I meandered my way back into the republic of Kazakhstan thanks to a clever visa free passport switch at the border (Irish for Uzbek visa, British for Kazak visa free entry). The toughest part of my Central Asian adventure was over and I’d escaped Uzbekistan. The countries of Kazakhstan and Kyrgzstan were up next, both Read more about Staying at the Orbita Boutique Hotel in Shymkent, Kazakhstan🇰🇿[…]
While backpacking in Afghanistan, I was delighted to be offered the chance of a homestay with a local family in the city of Masar e Sharif. In the years I’ve been travelling, I’ve had homestays in places like Israel, Iran, Uruguay, Nagorno Karabakh, Hungary, Tunisia and Transnistria. However Afghanistan was a whole new experience. The Read more about Backpacking in Afghanistan🇦🇫: My Homestay Experience in Masar e Sharif[…]
On my tour of Afghanistan, I had quite a few authentic local culinary experiences, in my homestay, at my hotel, in Haibak and in Masar e Sharif. I’ve already written about trying Mantoo in Masar e Sharif and the smoking Shisha on a Saturday night out with the lads. In Central Asia, Plov becomes part Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Pilov in Horam Restaurant Haibak, Samangan, Afghanistan🇦🇫[…]
After the madness of the wacaday adventure in the barely known republic of Karakalpakstan, it was time to get back to some textbook Uzbekistan sightseeing and the city of Khiva was on the agenda. I wanted to stay in the Ichan Kala (“Old walled town”) which is the typical tourist option but by far the Read more about Backpacking in Uzbekistan🇺🇿: My Stay at the Lovely Hotel Xiva Atabek in Khiva[…]
My final stop on my Uzbekistan overland trip was in the capital city. It was here that I finally felt at ease with the Uzbeks when I arrived in their glamorous, northern swanky hub of Tashkent. The capital seemed to like me and I liked it too. It was nice to finally find a really cool city Read more about Backpacking in Uzbekistan🇺🇿: Staying at Gulnara Guesthouse in Tashkent (the Capital)[…]
This is probably the first hotel review I ever do where I won’t mention the actual name of the hotel. There are security reasons for this of course and I was there on tour with a cool company and they sorted out my accommodation. I didn’t go online and book any hotels or hostels. In Read more about Backpacking in Afghanistan🇦🇫: My Hotel Stay in Masar e Sharif[…]
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[…]
“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🇺🇿)[…]
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[…]
“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[…]