Month: February 2016

Backpacking in The Republic of Karakalpakstan: Top 8 Things to Check Out in Nukus, the Capital City

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Wow, wow, wow! That is all I can say about the wacky Republic of Karakalpakstan if you read my Wacaday report of my journey there, you’ll know this was lunacy turned on its head. This autonomous region within Uzbekistan that probably should have been its own country.  To see what Karakalpakstan was all about, I Read more about Backpacking in The Republic of Karakalpakstan: Top 8 Things to Check Out in Nukus, the Capital City[…]

backpacking food tour barcelona

Some Cool Food Experiences in Barcelona, Catalonia From WithLocals

Posted on by Jonny Blair

You might have read about my stories backpacking in Barcelona in Catalonia, having crossed in from Andorra. I loved my time in this city and surprised myself by this. I expected it to be overtouristic, dear and too cliched. However, it wasn’t like that at all. I loved touring the sights, drinking in bars with Read more about Some Cool Food Experiences in Barcelona, Catalonia From WithLocals[…]

World Borders: My Crazy Journey to Nukus in Karakalpakstan (Within Uzbekistan)

World Borders: My Wacaday Journey to Nukus in Karakalpakstan (Within Uzbekistan)

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“Let’s play mallet’s mallet” – Timmy Mallet, Wacaday (1980s). Well I thought I’d had some crazy journeys in life but this one topped them all for ridiculous wackiness. I half expected Timmy Mallet to come out and whack me on the head at any moment and shout “Wacaday” at me! This could be lunacy on Read more about World Borders: My Wacaday Journey to Nukus in Karakalpakstan (Within Uzbekistan)[…]

Watching Buzkashi in Masar e Sharif Afghanistan

Watching Buzkashi in Masar e Sharif: Afghanistan’s National Sport

Posted on by Jonny Blair

If you’re ever backpacking in Afghanistan, make sure to get a trip to a local stadium to watch the national sport – Buzkashi! It’s the iconical backpacking in Afghanistan experience, and I had to get a visit to a Buzkashi game sorted during my time in the country! This was such an exciting experience! After crossing Read more about Watching Buzkashi in Masar e Sharif: Afghanistan’s National Sport[…]

World Borders: Crossing From Uzbekistan to Afghanistan on Friendship Bridge to Hayratan

World Borders: My Journey From Uzbekistan to Afghanistan on Friendship Bridge to Hayratan

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“Altogether now, in no mans land.” – The Farm. In life as it happens, it’s going to be quite hard to describe the sheer adrenalin rush and magic of the winter day when I backpacked it alone into Afghanistan. It’s just another day in my life but as a heated ball beat down on my Northern Read more about World Borders: My Journey From Uzbekistan to Afghanistan on Friendship Bridge to Hayratan[…]

Backpacking in Uzbekistan: Staying at Madina and Ali’s Guesthouse in Bukhara

Posted on by Jonny Blair

My Uzbekistan adventure continued and I tried to make the most of the limited visa time I had in the country. Two quick nights in Bukhara were in store, one of them I had to be up early the next day to head on the wacaday journey to Karakalpakstan. This time I went for a Read more about Backpacking in Uzbekistan: Staying at Madina and Ali’s Guesthouse in Bukhara[…]

Backpacking in Karakalpakstan: My Night at the Jipek Joli Hotel in Nukus

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Believe me, this was another crazy journey on this ball. I mean, for a start how many of you have heard of Karakalpakstan? Sorry where? Karakalpakstan!! I travel full-time and until last week, I also hadn’t heard of it!! It’s an autonomous region within Uzbekistan. But they have their own language, people, culture, borders, road Read more about Backpacking in Karakalpakstan: My Night at the Jipek Joli Hotel in Nukus[…]

Friday’s Featured Food: Eating the National Dish Mantoo in Sunatala Restaurant, Masa e Sharif, Afghanistan

Friday’s Featured Food: Eating the National Dish Mantoo in Sunatala Restaurant, Masar e Sharif, Afghanistan

Posted on by Jonny Blair

It was a real treat and a major league feast when I tried Mantoo for the first time after securing a visa for Afghanistan. Mantoo is Afghanistan’s National dish and my guide Noor opts to take me to Sunatala Restaurant – the best Mantoo restaurant in Masar e Sharif. This place is boomingly popular – Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Eating the National Dish Mantoo in Sunatala Restaurant, Masar e Sharif, Afghanistan[…]