World Borders: How to Get From Poland to Kaliningrad (Gdańsk to Kaliningrad City)

World Borders: How to Get From Poland to Kaliningrad (Gdańsk to Kaliningrad City)

Crossing world borders still has intrigue for me. It’s the adrenalin buzz and excitement of it all. As a Northern Irish nationalist, I love separatism and I detest land borders like Belgium to Netherlands. Where basically you have no idea which country you are in – you even use the same currency and don’t get Read more about World Borders: How to Get From Poland to Kaliningrad (Gdańsk to Kaliningrad City)[…]

Crazy Dog best hostel Kaliningrad

Backpacking in Kaliningrad: My Wacky Stay at the Crazy Dog Hostel in Kaliningrad City

“You’re turning every modern theory on its head” – Gruff Rhys. Things are always a bit wacky with me. A little bit left of the middle, a bit obscure and a tad crazy. I just don’t buy any concept of normal because life is too short for silly billy rules. So when I heard about Read more about Backpacking in Kaliningrad: My Wacky Stay at the Crazy Dog Hostel in Kaliningrad City[…]

Staying at the Ibis Kaliningrad Center in Kaliningrad, Russia

My Perfect Stay at the Ibis Kaliningrad Center in Kaliningrad, Russia

When I finally crossed the border from Poland into Kaliningrad in August 2016, I was looking forward to my stay at the Ibis Kaliningrad Center. At the third time of asking, I secured an amazing 4 day visa for Kaliningrad. I was able to collect my visa on the border and get ready to explore. Read more about My Perfect Stay at the Ibis Kaliningrad Center in Kaliningrad, Russia[…]

Coffee Sinking and Transiting in Russia: My Brief Return to Moscow

“So catch the next flight to leave Moscow” – Manic Street Preachers. It’s another live blog post, here from Sheremetyevo Airport, Moscow’s massive transport hub. I haven’t been to this airport since I started this travel blog, it was 2007 when I was last here. I also haven’t been to Moscow since 2007 either. But Read more about Coffee Sinking and Transiting in Russia: My Brief Return to Moscow[…]

russian meal

Friday’s Featured Food: A Russian Feast (Kind of) in Moscow, Russia

I’m on a roll with Moscow and Russia reminiscing this week. I literally make a list of all the posts I want to write and bomb through them. Having talked about things to do in Moscow yesterday, today I reminisce on my first meal in Moscow in Russia. Basically a starter, a main course and Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: A Russian Feast (Kind of) in Moscow, Russia[…]

moscow kremlin jonny blair

Top 6 Things to see and do in Moscow, Russia

Well Russia – it’s been a while. It was almost 6 years since I took my backpack to Moscow in Russia and set about sightseeing in this immense historic capital city. Finally then and just cos (deliberate “working class typing error” there) I’m off to Azerbaijan soon (an ex Soviet state), better late than never Read more about Top 6 Things to see and do in Moscow, Russia[…]

Backpacking in Russia: Stranger in Moscow and the 1917 Revolutions

One of the few things I remember from a school history lesson on the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. The whole USSR/Russia/Soviet always held an interest in me. It was a massive country (the USSR/CCCP) which endured the horrors of Stalin and carried someone’s communist dream into the Read more about Backpacking in Russia: Stranger in Moscow and the 1917 Revolutions[…]