmosphere in the bus is amazing. I love it when everyone knows the song, and everyone sings along. Even if you're the only one that knows the song, it's completely normal to sing along. For the price of the bus, you can afford to get off anywhere that takes your fancy. The new traffic lights make travel in town a lot slower and more frustrating, but probably more safe in the long term.

Stabroek Market is amazing. You can easily spend a whole morning just wandering around browsing inside at the clothes, shoes, foods, jewellery and anything else you could want, and outside at the fruits, vegetables, more clothes and food. Be careful with your bag as the guide book says theives operate there. Better still, take your money in your pocket like Guyanese do, just don't carry plenty. Stop for a cold drink and snack at any of the stalls that take your fancy. Do haggle with the traders with clothing and hat stalls by KFC.

Guyana has some great clubs and you should try them all. All the best clubs are in Georgetown: Buddy's, Club Latino, Blue Iguana, Palm Court (more of a bar, but still charges for entry) and many other great bars, including roof gardens (Demico Stabroek roof garden is nice too). For the tourists out there, Windies is a sports bar full of westerners.

Great places to eat are fish and chip shops; White Castle or Francine's on Sheriff Street. Plantain chips and fried fish taste amazing in Guyana, especially with a cold Banks Beer. There is a Brazilian restaurant that does all-you-can-eat meat for a set price. For a quick meal there is always friend chicken or chinese food.

The City Mall is well worth a visit. It has Guyana's first escalators, some expensive shops (it's nice to look) and fast food resturants. If you manage to experience a school trip there, laugh at the children's reactions to the escalator!

Georgetown is the party capital of Guyana and, despite being small, has a brilliant social life and party scene. You'll have fun in Georgetown. I did.

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