These are little visited countries on the South American main. Finally last year I managed to get around to passing through and taking a look for myself. I was working in Brasil and when all this came to an end and after spending some great moments reaearching and writing about the Ilha de Marajo in the mouth of the Amazon I headed north.

While far from comfortable, the route to FG was fairly straightforward. I had heard many tales of kidnappings and robberies and I do not doubt that these dangers do exist in the wild northeast, but no one bothered me and I arrived in Cayenne happy and healthy.

The first thing to remember about FG is that it is technically France and therefore part of Europe. The roads are fantastic, I am sure the healthcare is second to none, and the prices sky rocket into Euros. I cannot offer any help on accommodation since I was fortunately lodging with friends.

Things to see if you have time. A rocket launch in Kourou, Devils Island (famous from Papillon)and appreciate some fine french cuisine. Sure there are more things here but if you are on a budget you will most likely be fleeing north in haste.

Even my friends were not sure if there even existed public transport to get to Suriname. Finally we located the minivan rank near to the canal and market in downtown Cayenne. The minivan leaves when full so settle back for a rest. The minivan will take you all the way to St laurent where the French had another prison camp...if you have time this is worth seeing as well. Otherwise just pass through the town to the border crossing on this side of the river to leave France and take the ferry to the other side, Albina, to enter Suriname.

You can of course choose to be more adventurous and contract an illegal canoe to take you across. This may be cheaper but be sure to get the appropriate stamps in your passport. Before I forget, just about every country in the world requires a visa for Suriname and you cannot get this at the border. There is a relatively efficient Consulate in cayenne.

From Albina to Paramaribo is quite straightforward although I found no bus to take me and managed to hitch a ride in a private vehicle. Score!

Paramaribo's old town is quite something. Old white dutch colonial buildings restored and facing the ocean and river. It is small and well ordered and can all be seen in a few hours. The museum there had nothing explained in English. I don't expect everywhere to be in English, but Dutch and Sranan Tongo are hardly the most widely spoken languages.

The entertainment in Paramaribo revolves around gambling and a few short blocks from the old town are a handful of casinos.

Most tourists I met here were Dutch and had been or planned to go to the interior and by all acounts the flora and fauna and primary jungle here is astounding. I was investigating for a story on the Scottish settlements in Suriname and so stayed close to the coast visiting places and trawling through graveyards in Coronie and Nickerie.

To get to Guyana is done by yet another overcrowded minivan that can be arranged by your guesthouse in paramaribo. I stayed at the Albergo Alberga which was fine by any standards. www.guesthousealbergoalberga.com

Timing is everything on this leg of the trip. The transport needs to arrive at the border with enough time for everyone to complete the mayhem of the exit from Suriname, pay a fee, scramble for a shaded spot on the ferry and then the border jamboree on the Guyana side.

Your driver will be in a hurry since he has to make yet another ferry in time. There is talk of a bridge but I doubt we will see this for some time. Our driver was noticeably short of patience when he realised we would have to weait in a line for more than 2 hours for another ferry. Then the baby started to cry.

Finally we arrived some 16 hours later in Georgetown. After getting the address to my guesthouse wrong the driver kindly offered to fight me. Fortunately it did not come to that and we parted ways.

Georgetown has no centre and only a smattering of historical buildings remaining. I was advised not to go out after dark and kept to this advise when I noticed a chinese gentleman's brothel across the road, a gun store next door ad two ladies kicking the crap out of one another with sticks.

There were when I was there no ATMs and so all bank transactions had to be done at the counter, also, I do not wish to mention any names and risk a painful lawsuit, but I fear that very few Writers from the well known guidebooks have even ventured to Guyana or for that fact any of the three countries. With an up to date book I was unable to locate many places and the maps were as if of different cities. You are on your won and relying on the advise of others.

Kaieteur is magical though, this is mentioned in the guidebooks. The flight from the city out over the goldpanning (porknockers) villages and untouched jungle was spectacular.

I would suggest that if you have the time and the will, these three countries are worth visiting, you will always have a story to tell afterwards as they remain firmly far off the beaten track.