“Maybe one day you will make my hometown famous ” – St🌟rogard🏰Girl🩷👱♀️.
After years of delay, I finally can bring you my latest book, 💚STARO🌟GARD🏰GIRL🩷👱♀️. Starogard Girl is Volume 2 of my This Is The Next Century series, which is about my travels from country 100 to country 200. This specific book, Starogard Girl tracks my journeys from May 2016 (though references back November 2014) until December 2017 (with a slight overlap into January 2018). It was a burden off my shoulders, and this was actually finished in July 2024 in the city of Starogard Gdanski itself, in the Browar Stary Rynek, photo below of the final edits…
“Drowned in love and false kisses. A gathering of no meaning” – Richey James Edwards.
Starogard Girl is a poem, a song, a story, a book and a person! On Jonny’s journeys he encountered the famous to infamous “Starogard Girl”. She, perhaps unknowingly, was to influence his journeys ever since. Hailing from the calm Kociewien capital city of Starogard Gdański, the Starogard Girl came and went into Jonny’s life with fleeting charm, wacaday aplomb and free spirit.
“Egg is jajko; and apple’s jabłko. A travel writer who fell in love with; a Starogard Girl. She’s a Starogard Girl” – Jonny Blair.
As Jonny backpacked hardcore through far flung places like Senegal, Kyrgyzstan and France, something was waiting and missing. This was his Starogard Girl, who was lying in wait. A cycle tour, a Slavic kiss and a spate of unforeseen lies were to follow. This story has more twists than a Hercule Poirot thriller, gaping suspense borrowed from Alfred Hitchcock with that added Northern Irish charm sucking down influences from Belfast’s George Best to Starogard’s own Kazimierz Deyna.
When the sun goes down tonight, where is Jonny’s Starogard Girl?
“Maybe you will make my untouristic town famous” – Starogard Girl.
💚STARO🌟GARD🏰GIRL🩷👱♀️Chapter Listing
These chapters took a lot of editing, chopping and changing. I’m still not satisfied this is correct, but this is the final chapter listing.
Chapter 190 – Starogard Girl (Chapter)
Chapter 191 – Backpacking In Lovely
Chapter 192 – Everton Away
Chapter 193 – Growing Up With War
Chapter 194 – Dhaka To Dakar
Chapter 195 – Kachikally Catchy Kissy
Chapter 196 – Slight Return
Chapter 197 – It’s A Corker
Chapter 198 – The Kiss Eye No
Chapter 199 – Green Gherkins
Chapter 200 – The Monaco Bars
Chapter 201 – McGinn’s Our Tonic
Chapter 202 – Paris Prolongation
Chapter 203 – Fabrique Belgique
Chapter 204 – The Dam She Won’t Say No
Chapter 205 – Flirty Gdańsking
Chapter 206 – My Special K
Chapter 207 – Small Part Of Russia
Chapter 208 – Starogard Boy
Chapter 209 – Starogard Girl (Poem)
Chapter 210 – Tczew Travel Tips By Maggie
Chapter 211 – Suicide Bid
Chapter 212 – Disturbia
Chapter 213 – Mister Sarajevo And Miss Mostar
Chapter 214 – Nothing To Crow At
Chapter 215 – The Drugs Won’t Work
Chapter 216 – A Slow Bus To Kuklówka
Chapter 217 – Teaching English In Poland
Chapter 218 – Northern Irishman In Poland
Chapter 219 – Five Weddings And No Funeral
Chapter 220 – The Last Plane Out Of Hong Kong
Chapter 221 – The Red Hero
Chapter 222 – Lonely Prison Walls
Chapter 223 – Backpacking In Popeye
Chapter 224 – Whackpacking The SMOOM
Chapter 225 – Checkpoint Charlie
Chapter 226 – The World’s Smallest Kingdom
Chapter 227 – She’s A Nazi
Chapter 228 – Reefer This Side
Chapter 229 – Western Sahara
Chapter 230 – Peeler Car
💚STARO🌟GARD🏰GIRL🩷👱♀️Details
Details
Publication Date
Aug 25, 2024
Language
English
ISBN
9781445207315
Category
Travel & Adventure
Copyright
All Rights Reserved – Standard Copyright License
Contributors
By (author): Jonny Blair
Specifications
Pages
265
Binding Type
Paperback Perfect Bound
Interior Color
Black & White
Dimensions
US Trade (6 x 9 in / 152 x 229 mm)
💚STARO🌟GARD🏰GIRL🩷👱♀️: The Song
Starogard Girl is also a poem and a song. The finished version of that isn’t quite here, but here are two early demos of it.
