While backpacking in Lithuania I decided to concentrate on just seeing five main places in my week in the country – Kaunas, Vilnius, Uzupis, Kryziu Kalnas and Siauliai. Kryziu Kalnas is known in English as the Hill of Crosses and is a stunning place in the middle of Lithuanian countryside about 12 kilometres outside the town of Read more about Visiting Kryziu Kalnas (The Hill of Crosses) Near Siauliai, Lithuania[…]
After catching up with my friends in the town of Jarvenpaa, I headed back to Helsinki by train and decided to book into the coolest backpackers hostel in the city – Eurohostel. Why is it the coolest? Because it’s the hottest! It comes with a free sauna every morning, for those up early enough. So Read more about Backpacking in Finland: Staying at the Euro Hostel, Helsinki[…]
You have to admire the Scottish even if you don’t love them. They have quirky off the wall stuff that will only ever be relevant in Scotland. OK, and occassionally the Northern Irish will dig them too. One such delicacy on the Friday’s Featured Food corner is the deep fried Mars Bar! I’d already toured Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Deep Fried Mars Bar in Edinburgh, Scotland[…]
I based myself in Tallinn and Parnu in Estonia before heading north on the ferry to Finland. I got my fix of backpacking and hosteling from the wonderful Euphoria Hostel and then I decided on my own room for a night so I could get some closed eye and some work done. I looked no Read more about Staying at the Hotel Shnelli in Tallinn, Estonia[…]
After loving Lithuania and ahem passing through Latvia, I found myself in Estonia for the first time in January 2015. I first headed to the capital city Tallinn and I spent my first three nights in the best hostel in town – quirky, vibrant, happy and youthful, the Euphoria Hostel is the place to stay Read more about Backpacking in Estonia: Staying at Euphoria Hostel, Tallinn[…]
Believe it or not, this journey was my first ever land border crossing in the Baltics. I had crossed other ex-Soviet nations by land of course (Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh, Georgia and Azerbaijan) but having explored Lithuania, it was time to head north into Latvia, where I had previously been back in 2007. My final stop Read more about World Borders: How to Get from Lithuania to Latvia (Bus from Siauliai to Riga)[…]
My return to Latvia demanded a decent hotel. You might have read that first time around I didn’t warm to the Latvian capital city of Riga. That time I also stayed a wee bit outside the old town. So this time, I knew I’d be arriving by bus from Siauliai in Lithuania so I wanted Read more about Staying at the Boutique Hotel Man Tess in Old Town Riga, Latvia[…]
This edition of World Borders is slightly wacky and different from the usual suspects. The reason is I crossed into the self declared arty Republic of Uzupis whilst remaining all the time within the same city, Vilnius housed in the country of Lithuania. The Republic of Uzupis has been in existence since 1998. It has Read more about World Borders: How To Get To The Republic of Uzupis Within Vilnius, Lithuania[…]
I’ve covered aspects of backpacking in Amsterdam before, most recently with last November’s write-up of the Top 5 Random Things To Do there. But now we’re in 2015 and the winter is soon fading away, tourism around Europe is going to pick up. As Amsterdam is one of the most popular destinations in this regard, it’s a Read more about 5 Things To Know Before Visiting Amsterdam, Netherlands[…]
It was an emotional trip for me heading out of Tallinn city centre to visit the Joey Dunlop Memorial in Estonia. For those followers of my blog that may be unaware, Joey Dunlop is a Northern Irish sporting superstar. A total legend in the motorcycling world. He lived and breathed the sport more than any Read more about Visiting the Joey Dunlop Memorial in Tallinn, Estonia[…]