Category: Culture

Backpacking in Mauritania🇲🇷: Riding The Iron Ore Train From Choum to Nouadhibou

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“Runaway train never going back. Wrong way on a one way track” – Soul Asylum. Having watched many Michael Palin documentaries down the years, I always envied his journeys. He did them in mostly pre-internet days. Back thence, visas were tough and we needed to be embassy-loyal. Booking accommodation could, at best, be organised by Read more about Backpacking in Mauritania🇲🇷: Riding The Iron Ore Train From Choum to Nouadhibou[…]

This Travel Blog, Don’t Stop Living is Fifteen Years Old Today!!

Posted on by Jonny Blair

** Don’t Stop Living is Fifteen Years Old Today!! ** “Where were you while we were getting high?” – Noel Gallagher. On the 27th August 2007, I wrote the first ever blog post on Don’t Stop Living, here it is. The photo above was also the first ever photo to grace that travel blog. It Read more about This Travel Blog, Don’t Stop Living is Fifteen Years Old Today!![…]

25 Years Ago Today🎸Be Here Now: Was There Then, The Album That Defined My Youth

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“An extraordinary guy can never have an ordinary day” – Noel Gallagher. The truth is that I have been way too busy to actually write this blog post! I am brimming with ideas and I was meant to post this on the EXACT 25 year anniversary of the epic album “Be Here Now” being released. Read more about 25 Years Ago Today🎸Be Here Now: Was There Then, The Album That Defined My Youth[…]

Friday’s Featured Food: Sunday Lunch At The Blonde Hedgehog, Saint Anne, Alderney

Posted on by Jonny Blair

First things first – Alderney is a pure fire gem. That much I know. Some 200-ish countries into my zany escapade around the world and it takes a lot to impress me now. But Alderney 🇬🇬 had it. It is an unbelievably satisfying place. From riding the country’s epic railway line, to nights on the Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Sunday Lunch At The Blonde Hedgehog, Saint Anne, Alderney[…]

Backpacking in South Africa: Touring The Lonely Prison On Robben Island

Backpacking in South Africa🇿🇦: Touring The Lonely Prison⛓️👮🏛️🚔On Robben Island

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“By a lonely prison wall, I heard a young girl calling” – The Dubliners. This is Nelson’s Triumph. Make no mistake about that. There has been something really weird and odd that has happened to me a few times on my journeys. Life has been really crazy how it all worked out for me – Read more about Backpacking in South Africa🇿🇦: Touring The Lonely Prison⛓️👮🏛️🚔On Robben Island[…]

Backpacking in Sint Maarten🇲🇫🇳🇱: Aeroplanes✈️Flying Above Your Head🛬At The Famous Sunset Bar🍸on Maho Beach🏖️

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“We sat and watched the sun go down” – Robbie Williams. “Music is my aeroplane” – Red Hot Chili Peppers. I saw photos of Sint Maarten beach years ago with aeroplanes flying right over tourist’s heads. I always thought that either – 1.These were photoshopped. 2.The photographer was lucky to catch a freak of an Read more about Backpacking in Sint Maarten🇲🇫🇳🇱: Aeroplanes✈️Flying Above Your Head🛬At The Famous Sunset Bar🍸on Maho Beach🏖️[…]

How to get a Mauritania Visa On Arrival At Noukachott International Airport

How to get a Mauritania🇲🇷 Visa On Arrival At Nouakchott International Airport

Posted on by Jonny Blair

  My arrival into Mauritania in July 2022 was a completely spontaneous accident, it was another completely wacaday journey for me. I was supposed to be in Poland. But my lifestyle has never been predictable or obvious. Here I was in The Sahara Desert again. This defied belief yet one more time, and proof that Read more about How to get a Mauritania🇲🇷 Visa On Arrival At Nouakchott International Airport[…]

Backpacking in Stratford Upon Avon, England🏴: Watching Much Ado About Nothing in William Shakespeare’s Town

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“Much Ado About Nothing” – William Shakespeare. When I finally rolled by train into Stratford Upon Avon, I was in for a treat. I was actually in Shakespeare’s Town finally. It was February 2022 and I attempted to put the past behind me. The first thing you should know is that Shakespeare’s Town, Stratford Upon Read more about Backpacking in Stratford Upon Avon, England🏴: Watching Much Ado About Nothing in William Shakespeare’s Town[…]

Backpacking in Alderney: My Feast Over Fire With The Blonde Hedgehog at La Frette Farm 🟡🦔

Backpacking in Alderney: My Feast Over Fire With The Blonde Hedgehog at La Frette Farm 🟡🦔

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Alderney was my sixth Channel Island to visit and I lined up some magical adventures here when I finally arrived in Saint Anne in July 2022. On the Saturday night, I headed from the capital city Saint Anne out to the countryside where I attended the intriguing Feast Over Fire experience with quirky, cleverly named Read more about Backpacking in Alderney: My Feast Over Fire With The Blonde Hedgehog at La Frette Farm 🟡🦔[…]

Backpacking in Alderney: Riding The ONLY Trainline🚂🚊🚅🚝 in The Channel Islands🇬🇬🇯🇪

Posted on by Jonny Blair

“Last train to somewhere, come take a ride” – Scott Gordon. In Summer 2022, at the ripe of age of 42 and with over 200 countries already swallowed into my backpack along the journey, I finally arrived in Alderney. It was a long time coming, given that two decades prior I had already been in Read more about Backpacking in Alderney: Riding The ONLY Trainline🚂🚊🚅🚝 in The Channel Islands🇬🇬🇯🇪[…]