England – Page 17 – Don't Stop Living

Working Wednesdays: Barman at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, England

Posted on February 26, 2014November 28, 2021 by Jonny Blair

I admit my working Wednesdays series is months behind – I was writing so much stuff recently about travel that I neglected my usual regular features and lifestyle posts. My return to the town of Bournemouth after a 5 year absence recently made me think of my time there working as a barman in Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre. I was actually the main barman in there from October 2007 until March 2009!! A job that I basically used the money from to live on, while my other jobs (working on car ferries and selling ice cream) paid for my travel at the time.

One admission I have about this job is that, although I loved the customers and the job itself, I didn’t like the company I worked for or the management. I’ll rant about the horrendous Red Eventful Cuisine company another time, this post I aim to keep a bit happier – the job itself. I did live and breathe this place.

pavilion theatre bournemouth — The front of the Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth, England.

As a barman back then in the Pavilion Theatre, I would be responsible for opening the bar, stocking the bar, serving in the bar, cleaning the bar, counting the bar stock, closing the bar etc. My hours of work would depend on what events were on. Each night there would be performances in the theatre of some kind. 90% of these required for the bars to be open. But there were lots of things going on and lots of bars. During the day there were meetings and set ups as well as a normal coffee shop. By night there was everything from comedy shows to pantomimes to rock concerts to private parties.

back of pavilion theatre — Rear entrance at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.

I was the general bar assistant so basically I got to work in every different part of the building over the course of those 18 months. My usual spot was ballroom bar for day time events, circle bar for night time events and daytime porter and delivery dude to keep the bars all stocked up. I won’t lie or be arrogant to admit it – I knew exactly what stock was in every bar, what stock we sold and what didn’t sell and how each bar was run. I was never promoted, but I knew more than the managers did. It’s a fact. Every day they’d have to ask me something about the job they should have known inside out 😉

I was king of the theatre...well I knew how the bars were run... — I was king of the theatre…well I knew how the bars were run…

Without me there’d have been no beer kegs for big events, no ice cream for pantomimes and lots of unsatisfied customers. To test the waters, one time I had 3 days off and when I came back the place was in turmoil!! One of the managers even had to phone me to ask me stuff on my time off!! One of the managers even let the ice creams run out completely around a week before Christmas time. I had to go in and work extra hours to sort his mess out! Imagine running out of Lager during a Frank Skinner show… Rant over – it was years ago!

The different Bars/Kiosks in Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre

I’ll give an overview of the different parts of the theatre that were bar related so you get a feel for the place. The Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth is an excellent building. It’s also “listed” which means it can’t really be altered much (at all)by British law.

bournemouth pavilion theatre auditorium — The main auditorium in Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.

1. Piacetto Coffee Shop (also called Costa Coffee previously)

This was a coffee shop only for the most part. It also sold drinks and snacks. It was the only part of the Theatre to sell proper coffee. I rarely worked in here but often unofficially managed what was going on within, checking they had the stock, the consumables (cups, receipts etc.). This place was open 9am – 5pm every day as well as for all the events. A lazy Australian guy called Gareth Kalejs used to work in here. It’s sadly also the place where I met petite and pretty Hungarian dancer (my story is here). Here’s me doing an impression of Gareth…

piacetto bournemouth pavilion — Relaxing on a rare 9-5 in the Piacetto Coffee Shop. One of the easiest jobs ever.

2. The Kiosk

This was a small room which was only open during performances and sold soft drinks, sweets, snacks and ice cream. This was a very easy job, but also a short shift, as once the interval was over, the kiosk till and stock got counted then it closed. I did this a few times and tried not to fall asleep…

jonny blair bournemouth pavilion — Falling asleep on the job in the kiosk in Bournemouth Pavilion * photo may be staged to reflect real life.

3. The Circle Bar

The Circle Bar was normally the busiest bar as it was at the top of the stairs when you walked into the main entrance to the Pavilion Theatre. For big shows and events on in the theatre, this place would get busy enough. You’d also take pre-orders for interval drinks and prepare them early. I enjoyed working in this bar and had a few mates who worked here too like Alan Walker and Nigel Halligan. It wasn’t even shaped like a circle.

circle bar bournemouth — The interior of the Circle Bar in the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth. Not really a circle shape!

