Staying at the Abbey Court Hostel in Dublin, Republic of Ireland🇮🇪

“In Dublin’s Fair City where the girls are so pretty I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone.” I’ve been to Dublin a fair amount of times down the years. Rock concerts (including Oasis in 1996 and 1997), nights on the town and more Guinnesses than Arthur ever expected to sell. These days I…

Read More

Backpacking in Moldova🇲🇩: Top 12 Sights in Chisinau

“Take me to the magic of the moment on a glory night” – Scorpions Moldova’s Chisinau (previously known as Kishinev) intrigued me, surprised me and overwhelmed me over a four day period in and out of the city, across the border into Tiraspol, Transnistria and a countryside jaunt to Orheiul Vechi and Butuceni. I have…

Read More

Friday’s Featured Food: Walnut Chicken🍗in Shtastlivetsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria🇧🇬

“I’m a lucky man” – Richard Ashcroft. I never had any idea that Bulgaria would be a popular spot for food. But I was proved wrong time and time again. The chefs here know how to cook meals with flavour, meals that are memorable and cooked to perfection. So while Bulgarian national dishes specifically may…

Read More
paddy campbell jonny blair

Thirsty Thursdays: The 20 Year Paddy Campbell Reunion in The Bridge Tavern, Newcastle, England

“That’s why, you should keep on aiming high, just seek yourself and you will shine.” – Heather Small, 1994 This particular edition of Thirsty Thursdays will be a slightly stripped down version for you all – I’m saving a lot of the good stuff for the Don’t Stop Living book. A quick paragraph of perspective…

Read More

The Chaise: Staying in the Best Guesthouse in Sunderland, England

When I decided to spend a couple of nights in Sunderland instead of Newcastle, a few people around me raised eyebrows. This only made my heart grow more eager to visit Sunderland, without doubt the stronger beast of the two north east cities in terms of exceeding expectation. We all know about Newcastle – the…

Read More

Backpacking in Montenegro🇲🇪: Exploring the Capital City, Podgorica (Poddy, Monty)

Montenegro’s capital city of Podgorica was my final stop on my recent Balkans and Eastern European adventure. I had heard that it was very much a capital city with “not a lot happening” (quote from other backpackers). This reason alone sold the place to me and I found a great cosy hotel for my final…

Read More

Staying at the Doxford Hall Hotel and Spa, Northumberland, England

Conjuring up images of English countryside is something we do as children. Wide open spaces, gorgeous forests, winter walks, howling wind and typical English mansions. I wasn’t thinking of my teenage years reading Mansfield Park and watching Poirot and Jonathan Creek. While they had their fair share of English mansions, I wanted some relaxation for…

Read More

Backpacking in Kosovo🇽🇰: Top 12 Sights in Pristina, the Capital City

After travelling in Northern Macedonia, it was an obvious move to take the easy border bus north to Kosovo. The buses depart from Skopje in Northern Macedonia and within two hours you are in Pristina the capital city of Kosovo. I checked into the cool Buffalo Backpackers there and as well as drinking in 5…

Read More