Two cold weeks ‘a fair swap’ for free hols

BRAVING the freezing rain to soak up some free sun are a hardy bunch of bargain-hunters whose main problem just now is keeping their feet warm.

The 20-odd people queuing outside Budget Travel's main office in Dublin have to stick it out for another six days if they want to secure the best sun deals when the sale starts next Tuesday.

Third in line for a bargain is Christy O'Connor from Tallaght, Dublin, who really believes two weeks in the cold is worth two free weeks in the sun.

"It's a fair swap," said Christy, who has been in the queue since last Friday evening. The father-of-two is hoping to get another free holiday.

Asked why he did not save up for a holiday like the rest of us, Christy said the long wait meant he had more money in his pocket to splash out on his family.

Christy is queuing for the third year in a row and got a free holiday in Florida last year.

"The first year was a challenge. Now I regard it as an annual get-together," said Christy as the icy rain beat down relentlessly on the small band of holiday hopefuls.

First in line is Therese McEnroe from Kevin Street, Dublin, who dances on the pavement now and again in an attempt to keep her feet warm.

Therese is hoping to get a free Florida holiday for herself and a friend. "It's a bit cold now but the day flies by with all the chat. The night is the worst part," she said.

Nineteenth in the queue is Paul Farrell from Pimlico, Dublin, whose feet were like blocks of ice yesterday.

"We are wearing lots of socks, even plastic bags, to keep our feet warm, but nothing works. Once your feet get cold, they stay cold," said Paul.

Not all the time is spent huddled under umbrellas. The group all know their places in the queue and take it in turns to sit in cars nearby and try to have a sleep.

Budget Travel marketing manager Niamh Hayes said they never encouraged people to queue outside their shop, even though the event has become a hardy annual.

"While we have been particularly generous to those in the queue in the past, there is no guarantee that we are going to give free holidays out to the longest waiters. We don't want people standing around in the cold at a time when the weather is particularly severe," she said.

Nevertheless, Budget staff do look out for the people in the queue and ensure that they have plenty of hot drinks and food to keep them going.

"The group is very well organised. It is a planned stay for those who are in the queue, particularly those that have done it before. They know the routine at this stage and have families delivering dinners and flasks of soup and coffee to them," said Ms Hayes.

"It is also a very orderly queue the group has their own numerical system and it works very well for them. When the doors open at 9am on the morning of the sale we will have all their names so we will know who has been queuing longest."