" I'm back online!" catherineneill's Profile

Sorry once again guys for going AWOL!

Hi All. As usual I've logged back on after a long absence, and as usual I have hundreds of photos and different destinations to add!

I've been MAD busy with work, travelling to S.Africa, Botswana, Paris, as well as renovating our new house and buying a puppy! (Don't worry, he still lets me travel!

I'm off to Brazil tomorrow (work again!) as well as Amsterdam, Malta, Chennai and Botswana again.

A travelling sales(wo)man's work is never done!

Belfast is on the map

Belfast is a great place to grow up, it's one of the safest cities in Europe (ha!) We now have a lot of new buildings, regenerated areas and many more things to do. In some places we have a strangely continental feel. Come and visit and check out my Belfast travel page......

Update! The past few months have seen Belfast placed firmly on the international map, at last!! The MTV European Awards came to our wee city and what a party! Reviews were excellent, so a big thumbs up to Belfast. We can shake it with the best. Rihanna was also here, causing a scene in a corn field just out of town (check out her video for Love in a Hopeless Place), and Justin Bieber was swanning around. Not to mention the HOF!!!!

Best experience of 2011 so far

View from inside Soccer City

Went to a Derby in Soccer City in Soweto in Johanneburg

There were 95,000 people there to watch the 2 local teams - the Kaiser Chiefs and the Orlando Pirates - at the atmosphere was awesome.

There were of course vuevuzelas galore, Pap to eat and shouting to be done.

Great times, awesome experience and a buzzing atmosphere in Soweto from the welcoming locals

ABOUT TRAVELLING

Home! A country road near Comber, Northern Ireland

I am addicted to 'ticking off countries'. Getting a bit older means this is becoming more complicated and various crazy countries make it impossible to travel to. I can't even get to Iran next month as planned due to visa/passport issues and Syria and the other interesting Mid-East countries are just too damn dangerous at the minute.

Here's to peace in all regions affected by violence, and that their tourist industries continue to survive.....

It's great to travel the globe, and I've so many places to see but........Sometimes, there's no place like home!

THE PLACES I HAVE LIVED

Beaucaire, near nimes

Where i have been lived, and the places I miss (and don't miss)

Summer 2005 and Summer 2006 -

Bellegarde, Nimes.
I was an aupair to 4 'lively' children. I loved it! I hardly had any times off but when I did I drove around in a silver citroen which looked like a Delorien, plugged my ipod into the speakers and played AISHA by Cheb Khaled, got stalked by arabs.....

I miss the heat and dust of the Nimes countryside. I miss the town of Nimes and its narrow streets. I miss the distinctly gypsy/spanish feel of the Carmargue.......

Sept 2005-May 2006

Pirmasens, Arsch der Welt, Germany

I worked in a school teaching english for a year. Pirmasens was a dead end, a serious dead end. There had been things there, I am sure. There were american soldiers that kept the town afloat, but they were long gone. There were 7 hills and you always seemed to be walking UP ONE, no matter where you were!

2003-2008 ST ANDREWS

The quaint old town of St Andrews, the smallest place in the world where everyone knows everybody by some shape or form. If you dont know someone personally you can find out easilly by asking "Do you know the guy who wears the blue shorts and drinks in the Rasin" or "That girl with the big Oboe that drags it around town on a Thursday" easy

London - May 2008-Sept 2008

I lived there. I worked in the west end. I hated it!

Intro Updated Nov 18, 2011
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Comments (24)

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RickinDutch Apr 15, 2012 at 4:38 PM

Happy Birthday!
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TrendsetterME Apr 14, 2012 at 9:04 PM

Hey Catherine, "Happy Birthday", with all my best wishes ... :)
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CatherineReichardt Jan 15, 2012 at 7:24 AM

Hi Catherine
Nice to hear that you're going to be in this part of the world again. I will be away from 20-25 March but should be around otherwise ... drop me a note with your dates and we'll see if we can catch up for a beer!
Regards
Cathy
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planxty Apr 26, 2011 at 9:38 PM

Hello again Catherine, good to see you back on VT. Yes, I remember the Lagan before it got gentrified and, yes, I remember the bodies. Changed times now. fergy.
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mmohy Apr 15, 2008 at 4:28 PM

i know offcorse you are not online now , wish you celebrate your birthday well, have fun
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Daslupe Apr 15, 2008 at 4:15 AM

Happy Birthday Catherine from a new member of VT. Hope to swap tales and adventures with you soon. Paul
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hahnebach Feb 1, 2008 at 8:32 PM

I live in the states Pennsylvania but i was born in Pirmasens i came to the states long ago and i have not returned I was hoping to to go back before i turn 28 i was hoping u could tell me about it more
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iaint Sep 8, 2007 at 2:19 PM

Ahem, I see Caps just lost 1-2 in Belfast in the 1st league game, so bragging rights with you (until next game)
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Matyas Aug 8, 2007 at 3:46 PM

Cool little page..interesting thoughts about Belfast. Do you know any Vters here?
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Ekaterinburg Jun 12, 2007 at 2:37 PM

Catherine with a C, Hi from Katherine with a K in Cork-V important distinction here. I rarely comment on HPs but yours was so entertaining I had to . I love your vitality and energy. Keep on squeezing the most out of life :))