Category: Europe

bushmills soda

Friday’s Featured Food: Bushmills Soda in the Copper Kettle, Bushmills, Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️

Posted on by Jonny Blair

For some reason I haven’t written too much about Northern Irish food on here before despite the fact I love it. Yes there was the cheap Ulster Fry in Holywood post from 2008 and the Pastie Supper in Bangor article, but my recent tour took me to Northern Ireland’s north coast and the town of Bushmills. Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Bushmills Soda in the Copper Kettle, Bushmills, Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️[…]

Staying at the Best Budget Hotel in Birmingham, England: The Royal George

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Birmingham is England’s second biggest city and while it doesn’t attract anywhere near the same number of visitors as London, it’s a really great city to explore for a few days. I’ve been to Birmingham a few times now, one of my best mates Lee Adams (yes the one from that freaky Nicky Barmby story) Read more about Staying at the Best Budget Hotel in Birmingham, England: The Royal George[…]

Tuesday’s Travel Problems: Visiting the Dentist

Posted on by Jonny Blair

The most important thing when we travel is of course health. It’s always number one. Without health we are bound to one place. Until this year, I had been relatively lucky in terms of dentist visits and work needing done on my teeth. I’d had a few fillings here and there and some teeth removed Read more about Tuesday’s Travel Problems: Visiting the Dentist[…]

gracia backpacking

Backpacking in Catalonia: Exploring the Village of Gracia in Barcelona

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Barcelona shouts “tourist city” to me and while I can see the reason why it attracts more travellers than Valencia, I still knew I could escape the crowds and get to some off the wall places. While backpacking in Catalonia I heard about the village of Gracia which is housed inside Barcelona’s metropolitan area yet Read more about Backpacking in Catalonia: Exploring the Village of Gracia in Barcelona[…]

This, a visit to Stalin’s Town: The Gory Trip to Gori, Georgia🇬🇪

Posted on by Jonny Blair

Before I tell my story of the trip to Gori, a bit of background is needed here. In 2005 I visited Poland for the first time. The city where Stalin built the Palace of Culture and Science. A few months later I was working in Bournemouth selling hot dogs with Rafal and Artur- two top Read more about This, a visit to Stalin’s Town: The Gory Trip to Gori, Georgia🇬🇪[…]

Backpacking in Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️: Staying in the Bushmills Hostel, North Coast

Posted on by Jonny Blair

My backpacking in Northern Ireland adventures continued as I toured the North Coast of my home country on what is my longest stint in Europe for over 5 years. After staying in the Whitepark Bay Hostel near Ballintoy, I headed on a bus back to Bushmills to spend a night here. I chose the only Read more about Backpacking in Northern Ireland🔴✋️☘️: Staying in the Bushmills Hostel, North Coast[…]

30 Year Reunion: School Tour of Kilmaine Primary School, Bangor, Northern Ireland

Posted on by Jonny Blair

A calm Northern Irish wind reared its obvious head as I made the walk down to school. I hadn’t done my homework, my handwriting left a lot to be desired but I was on time, I had a grey shirt and school tie on and I was buzzing. I wasn’t a pupil any more however. Read more about 30 Year Reunion: School Tour of Kilmaine Primary School, Bangor, Northern Ireland[…]

A Night of Relaxation at Southern Europes Largest Spa: Caldea, Escaldes Engordany, Andorra

Posted on by Jonny Blair

I was recently feeling some travel burnout, perhaps a sign of years as a backpacker taking their toll, perhaps me getting older or maybe just the speed I was moving through Central America. It called for some chill out time. Then I arrived back in Europa – to Andorra and was inspired once again. I Read more about A Night of Relaxation at Southern Europes Largest Spa: Caldea, Escaldes Engordany, Andorra[…]

Staying in the World Famous Europa Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Posted on by Jonny Blair

On my trip back to my homeland, backpacking in Northern Ireland in 2014, I lived out some childhood dreams as well as aiming to inspire everyone out there to visit Belfast and Northern Ireland. In my eyes, Belfast is the best city in “the UK” and is in the top 10 cities in the world. Read more about Staying in the World Famous Europa Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland[…]

Backpacking in Andorra: Top 10 Sights in Andorra La Vella (The Capital)

Posted on by Jonny Blair

A sure fire recent shock for me was backpacking in Andorra. This is a country renowned for ski-ing, mountains and cold winters. I went there simply to experience life here as a backpacker rather than a ski-er or a luxury traveller. While there is definitely not a hardcore backpacking scene here, there is one hostel Read more about Backpacking in Andorra: Top 10 Sights in Andorra La Vella (The Capital)[…]