“Abdelghani Yes!” – World Cup 1990 Commentator. It may not have been on my list a few years back. Egypt somehow never reeled me in. I always skipped it. Over the years I knew it would happen eventually, I mean there are so many UK Egypt tours and the country is a travellers favourite. Here on…
Read MoreI backpacked in Afghanistan in 2016 and loved it. From my border crossing (after a night in the southernmost Soviet Union Hotel) to the tour of Masar e Sharif, it was amazing. Especially when I got to play football (and score the only “goal” of a 0-0 draw (come on VAR – it was OVER…
Read MoreThe Middle East may feel like the most challenging region of the world to backpack in, but this is not really the case. While visas for Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen and Iraq prove difficult, the rewards are clear for all to see. I’ve visited the region on over ten occasions, with just Syria, Gaza Strip,…
Read MoreIn 2018, I managed to get a Saudi Arabia visa as I was travelling there to represent a travel company at the Hotel Show in Jeddah. As a group we ended up spending 10 days in Saudi Arabia and we backpacked it pretty hardcore. Of course, I did struggle with Arabic completely, phrases such as فنادق شرم الشيخ…
Read MoreOfficially I’ve been to the United Arab Emirates four times yet I’ve only been to two of the seven Emirates. I’ve also totally neglected the capital city, Abu Dhabi. That is my own fault having turned down a once in a lifetime opportunity in my final year while studying International Public Relations. That time despite…
Read More“DOG SOMETHING” – Our name for Dogubayazit in Turkey. Back in 2013 was my first ever trip to Turkey, yes I took my time to visit this beast that somehow straddles itself into the hat-trick of Europe, Middle East and Asia all in one. Of course in those days, I also needed a Turkey visa,…
Read More“YAMD” – Northern Ireland football supporters, circa Denmark away 2006. When I first backpacked in Ukraine in 2015, I raved about how incredible the bars in Lviv were. It came as no surprise to me of course, as countries such as Poland, Belarus, Ukrainę and Russia generally have the best bars in the world, in…
Read MoreSo far i have to Belarus 4 times, 3 of those visits I have been in Minsk at some point. Yet I haven’t written about my accommodation much until now – I really should cover my night in the Hotel Minsk and the Hotel Bobruisk some time. I’ve so far visited 4 Belarusian cities (Minsk,…
Read MoreSunday Story time and a flashback to 2007… Just under 12 years ago (August 2007) when I started this travel blog, one of the first articles I wrote was about the city of Babruisk / Bobruisk / Babruysk in Belarus. I was there on a crazy train journey from Minsk, all alone to watch a…
Read MoreWhether you are looking for a dash of nature, coupled with the sophistication of a city and some amazing retail therapy (including buying a camel!) Dubai offers all this and more. Not just a place to do business, the city has a variety of tourism attraction from visits to the desert, water adventures, parks, shopping…
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