Sunday's Inspiration: My Slow Boats Through China, Sadness Reflecting Those Memories
72 hour visa beijing

Some Tips for Backpacking in Beijing, China

  Beijing is a completely over-rated city in China and having backpacked through 13 of China’s 29 provinces, it’s easily one of my least favourite. But somehow in the madness of it all, backpackers end up drawn to its magnetic charms, so get your China visa and off you got. Here are some tips. Unless Read more about Some Tips for Backpacking in Beijing, China[…]

World Borders: Flying from Beijing to Pyongyang, North Korea

For the first time ever on my world borders series, I’m writing about a flight. Probably the reason for this is that it was a hotly anticipated trip for me, and one which quite frankly, I’m not sure why it took me so long to go on. But alas, finally I was booked on a Read more about World Borders: Flying from Beijing to Pyongyang, North Korea[…]

chefs at peking duck restaurant

Friday’s Featured Food: Peking Duck at QuanJude Restaurant, Beijing, China

While Beijing will never be my favourite city in China, it does hold a few saving graces. Tiananmen Square is a great place to relax, Beijing is the gateway to the Trans Siberian Railway and also for our recent trip to North Korea plus there’s Peking Duck!! On Friday’s Featured Food I was initially going Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Peking Duck at QuanJude Restaurant, Beijing, China[…]

temporary 72 hour china visa

How to Get a 72 Hour China Visa at Beijing Airport

I’ve now been to China officially 18 times, and it was only recently on my 17th visit that I decided to travel without a visa in advance and check out the system for getting a visa on arrival. My first trip to China in 2007 was to Beijing and I had my visa in advance. Read more about How to Get a 72 Hour China Visa at Beijing Airport[…]

Millwall Neil and Jonny Blair partying in Seoul

Thirsty Thursdays: Korean Barbecue and 3 Country Day Long Pub Crawl

First night in South Korea was going to be special no matter what. I was reunited with Millwall Neil and ready to enjoy another adventure, in yet another new country…turned into a three country long all day pub crawl, in fact I’m pretty sure I fell asleep in the last pub. You’d have to ask Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Korean Barbecue and 3 Country Day Long Pub Crawl[…]

Lama Temple, Beijing…em Buddhism (July 2007)

With the Olympics in Beijing coming up this week, and with a lot of talk over whether this communist enclave has the necessary facilities and requirements to host such a tournament, I thought I could recollect on my visit to the Lama Temple and my exposure to Buddhism. I was there in July 2007, a Read more about Lama Temple, Beijing…em Buddhism (July 2007)[…]

Foreigner in Beijing, People’s Republic of China

All those days of living in Northern Ireland and trying “a chinky” (local slang for Chinese food and a tad derogatory if truth be told, I’m using it tongue in cheek here by the way) of a Friday night had given me some kind of inspiration to want to visit the world’s most populated (and polluted) Read more about Foreigner in Beijing, People’s Republic of China[…]