Category: Europe

Backpacking In Guinea Bissau: My Stay At The Pensao Creola Hostel, Bissau

Backpacking In Guinea Bissau🇬🇼: My Stay At The Pensao Creola, The Best Hostel In Bissau

Posted on by Jonny Blair

After getting my visa on arrival in Guinea-Bissau, I was ready to explore this smaller African country. Guinea-Bissau houses just over 2 million people, and its capital city, the eponymous Bissau houses a huge 500,000 of that. However, when backpacking in Bissau, it feels like a calm over-sized town. On Christmas Eve 2023, particularly, the Read more about Backpacking In Guinea Bissau🇬🇼: My Stay At The Pensao Creola, The Best Hostel In Bissau[…]

Backpacking in Guinea🇬🇳: This Is Africa’s Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Backpacking in Guinea🇬🇳: This Is Africa’s Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️“Move closer; set my mind in fire” – Tim Wheeler. You know the drill when you grow up in the outside-monikered country called “troubled Northern Ireland”. You’re asked where you’re from and you tell everyone “I’m from Northern Ireland”. At least I did, I made a point Read more about Backpacking in Guinea🇬🇳: This Is Africa’s Northern Ireland 🔴✋️☘️[…]

My Visit To The Home Of Football: Sheffield FC, England (Formed 1857)

My Visit To The Home Of Football: Sheffield FC, England (Formed 1857)

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“It’s coming home. It’s coming. Football’s coming home” – The Lightning Seeds. Sheffield FC are widely regarded as the oldest club in world football that have been continuously playing. They were formed in 1857 and as much as I hate FIFA, they are the governing body of world football and they recognise Sheffield FC as the world’s Read more about My Visit To The Home Of Football: Sheffield FC, England (Formed 1857)[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: Pouring My Own Guinness At England's First Self-Service Bar

Thirsty Thursdays: Pouring My Own Guinness At Autobrew England’s First Self-Service Bar

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“You come in on your own and you leave on your own” – Richard Ashcroft. My latest trip back to England threw up undoubtedly more surprises than my backpacking glory days in that country. I spent a few days back in Birmingham. It’s a city I’ve been to many times of course, mostly to visit Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Pouring My Own Guinness At Autobrew England’s First Self-Service Bar[…]

Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 AFC Bournemouth (17th March 2004) at Hillsborough

My Twenty Season Gap From Sheffield: A Football Return

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“The air coming up to the boil; rubbing up against walls and lamp-posts trying to get rid of it. Old women clack their tongues in the shade of crumbling concrete bus shelters” – Jarvis Cocker (Pulp – Sheffield: Sex City). Sheffield FC are widely regarded as the oldest club in world football that have been Read more about My Twenty Season Gap From Sheffield: A Football Return[…]

Backpacking In Stan: Completion Of Them – I’ve Been To All My Recognised Stan Countries

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“My tea’s gone cold, I’m wondering why” – STAN! (By Eminem Featuring Dido) Firstly this is no raconteur rhetoric, it’s just a reflection of a journey which took me 17 years from the first Stan (Stansted) to the last Stan (Pakistan). Yes, Iran-borderic Pakistan 🇵🇰 was the last of my FIFA 🌏🏆⚽️Stans when I finally Read more about Backpacking In Stan: Completion Of Them – I’ve Been To All My Recognised Stan Countries[…]

20 Years Later: How My Life Changed Forever 26th September 2003

20 Years Ago Today: How My Life Changed Forever On Friday 26th September 2003

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“What you leave behind, you don’t miss anyway” – Paul Hewson. Friday 26th September 2003. That’s twenty years ago today. Madness. This was the day when life unknowingly all changed for me. It did for me and it could for you too and you will never expect that. I certainly wasn’t ready for a new Read more about 20 Years Ago Today: How My Life Changed Forever On Friday 26th September 2003[…]

Backpacking In The Isle Of Man🇮🇲: My Stay At The Glen Mona

Backpacking In The Isle Of Man🇮🇲: My Stay At The Glen Mona Hotel

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“I don’t know what tune that the orchestra played but it went by me, sickly and sentimental” – Crowded House. Here I was, 203 countries deep into my wacaday adventure around the world and I was finally in The Isle of Man!! This lesser ventured country is the fifth closest country to my home country Read more about Backpacking In The Isle Of Man🇮🇲: My Stay At The Glen Mona Hotel[…]