While backpacking in Ukraine I was able to go on a free night tour of Kiev, the country’s capital city. I was staying bang in the centre of the city at Tiu Kreschatik Hostel. I heard about a free tour starting daily at 12 noon outside the earth monument in Liberation Square (Maidan Square) so Read more about Backpacking in Ukraine: Getting A Free Night Tour of Kiev[…]
“There’s silence in the air, there’s silence in the ground. A presence moving through the rivers in the moonlight. Desolation all around. The wind blows through abandoned buildings, photos scattered on the floors, possessions of a vanished population. Safe haven for my soul.” – Tim Wheeler (Ash) Of course, it wasn’t the song from my favourite Northern Irish Read more about Backpacking in Ukraine🇺🇦: Chernobyl☢️Tour Part 7 – The Abandoned City of Pripyat, Top 10 “Sights”[…]
It was one of those travel days with a more dark and sombre tone. Certainly not the type of place to take selfies at and feel completely happy about. But if you read the first part of my day tour of German Nazi Concentration Camps with Mosquito Hostel in Krakow, Poland: Part 1 – Touring Read more about Day Tour of Nazi Concentration Camps with Mosquito Hostel in Krakow, Poland: Part 2 – Touring Auschwitz II, Birkenau Camp[…]
It doesn’t get much more crazy than heading on a backpacking journey to “Reactor Number 4”. Indeed, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone attracts less tourists per year than Antarctica, North Korea and Iraq. Here there are 13,000 tourists per year. That’s only 35 people per day on average! And I mentioned in parts 1 and 2 Read more about Backpacking in Ukraine: Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Tour Part 6 – Visiting the Culprit, Reactor Number 4[…]
I don’t write about Italy as much, despite having visited the country seven times on my travels. I’m planning to visit Italy again this year, in June on route to France for the Euro 2016 football tournament to watch Northern Ireland in. Italy is one of the best countries for food. I love pizza, any Read more about Backpacking in Italy: My Top 5 Memories[…]
Casinos around the world are growing in popularity and there are many cities now enjoying the benefits of these hugely revenue generating venues. Thankfully where there are great casino-based venues there is also great entertainment as well as places to eat, drink and be merry. We take a look at just some of the top Read more about THE GREATEST CASINO DESTINATIONS OF 2015[…]
“Your joys are counterfeit. This happiness corrupt political shit” – Richey James Edwards. So in the fourth installment of my trip to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, I report on the journey driving down a Soviet built “road” through a dense forest to a radar system, often known as DUGA 1. This part of the tour seemed less Read more about Backpacking in Ukraine: Chernobyl Exclusion Zone Tour Part 4 – Secret Duga Radar System[…]
When I arrived in the city of Kraków in Poland, it was time to delve into some Jewish history. Yes, I have spent a hat-trick of weeks backpacking through Israel and Palestine, but here, Jewish history is a huge thing, for sad reasons. Kraków has always had a large Jewish population and a Jewish neighbourhood. Read more about Backpacking in Poland: Top 5 Sights in Kazimierz, Kraków’s Jewish Quarter[…]
The fact that Lviv Ukraine is brimmed full of wacky themed bars is enough to make any keen pub go-er enjoy this thriving nationalistic city with some style and panache. And let me tell you, it ain’t no glammed up pretentious place either. Italians, leave your Ferraris behind; mainland Brits, forget trying to be a Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Top 5 Bars in Lviv, Ukraine[…]
I’ve hiked in every continent so far, yes even Antarctica – we hiked up Cuverville Island back in 2010. But my home continent of Europe has some surprisingly high peaks in places, all with tremendous views and some extreme hiking and ski-ing opportunities. An excellent infographic recently released shows all these peaks in an easy Read more about Hiking in Europe: Highest Peaks in the Continent[…]