Unlike a general survival kit, a “bug out bag” is meant to contain the necessities for survival in a 72 hour period. They are typically kept for the unlikely event of disaster evacuation. Having a bug out bag on hand will allow you to stay alive (important) and healthy (essential) while facing the challenges of Read more about 5 Things You Should Pack in Your “Bug Out Bag”[…]
Exactly nine years ago this week, life took me to Leicester! It was a crazy journey from Warsaw to Loughborough and really early backpacking days for me. I was there attending a function as a University Student. Not just any function though – it was the National Student TV Awards and I collected 2 trophies Read more about A Backpacker’s Guide To Buying a Home in Leicester, England[…]
Life was sweet as I cracked the 10 Year Travel Journey Mark. What it was was a decade of my life where I had lived or been away from my hometown – travelling, studying, working, exploring, backpacking. It happened on 26th September 2013, I had been away for 10 years now and was loving the Read more about Camping in the Bedouin Tents in the Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan[…]
Spring time camping is a fantastic thing and there are so many wonderful experiences to be had from taking part in a trip that bit earlier on in the year. I’m not talking about the sort of lifestyle I led when I camped in Poatina, working on endless farms, but some slightly more relaxing camping… Read more about How to Prepare for Camping this Spring[…]
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[…]
It’s a long time since I wrote anything about Belarus (even though I once wrote a chapter for a book on my trip there). And as it’s yet to feature on my Friday’s Featured Food series, I thought it was time to recollect that day I tried Belarussian Porridge in the drab city of Bobruisk. Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Belarussian Porridge in Bobruisk, Belarus🇧🇾[…]
In life, at least where I come from we all have a “local”. “Down the loke”, “down the wins”, “see you in the local” are all phrases we use to describe that one pub or bar where we feel at home. We know the staff, we know the customers, it’s our local. Most of my Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: The Windsor Bar Bangor, Northern Ireland (My Local Pub)☘️🔴✋[…]
I recently had the pleasure to stay in the superb Abraham Hostel in Jerusalem, Israel. Having stayed in a load of hostels down the years, it’s my duty to inform you that this was one of my favourites – this place ROCKS! In fact, don’t even consider a visit to Jerusalem without staying here. My Read more about Abraham Hostel, Jerusalem: Easily the Best Hostel in Israel[…]
My Turkish experience has been pretty cool in that we have gone to a few places well off the backpacking trail which was nice. This has meant spending time staying in hotels and even caves (at Goreme) instead of the usual hostel lifestyle. While Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and houses 5 million Read more about Where to Stay in Ankara, Turkey: Hotel Capital[…]
I visited the cool city of Adana in Turkey last week. It’s a city without a backpacker vibe, or indeed any hostels so it was time for a 4 star hotel! Yes, I broke out of my backpacking shell for a couple of nights and LOVED it. For myself and my girlfriend, this was the Read more about A Few Nights of Luxury at Otel Senbayrak, Adana, Turkey[…]