💚STARO🌟GARD🏰GIRL🩷👱♀️: Final Edits
Best of wishes everyone and all my love to the famous/infamous Starogard Girl!
Rough translation guide from Northern Irish and Jonny Blairish intill English:
acronymically – in the form of an acronym whereby the first letters of each word in the sequence are placed together one after the other to form a new word
afforequoted – quoted before
aftermathically – in the aftermath and worked out mathematically Alanis Mozzarella – Alanis Morrisette alightings – getting off public transport a plural amount of times amalgamshate – to bring things together but in the end it is totally shite
anagramically – in the form of an anagram whereby the letters can be rearranged to spell another word
aneath – a form of reflectively being underneath
apparence – noun form of apparent
arrivation – the act of arriving in that place authoric – of an author BB – Boys’ Brigade bake – face bake on ye / look at the state of yer man / see yer bake – you do not look happy ballix – bollocks, testicles
barwork – working in bars
bate – beaten, lost
beehived – placed in a beehive (so till spake) beezer – excellent, wheeker, classic
beg – bag belshynic – of Belshina Belarus
betweenic – of in-between blastful – full of blast
blondynka – blonde girl (usually a very attractive one)
blowmouth – an action of a lady taking some male sperm intill her gob bodyness – related to the human body
bogs / bogside / bogside residents – toilets, loos, WCs, toalety, pissers, lavatories
boobage – a brace of boobs Bournemouthian – a person from Bournemouth Bournemouthic – typical of Bournemouth bovver-rated – badly over-rated
brace – two, 2
bracic – two, 2
braceically – twice brave – really good breasticles – a word mixing testicles and breasts, but in a cute way to mention only female breasts
breath thefter – something that takes your breath away buck eejit – cultured idiot buckie – tonic wine (95% of the time it’s the brand ‘Buckfast’) buspacking – backpacking on a bus
busticated – broken byline – the entire line on a football pitch between the two corner flags, except for the goal part which is called the goal line
calendarically – by order of a calendar
canalic – of canals carrotic – of Netherlands 1990 football shirt orange carryout – takeaway alcohol caser – leather football charmigator – something that is very charming
chimney corner – around the corner in the near future
cheapercrack – better value
chapteric, chapterical – of a chapter chaptertitlic – to call the chapter’s title that
coolbeans – relatively awesome or cool
countrywise – in terms of countries
Covi g – Covent Garden in London craic – banter so it is crackation – of cracking crappuccino – a very bad quality cappuccino Cremola Foam – a popular fizzy drink in Norn Iron during the 1980s crushic – the act of having been crushed
Cullybackey – back dandered, a dander, to dander – walked, a walk, to walk at a normal Northern Irish pace datily – in order of date deathable – to be able and leading or willing to represent death
deathhole – a terrible place, where a feeling of death is present Dennis – wise, clever Desmond / Dessie – a 2-2 draw in football (“Desmond Tutu”) dieic – appearing like they are dying or about to die
docken leaf – rumex obtusifolius, a leaf that helps after a nettle sting down south – Republic of Ireland (even the northern parts of it like Donegal!) duptuple – a double of something, like brace, dual, twice etc.
dwoll – dwelled (alternative emotional past tense use)
earthful – around planet earth eejit – idiot eejitiotic – like an idiot electionic – resembling an election enignymity – not knowing what might happen, mystery, enigma ensuic – what ensued, what came next fakeify – to make something fake
fallation – the act of falling
farmlife – life on a farm (I actually couldn’t believe this isn’t a recognised word!)
feg – cigarette fillim – movie fleg – flag fly nets – no specified goalkeeper in nets. Anyone can do nets.
