I OPENED the Wild Rover, the backpacker’s hostel that I own in La Paz, in Bolivia, just over two years ago.
I’m from Bansha, in Tipperary, and trained as an electrician, but I got itchy feet. I’ve lived in Australia, Boston and New York, and was on my way home, four and a half years ago, but travelled via South America and stayed.
The first hostel I opened was in Cusco, in Peru. I sold it and opened another hostel in La Paz before selling my share and opening the Wild Rover.
Most mornings I get up at 9am. We’ve a bar licence till 2am, which is why I don’t get up earlier. I live in an apartment four blocks away and walk to work.
The first thing I do is check e-mails. Then I’ll have a meeting with my managers, to talk about how the night before went and how arrivals are looking.
The hostel is busy most of the year. We won Best Hostel in Bolivia in the hostel awards last year, and that made things even busier.
Most of our customers are Irish, English or Australian. La Paz is a fun place, and there are lots of things to do, especially if you are into adventure sports.
Between 11am and 1pm the place goes nuts with check-ins and check-outs, so it’s all hands on the front desk. After that I’ll try and get lunch.
We start serving food at midday – fish and chips, bangers and mash and shepherd’s pie. We even do a full Irish breakfast.
In the afternoon I’ll be tied up with workers. We’ve just taken over the house next door, so most of my time is spent dealing with plumbers and plasterers and electricians. It helps that I know what I’m talking about.
Most afternoons I’ll meet suppliers. You have to pay cash for everything here, because no one will give you credit.
One of the big attractions for our visitors is biking on what’s known as the world’s most dangerous road, which starts in snow and ends in jungle. Mostly, though, my time off is spent playing golf.
After the evening check-in rush I’ll finish up and go to the gym or home, but if they need me in the bar I’ll work. At weekends I’ll stay and have a couple of drinks myself.
I don’t see myself coming back to live in Ireland any time soon. You just get so much more for your money here.
Wild Rover Hostel, La Paz Bolivia, 00-591-2-2116903, wildroverhostel.com
* In conversation with Sandra O'Connell