kurdistan sulaymaniyeh

Fridays Featured Food: Hotel Breakfast in Sulaymaniyeh, Kurdistan, Iraq

So you want to know what breakfast in Iraq is like?? Well my only real experience of this came in a hotel in the city of Sulaymaniyeh, which is in Iraqi Kurdistan and I’ve no idea how truly authentic this is, but here goes for you today none the less. Most hotels in the Kurdistan Read more about Fridays Featured Food: Hotel Breakfast in Sulaymaniyeh, Kurdistan, Iraq[…]

durty nellys

Staying in Amsterdam’s Red Light District: Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub, Amsterdam, Netherlands

It was an odd but yet refreshing feeling when I headed back to Amsterdam in the Netherlands earlier this year. It completed a total full circle for me in life and in truth freaked me out a bit. The story dated back 23 years… I first visited Amsterdam back in 1991 – in fact it Read more about Staying in Amsterdam’s Red Light District: Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub, Amsterdam, Netherlands[…]

jonny blair on pavilion bar bournemouth

Working Wednesdays: Barman at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, England

I admit my working Wednesdays series is months behind – I was writing so much stuff recently about travel that I neglected my usual regular features and lifestyle posts. My return to the town of Bournemouth after a 5 year absence recently made me think of my time there working as a barman in Bournemouth Read more about Working Wednesdays: Barman at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, England[…]

jonny blair hunan china changsha

Top 5 Sights When Backpacking in Changsha, Hunan Province, China

In my ongoing quest to visit every Province in China, I recently headed to the Hunan Province which is probably most famous for the fact that Chairman Mao Ze Dong comes from this province. Also famous is the scenic area at Wulingyuan which was made famous by it’s inclusion as the location for the film Read more about Top 5 Sights When Backpacking in Changsha, Hunan Province, China[…]

north korea backpacking

How to Get a North Korean Visa

I’m here to help all my fellow travellers, that’s my duty and my job. I should have posted this one ages ago as it’s something that I get quite upset about. The reason is, lots of people have asked me questions like “how can you visit North Korea?” and “I thought it was a closed Read more about How to Get a North Korean Visa[…]

travelling the world is easy

Sunday’s Inspiration: 10 Easy Steps To Travel the World

Sundays are my day to reflect on where life has taken me and write something that can hopefully inspire others to escape the rat race and get out and see the world. It doesn’t take much. I understand some people are happy with a generic 9-5 Monday to Friday job, a few weeks holiday a Read more about Sunday’s Inspiration: 10 Easy Steps To Travel the World[…]

shahr e kord backpacking

Backpacking in Shahr-e Kord, Iran: Top 7 Things to do in this Unknown Gem

To find out how on earth we ended up in the dreamy mountain town of Shahr-e Kord in Iran, you’ll have to go all the way back to our time in the city of Baku in Azerbaijan and a chance encounter with Rasoul, our new Iranian friend. We met Rasoul in the Caspian Hostel in Read more about Backpacking in Shahr-e Kord, Iran: Top 7 Things to do in this Unknown Gem[…]

christian church iraq

Backpacking in Ainkawa: A Christian Suburb of Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq

When you travel in the Middle East you get used to Mosques. Islam is the main religion and there are Mosques everywhere. However, Christians, Jews and Buddhists also reside in these parts of course. But a Christian Quarter in Iraq? Yes – in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, often referred to as Iraqi Kurdistan. While Read more about Backpacking in Ainkawa: A Christian Suburb of Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq[…]