footballic – of football forwardlash – exact opposite of backlash forwardtrack – exact opposite of backtrack
fourology – a four part series
freelancic – of freelancing, doing it for yourself frightclub – a nightclub that frightens you frostbit – bitten by frost, freezing, Baltic, very cold gat shat – got shot, was fired at using a gun GAWA – Green and White Army, Northern Ireland football fans geg – funny person, ridiculously funny gighopper – a person who goes to lots of gigs/concerts
glew – glow (in my past tense – instead of “glowed”)
goryness – feeling of ugly, gory, grotesque
grass, grass up – to tell the authorities about something potentially illegal growupathon – the act of growing up
gunless – without a gun hallions – buck eejits, hooligans, idiots, loonies, lunatics, mentalists
handal – using the hand
handal ability – ability of using the hand hereonin – from now on
here’s me till im – after that, I said to this man holdancy – the situation of holding something hourfall – at that exact moment where that significant thing happens impulsivic – stronger adjective than impulsive
intill – into inventigate – the act of investigating an invention on inventing an investigation
jamember? – do you remember? Jurassic Park – it’s a fillim about dinosaurs keeperity – the situation of keeping / maintaining something keepie uppies / keepy uppys – juggling a football with your feet and knees etc., literally “keeping it up” off the ground
leavepacking – to go backpacking when clearly doing it due to leaving somewhere
leet – litre (example – “gimme a swig of yer two leet”) Lesi’s Q – Leicester Square in London
loke – local public house/pub
look at the bake on yer man – look at his face lovein – fake love that I cringe at
lunatical – crazy madliness – lunatical marathonic – an adjective used to describe a person who loves marathons McCrums – penalty kicks memoric – memorable
meantimmic – in the meantime
minoritise – to prioritise the minority moonie – the act of showing your ass/bum/rear end
mundanity – the act of being mundane, bland, boring
musicly – musically nat – not nets – goals, goalkeeper, keeper nightness – the feeling that it is at night NISC – Northern Ireland Supporters Club
Norn Iron – Northern Ireland nounal – adjective form of noun
nuder – more nude, less amount of clothes off the wheaten craic – a place where there are no other tourists and no airport (the real “off the beaten track”) oopsilon – whoops in an embarrassing way ourselfs – ourselves (an acceptable poetic plural form) pantal – in the body region of yer pants
pantal orgasm – having an orgasm while you still have your pants on
peelers – policemen and policewomen, members of the police force peeler station – police station pelanty – penalty, McCrum penisular – of the penis (willy)
photy, photies – photo, photos pintage – the act or process of drinking pints
pinting – going for pints, often at that exact time
pociąg – an alternative word for train (taken from Polish) Portadownczyk – a man from Portadown in Northern Ireland premath – opposite of aftermath (beforehand) quare – a lot of, hugely, magically quare geg – a right laugh/something funny Quoile – a river in Northern Ireland quartology – a four part series
quintology – a five part series
quitpacked – gave up, quit backpacking quittion – the process of quitting
radaboutye – how are you? randomic – alternative adjective form of random
regression – nounal form of regret.
repitivity – alternative adjective form of repetition
rethunk – thought about again
ringathon – a ringing session that doesn’t have to be 26 rings saff – south (in a broad London accent) saviourity – noun of being a saviour
scrake of dawn – first thing in the morning, at dawn, at sunrise
scory – a mixture of story and score scroat – a person acting the lig, being annoying or being a pest
screamager – it’s a song by Therapy?, or an amazing goal in football seafrontal – by the seafront
see him? – look at that guy shap – shop shar – shower shiner – a black eye/face, a damaged face; a shiny Panini football sticker
shitfuck – poo poo and sex
shitment – a shit shipment, something you ordered that when it is delivered is wrong, shit or incorrect
showall – showing all, revelation, revealing all
singleton and singledom – a person alone, the act of being alone
SOENISC – South of England Northern Ireland Supporters Club
so it is – no meaning, can be replaced with a blank space, but that would be boring solitudinal – the only one of that thing spake – speak, dialect, style (to) squeal – to tell the authorities about something potentially illegal stolica – capital city (borrowed from Polish) (to) sultrify – to sexily seduce someone
sunnic – to be of sunny weather
swiftission – to do something swiftly as a noun
swankaday – always swanky
swapsies – doubles of Panini football stickers which you swap
szalenstwo – the act of being crazy (original from Polish)
Tannoy – public address system tap – top tentic – giving the feeling of being in or witnessing a tent, or in erotic terms, feeling the willy go up like a tent being erected
Termostel – a hostel in Termiz, Uzbekistan
textbookic, textbookery, textbook – of the finest textbook quality as an example within that field textbookikly, textbookicly – done by the textbook, the best way that it should have been done that there – meaningless Northern Irish garbage themmuns – those people theseuns – these ones thingy – that person, you know that person right? thon – that wee one till – to timeclock – clock of your time townic – of a town turnation – the act of turning as a noun
txakoli – (or chacolí) is a slightly sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity and low alcohol content produced in the Basque Country.