4. Phoebe Bar West

At the far end of the theatre, past all the entrances to the main auditorium was the Phoebe Bar in two parts. Again, I spent lots of time working in the Phoebe Bar West. This was one of only 3 bars to have beer on tap in the theatre. It was normally John Smiths, Fosters and Kronenberg. With Strongbow Cider also. I enjoyed this bar – it was more lively than the circle and had friendlier customers.

phoebe bar west bournemouth — The Phoebe Bar West, sometime in 2008…

5. Phoebe Bar East

Opposite the Phoebe Bar West was another bar called the Phoebe Bar East. This was also licensed but no beer on tap. It was only open as an overflow bar when the main Phoebe Bar West got busy. I rarely worked in the Phoebe Bar East but I often stocked it up and counted the tills.

phoebe bar east pavilion — The view from the Phoebe Bar East.

6. Ballroom Bar West

The ballroom bar west was inside the ballroom on the right hand side as you faced the sea. It was open for almost every ballroom performance and I lost count of the amount of times I worked in it. I even did the twice weekly tea dances and mojive parties in here. The Ballroom Bar West was also used for company events and private functions.

ballroom west bar view — View from the bar at the Ballroom West.

The Ballroom was also used for some mega international dance events, comedy shows and minor plays! I got to see all these shows for free while I worked.

dancing show in bournemouth pavilion — A dancing show on in the ballroom in Bournemouth Pavilion.

ballroom bar west bournemouth — The ballroom bar west.

7. Ballroom Bar East

Any time a large group booked the ballroom for a mega party, both bars would be open, including the Ballroom Bar East. It was an exact symmetry to the ballroom bar west and I’d have to re-stock it every time as the management didn’t like a lot of stock being held here since it wasn’t often used. For big events, this was the bar to get served at quicker if you were a customer.

ballroom bar east bournemouth — A major dance event viewed from the Ballroom East bar.

8. Lucullus Room

The Lucullus Room was only opened for private functions. It was basically just a room with posh chairs and tables in it, and an area where you could plug in a fridge if need be and serve beer, wine and cold soft drinks. It was a very easy place to work in so I rarely worked here – they’d normally put the new staff in this place the rare times it was actually used. It also had an exit and entrance leading onto the main road leading down to the sea front.

lucullus room bournemouth — Lucullus Room entrance in Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.

lucullus events — The Lucullus Room, Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.

9. Outdoor Coffee and Ice Cream Kiosk

In summer months I sometimes manned this random outdoor kiosk, which was also near Best Break where I used to sell ice cream. In fact when I first moved to Bournemouth there was a bar here called the Oasis.

bournemouth pavilion theatre kiosk — The outdoor coffee and tea kiosk outside Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre – not used much in winter months.

10. Private Function Rooms

There were some other rooms that were often used for council functions and tea events so I’d have to turn up now and then and prepare tea, coffee and biscuits for these events. Easy stuff overall.

A tea and coffee meeting in one of the rooms.

11. Backstage

I got to work backstage a lot too – preparing drinks for the crew and celebrities. I got into their private rooms to do this, I also managed to do this a few times at the BIC (Bournemouth International Centre), where I also worked.

backstage at the pavilion — I also worked backstage sometimes preparing the drinks for the performers.

I met people like Daniel O’Donnell (singer), Derek Acorah (psychic), Alison Moyet (singer), Chuckle Brothers (actors) etc. I also worked in the Bournemouth International Centre where I once saw Avirl Lavigne’s knickers.

derek acorah jonny blair — I met Derek Acorah and a few other celebrities.

Completely unrelated but while serving in the Circle bar I also met Steve Fletcher, an AFC Bournemouth footballer and a hero down Dean Court way.

steve fletcher in pavilion — Meeting Steve Fletcher in work.

So that was pretty much all the rooms that I worked in, there were of course a load of other places inside the Pavilion Theatre, here’s a few photos of them:

The keg rooms and cellar:

The main auditorium:

pavilion auditorium — The auditorium inside the Pavilion Theatre – this hosted most of the bigger events.

