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 MoreI’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 MoreAs with most of my journeys, I go to places without a huge amount of advance research. I find it clouds my method of thought and gives me an opinion of what to expect before I arrive. Sometimes, we go with the flow. I headed to Chernobyl with a clear head and the memory of…
Read MoreWhen you are out travelling the world you never know where you will end up next. Every new city or town I arrive in, I do little research. It’s only when you get to these places that you get extra ideas. A couple of my blog followers, Laura and Kyle alerted me of Cafe Masoch…
Read MoreFollowing my trip out of Kiev to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, and being based in the Tiu Kreschatik Hostel, we arrived at the CEZ entrance. The area beyond this checkpoint is out of bounds for tourists and ordinary people. You need a pass and you need to be there as part of a guided and…
Read MoreIn Spain, the sunny streets exude a feeling of warmth that instantly uplifts you. It is a country that, for the most part, bares its soulful passion in every aspect, right from the music, to the food, to the picturesque landscapes. Whether you revel in the geographical diversity that bestows the country with stunning features…
Read MoreWhen backpacking in Ukraine, I organised a day tour of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone covers an area of 1,000 square miles and straddles the official land borders of Belarus and Ukraine. When I backpacked to the city of Bobruisck in Belarus in 2007, I remember reading about how close I was…
Read MoreAfter crossing the border by night train from Krakow in Poland, it was time to tour some parts of the Ukraine (Lviv, Kiev and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone). I started off in the city of Lviv, which is the hardcore heartland of the Ukraine. This city lives and breathes the country’s nationalistic values and deserves…
Read MoreMy journey east took me by train from the gorgeous city of Lviv to the bustling Ukrainian capital city, Kiev. It was here that I was able to backpack round the sights of the city, learn more about Ukrainian culture and tour the Chernobyl Exclusion zone (some 29 years after the disaster in the area).…
Read More“Arbeit Macht Frei” – Nazi German motto, taken from Lorenz Diefenbach. Before I get down to the business of writing about my tour to Auschwitz, it’s important to note that some people, including followers of my blog do not agree with visits to places this sensitive. While I understand the nature and the horrific aspect…
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