Ulsterczyk – Ulsterman, a man from Ulster, often used when talking about myself (Jonny Blair) Ulsteric – adjective describing ‘of Ulster’ Ulsterka – Ulsterwoman, a woman from Ulster unchaptertitled – that was not the title of the chapter I gave ungobbery – when the sperm from a blowjob doesn’t go into the girl’s mouth
unhyperbolic – opposite of hyperbolic, not exaggerated unin – not included in, not in unquenchingly – to not quench a thirst
unstrong – not strong unwilting – not wilting
unyearable – when the year is not mentioned either because the year is not known, it is not possible to mention the year or the author doesn’t want to mention the year
UTCIAD – Up the Cherries, in all departments! (AFC Bournemouth fan chant) Wacaday, wacadaisical – (copyright of Timmy Mallet) crazy, lunatical wactionary – wacky dictionary, Jonny Blair’s dictionary
wateric – of water
wallfall – the falling of a wall (e.g. Berlin Wall) wee – term of endearment, often signifying small whackdrinking, whackdrinker – to go drinking in a crazy way, a crazy drinker
whackpacking, whackpacker – to go backpacking in a crazy way, a crazy backpacker whackwhopping – a more crazy version of whopping whatcha – what are ya? whoppaday – crazy low/high amount wildernistic – of wilderness wintric – giving a feeling that it is winter
worldic – global wove – waved ya, ye – you yearically – by year, including that year, within that year, you can also use this word the same way as daily, weekly, monthly, annually
yer Da woulda stuck thatun away – your father would have scored a goal yer gegging me – you are joking about with me yer man – that male person yer woman – that female person yoghurty – creamy like a yoghurt yous, youse, yousens – you people zielonic – green
If there are any other unknown words or phrases that are used in this book, you can email the author Jonny Blair for clarification, as he often uses his own phrases and confuses others with his peculiar use of language.
“A bitter aftertaste and a fantasy of how we all could live” – Robbie Williams.
“This Is The Next Century” starts where “Backpacking Centurion” ended. Long term backpacker Jonny Blair had lived his dream of visiting 100 countries by the age of 34. However, it certainly didn’t end there as another century was swiftly swallowed with aplomb, to feature in the next book hattrick. Aftershot is the start of that hat-trick.
From the deserts of Tunisia, this book will take us to Bangladesh and The Faroe Islands. An extra fascination in lesser known countries appears in this volume, with Austenasia, Podjistan, Adammia, Karakalpakstan and Ladonia all ready for this perpetual tourist. This is the most brutal yet with the extreme horrors of Chernobyl, Auschwitz and a “Taliban” Football Stadium covered in their gory, here. This is gory days loyal, as opposed to the more common glory days loyal.
The quiz question is – by the end of Aftershot, will Jonny have ended up in magnetic Kyrgyzstan, will he have returned to the gaping skyscrapers of the Kong or will this Ulsterman still be on the move?
“Tomorrow never knows what it doesn’t know too soon” – Noel Gallagher.
Here is a full list of My Printed Book Anthology By Jonny Blair (1980 – 2024)
Backpacking Centurion Series – A Northern Irishman’s Journey Through 100 Countries
My first book series is Backpacking Centurion which covers my journey from country 1 (Northern Ireland) to country 100 (Tunisia), from 1980 until 2015. This series of four books were written on the road and were finally released from 2020 – 2023. The first COVID lockdown (March to June 2020) was the time when most of the editing and formatting was done.