The stage:

The kitchen:

pavilion theatre kitchen — In the kitchen in Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre.

The upstairs toilets:

toilets staff — Staff toilets – the highest room in the building, from here you could climb out onto the roof.

The lobby:

bournemouth pavilion theatre lobby — The lobby in the Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth.

The yard:

yard at pavilion theatre — The yard – where deliveries would come in and where we’d chuck the rubbish.

The fire escape:

pavilion theatre fire escape bournemouth — The fire escape from the cellar.

Here are the different events we had going on:

– Tea dances in the ballroom

– Comedy shows in the ballroom

– Music shows in the main auditorium

– Pantomime shows in the main auditorium

– Plays in the main auditorium

– Antiques shows

– Private functions

– Special events

– Private parties

– Balls and dances

Staff I worked with directly (only those I remember are listed – apologies if I missed you out) – Alan Walker, Krystal Shard, NL, Shona Mallinson, Hannah Harvey, Angelo Perez, Oggy, Mark Lucas, Thomas Cahoon, Valerie Baker, John Ellis, Nick Guy, Aneta Baran, Hayley Hughes, (a lot of these people also worked with me in the BIC – I’ll write about that too in a future Working Wednesday).

Managers I worked with – Iain Odhams, Dan Hancock, Emma Christopher, Andy Middleton, Andy Perkins, Sean, Hayley

Other Cool Staff in the theatre who did other things – Holly Tomkins, Marie Davey, Martin, Dave (the main boss), Joan.

Some of my videos from working in Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre:

Friday’s Featured Food: Belarussian Porridge in Bobruisk, Belarus🇧🇾

Posted on February 21, 2014November 22, 2024 by Jonny Blair

It’s a long time since I wrote anything about Belarus (even though I once wrote a chapter for a book on my trip there). And as it’s yet to feature on my Friday’s Featured Food series, I thought it was time to recollect that day I tried Belarussian Porridge in the drab city of Bobruisk. Intriguing…

The porridge arrives on my breakfast table next to my orange juice and my cup of tea. I was expecting normal porridge. But then again “what is normal?”. Was that porridge I had as a child growing up in Northern Ireland the normal stuff? That was just my opinion wasn’t it? For the record I used to eat Quaker Oats porridge growing up. Most of the year, once a day, in the morning , especially in cold winters.

bobruisk belarus — The Tourist Hotel in Bobruisk, Belarus.

However I kind of neglected porridge when I started travelling and indeed I hadn’t had it for many years the day I arrived ridiculously into the city of Bobruisk. Bobruisk is one of the most obscure places I have ever been. A city in eastern Belarus, not far from the site of the horrible Chernobyl disaster (which occurred just across the border into the Ukraine). I ended up staying by the Berezina River in the Hotel Tourist in Bobruisk. There were no backpackers or hostels in Bobruisk back in 2007 when I visited. There may be now.

belarus train bobruisk — The crazy train ride from Minsk to Bobruisk back in 2007.

Anyway I got a crazy train from Minsk out to Bobruisk for a football match and after hitching a cheap ride to the hotel (story for another day) I chilled out. Next morning it was down to the dining room for breakfast. When porridge arrived it had these random “sweets” in it. I scoffed the lot in next to no time as I was just hungry after the latest bit of travel (had been in Russia and China before Belarus). But the porridge was horrible!!

Breakfast table in the Hotel Tourist all ready for the day ahead, in Bobruisk.

I had been having breakfast with the entire Northern Ireland ladies football team and their backroom staff including David Currie (from the IFA) and Alfie Wylie (head coach) so it wasn’t like a lonely breakfast experience. The room was full and everyone agreed the porridge was disgusting. Somehow we all ate it. Next morning it was back to cornflakes for me and jam on toast. In the end the football match turned out to be a 5-0 defeat to Belarus. Maybe, just maybe it was the yucky porridge that did it.

breakfast in bobruisk — Lots of us together for breakfast in Bobruisk, Belarus.

