Backpacking in Australia: Watching Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar and Dwight Yorke and Terry McFlynn

I didn’t exactly expect to watch live football in my first 2 days in Australia, but as an added bonus I did! On arrival at Sydney Airport, I noticed a light blue Sydney FC kit being sold in one of the shops, and with it a fixture list for the local team, which revealed they Read more about Backpacking in Australia: Watching Sydney FC v Brisbane Roar and Dwight Yorke and Terry McFlynn[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: The Beatles Bar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Its amazing you know where and how you find things. This one was random – I found a “Beatles Bar” slap bang in the city centre of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia! It was by chance. I mentioned before how English traveler Niki Whitley spent a day with Natalja and I and helped us firstly by loaning Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: The Beatles Bar, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia[…]

Night Safari Singapore Zoo 2009

Backpacking in Singapore: Night Safari

You’re thinking what the hell is “Night Safari”? But it’s obvious. The answer’s in the title. Singapore had the world’s first night safari. So while there and with one of the world’s most famous zoos so close, we couldn’t resist the temptation to do the “Night Safari” in Singapore. It would mean being up close Read more about Backpacking in Singapore: Night Safari[…]

Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

It had to be done. It was so obvious. There we were in Singapore, Asia and staying in a hostel just 25 minutes walk from the world famous Raffles Hotel. The Raffles Hotel is possibly the most famous hotel in Asia. It began life in 1887 and was founded by the Armenian Sarkies brothers. Monarchs Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, Singapore[…]

Watching Czech Republic 0-0 Northern Ireland…in Shinying, Taiwan

It was the first time I would ever attempt to watch a Northern Ireland match on the internet, and the first time I would be in Asia when we have a match. I gave up travelling to Northern Ireland away matches back in February 2009, when life changed forever. It is a pleasing aspect in Read more about Watching Czech Republic 0-0 Northern Ireland…in Shinying, Taiwan[…]

Backpacking in Taiwan: Taidong, Hualien and bus tripping up the East Coast

It was an early start, or a late start depending on how you look at life. We stayed up all night until a 5 am sleepy bus left the south western city of Kaohsiung for a trek across the island to the eastern city of Taidong. It was part of our trip up the East Read more about Backpacking in Taiwan: Taidong, Hualien and bus tripping up the East Coast[…]

jonny blair in shinying taiwan

Friday Night in Shinying: Barbecue, KTV, Bowling…

  Friday nights in Shinying became “party nights”, where we would do something a bit different or special, all tied in with the Taiwanese culture and this gave us the opportunity to meet yet more local people. I’ll now comment on our first Friday night in Shinying, where we had a barbecue for dinner, went Read more about Friday Night in Shinying: Barbecue, KTV, Bowling…[…]

Orange Army! Tainan Lions 1-3 LA Kaohsiung New Bears

Back in 2007, I went to watch Baseball for the first time. It was never a sport that would interest me totally and really as you get older in life you just like to experience and see new things, even if you don’t like them that much. But actually I’ve now been to Baseball twice Read more about Orange Army! Tainan Lions 1-3 LA Kaohsiung New Bears[…]

Away In A Manger – The night we bate the England

Northern Ireland 1-0 England 7th September 2005. David Healy 74 I was of course there in Windsor Park in the Kop the night we beat the England. I attended every Northern Ireland home match from January 1997 to September 2009. I had written a report on this match for a magazine in 2005 which was Read more about Away In A Manger – The night we bate the England[…]

Backpacking in England: Touring The Needles, Isle of Wight

As well as working on the Wightlink Ferries, I have spent quite a bit of time backpacking on the Isle of Wight in England. I organised a crazy SOENISC day out there in 2006 and in 2008 made several trips to the Isle of Wight and toured the Needles. Here are a few photos from Read more about Backpacking in England: Touring The Needles, Isle of Wight[…]