This Is The Next Century – A Northern Irishman’s Journey To 100 MORE Countries
My second book series “This Is The Next Century” covers my journey from country 100 (Tunisia) to country 200 (British Virgin Islands/Tortola) from 2015 until 2021. This series of four books were written on the road and were finally released from 2024.
Volume 1 – Aftershot (2024)
Volume 2 – Starogard Girl (2024)
Volume 3 – Average Inhabitant (EST 2025)
Volume 4 – Untitled (Possibly “Fool Circle”, “Timeful” or “Take Care My Friend”) (EST 2025)
Untitled Series – A Northern Irishman’s Journey To The 220 Plus Club
After New Year’s Eve 2021, I worked out that British Virgin Islands was my 200th country and therefore the third series will be my country count from 200 onwards until the journey ends. This is very much in the early days with no exact titles for books yet.
“I stare at the sky and it leaves me blind” – Manic Street Preachers.
Backpacking Centurion was supposed to be a hat-trick, a trilogy. But Jonny Blair’s 100-country journey had too many stories for that. These are the uncut ones, or should I say the “cut ones”. They were left out for a reason and then stuck back in as a last minute supersub.
They were too gruesome, gory, crazy, insane, wacky, zany, ridiculous and mad for inclusion in the hat-trick. There were the horrors of death camps, overflowing toilets, innocent drug smuggling, border confusion, cider sinking on night buses and mates having intercourse with inflatables in the author’s living room.
This will be the final part of the “Backpacking Centurion” jigsaw, finally! And even when it’s done, there are actually a few more chapters that have even failed to make it into any of these first four books. These are not confirmed, but the book is in its final edits and I’ll confirm a release date soon hopefully!
Basically the “Backpacking Centurion” covered four books, from 1980 – 2015 when I arrived in my 100th country, Tunisia. The Chapter numbering from Volume 1, continued through Volumes 2, 3 and now 4 meaning there are 147 chapters. Hence of course why the last chapter is a 147 break, a not out, and therefore titled snookerically, “Jonny O’Sullivan”.
#theblackvolume #ulsterczyk #dontstopliving #backpackingcenturion
Chapter 110 – After The Hat-Trick
Chapter 111 – The Day We Didn’t Die Yet
Chapter 112 – The Night We Were 40 Points Behind With 5 Minutes Left
Chapter 113 – Footloose And Legless
Chapter 114 – Drinking The Piss
Chapter 115 – Man, You Shited
Chapter 116 – Donkey Dong Front Room
Chapter 117 – For Urine Only
Chapter 118 – That’s Be Cider Pint
Chapter 119 – Only Fools Fall In Love / Falling In Love In Antarctica
Chapter 120 – The Day I Didn’t Meet Noel Gallagher
Chapter 121 – A Lifestyle Of Reunions
Chapter 122 – Meeting The Hero Of Israel
Chapter 123 – Vicky Shoots At My Stars
Chapter 124 – Excrement Exit Showall
Chapter 125 – Let Me See The Willy
Chapter 126 – Last Bus Out Of Sydney
Chapter 127 – Europe’s Highest Village
Chapter 128 – Accidental Teacher
Chapter 129 – Books In The Wall
Chapter 130 – Irish Pub The Guinness Rugby Tackle
Chapter 131 – Everything Including The Girl
Chapter 132 – Dick Rock
Chapter 133 – The Time My Name Was Channer British
Chapter 134 – MSL/I Love You
Chapter 135 – You Cannot Stand Under My Umbrella
Chapter 136 – Doctor Yes
Chapter 137 – The Blowjob Robbery
Chapter 138 – Omitted Ta Pa Tsune
Chapter 139 – Singapore Slinged
Chapter 140 – 1997 Beer Pour (Needs A Proper Title)
Chapter 141 – Swedish Wood
Chapter 142 – Smith’s Not Dead
Chapter 143 – Watership Ballroom
Chapter 144 – Frog
Chapter 145 – Wet House
Chapter 146 – Sticking It In A Dentist’s Mouth
Chapter 147 – Jonny O’Sullivan
Not yet / left out –
Low Austin
Barri Antics
Living With James
My Brunei Girl
Exico/Sexico/Mexico City
Rare Bite Of Pressure
Countries That Didn’t Get Chapters Still Don’t Get Chapters
What It Is Is
Jurassic Park
Whackpacking In Countries You’ve Never Heard Of
Books In The Wall
Two Leet
A Final Straw
The Night My Chilean Friend Pulled a Random Because I Showed Her My Sausage
Shit Airlines
How Many Azerbaijanis Can Ye Fit Intill A Lada?
