“The tunnel of love might amuse you, Noah’s Ark might confuse you” – Richard Thompson. The idea of this trip overland/oversea/undersea was an amalgamation of factors. Firstly because recently I got so fed up with airlines. Every single trip I have done since 2021 has had at least one flight delay, cancellation or change. In…
Read More“Little by little I gave you everything you ever dreamed of” – Noel Gallagher. German supermarket giant LIDL have opened their first ever PUB!! And they have opened it in a place I used to live – Dundonald, Belfast, Northern Ireland (for the record I lived at 24 Fort Road way back in 1999…). Here…
Read MoreIn 1995 Bangor FC deliberately lost their final game 2–0 away at rivals Ards in order to secure promotion to the new Premier League (NIPL, Northern Irish Premier League). If Bangor had DRAWN or WON that match, they would have been relegated to the second tier (Division One). It might seem bizarre, but that’s exactly…
Read More“Take me back to the town where I was born, because I’m tired of being a stranger and I’m miles from home” – Noel Gallagher. I grew up in North Down, County Down, Northern Ireland. It’s my homeland and I’m a beach boy and a seaside city boy at heart. I spent most of my…
Read MoreThirsty Thursdays: Visiting The Oldest Irish Pub In The World, Grace Neill’s Donaghade, Northern Irelandð´✋️☘️ Grace Neill’s, located in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, is often cited as the oldest pub in Ireland, and as you can see on its website, it claims the title of the oldest, although this is often disputed. The history of Grace…
Read More“All this talk of getting old, it’s getting me down my love” – Richard Ashcroft. My early days of travelling were walking, cycling, car and ferry. I wasn’t really aeroplane loyal when I was young. Last month, I realised that I had Jumbo-jetted my aeroplane status by taking my 747th flight! Yes, I have now…
Read More“It’s all too beautiful” – Small Faces. Despite what the tourist brochures and obvious tourists tell you, Northern Ireland’s charm lies not in Belfast and the Giant’s Causeway!! Nor in the Bushmills Distillery and the Carrick a Rede Rope Bridge! Even though I promoted them to the hilt myself many times and continue to tell…
Read More“The day we went to Bangor” – Fiddler’s Dram. Some people might glorify the fact that Notts County FC and Nottingham Forest FC in England are separated by a river – the Trent. Other people might glorify the fact that Dundee FC and Dundee United FC are separated by a road – Tannadice Street. And…
Read MoreIn 1980 I was born in the Northern Irish town of Newtownards. It’s a place with a lot of important links in my life. I was born there. I passed my driving test there. I studied there. I got into university by doing a course there. Despite all of that, I grew up in the…
Read More“Spend your nightlife table hopping, trying to keep your bag of bones in trim” – Noel Gallagher. When travel used to be a thing, I loved the thrill of it all. I loved the crazy stuff, I needed even the sorrow amidst all that. The unrecognised countries, the secrets, the wacaday museums, the sadness at…
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