Tell Me The Story About Rodriguez
Sri Lanka
Traincloud
I Don’t Want To Write Another Story About Another Story
(Expecting Love)
Charlie Chapter *** ******* ****
Hard Shoulder
** BOOK UPDATE ** Don’t Stop Writing!!
Volume 4 of my Backpacking Centurion “trilogy” is finally on its way!! Originally the Backpacking Centurion series was meant to be ONE book, then it turned into 3 – a trilogy, a hat-trick. I’m now releasing a FOURTH volume of the “uncut” stuff! Buy The Black Volume on Amazon here.
“I stare at the sky and it leaves me blind” – Manic Street Preachers.
Backpacking Centurion was supposed to be a hat-trick, a trilogy. But Jonny Blair’s 100-country journey had too many stories for that. These are the uncut ones, or should I say the “cut ones”. They were left out for a reason and then stuck back in as a last minute supersub.
They were too gruesome, gory, crazy, insane, wacky, zany, ridiculous and mad for inclusion in the hat-trick. There were the horrors of death camps, overflowing toilets, innocent drug smuggling, border confusion, cider sinking on night buses and mates having intercourse with inflatables in the author’s living room.
This Volume, The Black Volume, completes the Backpacking Centurion era and will leave us with a splendid 147 break. 147 chapters about 100 countries before the darkness fell over Malaga on that night down the pub when a new era was about to unfold.
Out of the darkness and into the next century went Jonny Blair and his backpack.
“Everywhere death row; everyone’s a victim” – Manic Street Preachers.
Details of the book’s release date and launch will follow.
In the meantime, Backpacking Centurion Volume 1 – Don’t Look Back In Bangor has been updated and has a revised cover and text update.
Following my “Backpacking Centurion” series, this next book, “I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody”, is the story of how I ended up in Poland.
My “Backpacking Centurion” series covers my life and journeys from 1980 – 2015 through my first 100 countries. From Northern Ireland to Tunisia.
By the end of 2015, just months after reaching my 100th country, I had been to a further 10+ new countries and was documenting my journey. When my long term relationship ended, and Hong Kong was no longer my base (2015), life changed. I was homeless, nomadic, restless and lost. Writing never stopped.
My “I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody” book is all about my route to Poland. It covers my childhood days, my first trip to Poland, my Polish friends from my many jobs, my 100 country journey and then it tracks that period of my life from March 2015 up until December 2016, when I relocated to Poland.
My next series of books will track my journey from country 101 – 200.
What is “I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody”?
How A Northern Irishman Ended Up In Poland.
I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody: How A Northern Irishman Ended Up In Poland
“Lightning strikes everytime she moves” – Calvin Harris.
“I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody” is the story from travel writer Jonny Blair after his epic “Backpacking Centurion” series came to a culmination in March 2015.
The story of how Northern Irishman Jonny Blair ended up in Poland is far from straight forward. Even the pages of this book are not enough detail to explain. The journey was long and fateful. It was a golden dream and a blackened nightmare all in one. But it had to be written and released. Not every Bangorian Northern Irelander dreams of a plate of pierogi with śmietana and a glass of grzaniec in a stare miasto. In this world, Jonny seems like the odd one out.
“He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup” – Noel Gallagher.
It all started with a Gerry Taggart brace in 1991. Northern Ireland beat Poland 3-1 in a football match that Jonny attended in Belfast that night. Jonny’s journey to Poland took him via an ice cream hut in Bournemouth, a hostel dorm room in Bucharest, a visit to a windy cave town in Georgia, a Russian translator, nudity in Antarctica and a craft beer pub in Sofia. But it wasn’t as simple as that. Jonny doesn’t do simple. He also doesn’t do lazy, dishonest or boring. He writes from an unwiltable heart and a boundless mind.
“You’re a monsoon and a fire all in one” – Super Furry Animals.
Expect thrills and mishaps along the way. We read about Jonny’s first ever trip to Poland, a Stalin inspired poem, a night on the rip in Poznań drinking grzane piwo and a chilling visit to the German Death Camps.
Expect football, friends and beer to feature heavily. Jonny likes a drink and isn’t shy about it. He finds the comparisons between George Best and Kazik Deyna uncanny. Is it any wonder this Ulsterczyk ended up supporting the Polish green and white fifth tier club KP Starogard Gdański in 2016?
Working as a barman, a teacher, a PR rep, a travel writer and a broccoli farmer all add spice to this szalony journey. We end up in far flung places here. Tashkurgan in Afghanistan, Lam Tin in Hong Kong and Grödig in Austria all serve as geographical pins on this man’s globetrotting odyssey to Poland.
When the sun comes up in your unknown Polish town, don’t be surprised if Jonny Blair turns up cradling a dobra kawa and craving your Babcia’s pierogi ruskie.
“Love remains the drug that’s the high, not the pill” – Seal.
//
I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody: How A Northern Irishman Ended Up In Poland is available online from many outlets.
In the meantime, get tore into the back catalogue – my Backpacking Centurion series is currently available in three volumes.
Here is the full chapter listing from I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody –
Chapter 1 – Ulsterczyk Chapter 2 – Gerry Taggart Ruins Robert Warzycha’s Night Chapter 3 – Best Break Chapter 4 – Polska Biało Czerwony / Poland White Red Chapter 5 – The Original Party Train Till Warszawa Chapter 6 – Coleslaw / Bolesław Chapter 7 – Big Bird Chapter 8 – Dog For A Girl Chapter 9 – Ferry Cross To Jersey Chapter 10 – Ulster’s Number One Chapter 11 – La La Lafferty Chapter 12 – The Don’t Stop Living Globe Chapter 13 – Living In a Land Down Under Chapter 14 – Tasmanian Devils Chapter 15 – We Will, We Will Broccoli Chapter 16 – One Small Step For Yer Man Chapter 17 – The South Pole Chapter 18 – Kong Phew Chapter 19 – Up Something Chapter 20 – Define The Gap Chapter 21 – A Hostel in Chișinău Chapter 22 – Whackpacking Centurion Chapter 23 – Basque In The Glory Chapter 24 – Gibraltar Ego Chapter 25 – Your Bacon The Pig Chapter 26 – Queue: Wait Chapter 27 – Magic Whip Chapter 28 – Last Plane Out Of Hong Kong Chapter 29 – Chitty Chitty Gong Gong Chapter 30 – Manama Na De De Du De Du Chapter 31 – Freetown Christiania Chapter 32 – Ladonia Chapter 33 – Fare Auld World Chapter 34 – Back To The Portman Chapter 35 – Greece Lightning Strikes Twice Chapter 36 – Stanislas Is Coming To Town Chapter 37 – Grzaniec Chapter 38 – A Bit of Krak Chapter 39 – Don’t Stop Lviving Chapter 40 – Chernobyl’s Witness Chapter 41 – One Almaty Decision Chapter 42 – Magnetic Kyrgyzstan Chapter 43 – Nights Alive On Monday Town Chapter 44 – Death Road Chapter 45 – Ruud Bullet Chapter 46 – The Wish Worked Chapter 47 – Dashkent Chapter 48 – Turkistan, Not Turkmenistan Chapter 49 – Get It India (Get It Intill Ye) Chapter 50 – A Night In My Town Chapter 51 – Holifest And The First Ever Pub Crawl In Bishkek Chapter 69 – Left Out For A Reason, (I’m) All Nude Chapter 53 – SV Grodig Baby Chapter 54 – 7 Seconds Away Chapter 55 – Crocodile Drumcree Chapter 56 – Blarney Rumble Chapter 57 – Zielone Ogórki / Green Gherkins Chapter 58 – Kings of Lyon Chapter 59 – Bruges That Won’t Heal Chapter 60 – Amsterdamned Chapter 61 – I Went To Gdańsk With Somebody