I haven’t been back to Belarus since (just done Armenia, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan though) and still wonder if the locals actually like this stuff. Happy eating my friends, Belarussian porridge is one of the worst dishes I’ve ever had.

Friday’s Featured Food is an ongoing regular feature on Don’t Stop Living – a lifestyle of travel. If you have a meal, bar, pub, restaurant, brand or idea that you would like reviewed or featured on Friday’s Featured Food, please get in touch via my contacts page or my advertising page. I’d love to hear from you! I’d also love a free pint and a meal. Cheers!

Thirsty Thursdays: One Pound A Drink Nights in Inferno, Bournemouth, England in 2014

Posted on February 13, 2014May 2, 2014 by Jonny Blair

bournemouth inferno pound a drink — Thirsty Thursdays takes us to the Inferno, Bournemouth this week.

I re-visited my old town of Bournemouth on the south coast of England again this year and this meant more reunions than could ever be counted, more nights out, lots of reminiscing and a certain sadness attached to the town I left behind in 2009. I moved to Bournemouth in 2003 and it kickstarted my crazy journey around the globe, but after a five year absence I was back.

One pound a drink inferno bournemouth — Inside the Inferno Bar in Bournemouth – home of the £1 drinks!

There’s a bar called The Inferno, on the Holdenhurst Road in Bournemouth. It used to be frequented regularly by me (as did countless other bars in the town). From about 2003 – 2005 isn I used to head to this bar almost every Monday night that I could. This was because drinks were ONE POUND. That’s right – a quid for selected beers and cider on tap, a quid for spirits and mixer, a quid for certain alcopops and shots. Even back in 2003 I couldn’t believe how cheap the drinks were!! My flatmate Matt Denison also worked in the Inferno for a bit.

thursday nights in inferno england — Thirsty Thursdays instead of Mondays at The Inferno, Bournemouth, England.

So…fast forward to 2014 and I found myself back in Bournemouth again! I thought to myself two things:

1. The Inferno couldn’t still be open, could it?? (Bars and pubs in this town had a habit of closing and reopening under new names and owners regularly)

2. The Inferno couldn’t possibly still have drinks for ONE POUND on Monday Nights, could they?

quids in at inferno — Yellow Card and a flier for the £1 drinks night at Inferno.

I seem to remember my last visit there was February 2008 after an AFC Bournemouth match. It had been almost six years exactly and I headed back on a Monday night to The Inferno with Dan and Austin. We were joined by Holly and Clare and had a few drinks. Inferno was still there! It was a Monday night, but no ONE POUND drinks anymore and the place was quiet…Then I saw the flier that advertose that every Thursday night drinks were ONE POUND! Amazing. I had been hanging out with a load of old mates the entire week I was back but on the Thirsty Thursday, which IT WAS, I arranged to meet Alan Walker. Alan and I worked together in bars in Bournemouth Pavilion and Bournemouth International Centre and are both Cherries fans. The arrangement was to meet in the Inferno around 6pm.

pound a drink inferno — Quids in Thursday at Inferno, Bournemouth, England.

I got there first and was completely amazed that they still do ONE POUND drinks, it was due to start at 7pm so I opted for a drink not on the “Pound Menu” to start with. I even applied for a “Yellow Card” which offers you discount on drinks. I thought it was a student thing but apparently not. I now had a brand new Yellow Card and could get my drinks with 10% off!

tennents one pound at inferno — Alan and I loving our ONE POUND pints of Tennents!

Alan arrives and we both have a pint of Guinness about half an hour before 7pm. We await the thought of using a pound coin to buy a drink. It might seem that I’m over exaggerating here, but seriously, in the UK, in England in the year 2014, on a Thursday night in a decent bar, you can get a pint of beer for ONE POUND. You don’t need to be a student. You don’t need to pay an entry fee. It’s drinks for a quid!

pound a pint — Alan and I with our ONE POUND drinks at Inferno, Bournemouth. January 2014.

We settled for 2 pints of Tennents and toasted to the fact that they were a pound each. We were both reliving our student days. As the students started to pile in, in their numbers (but in no way the same way that they used to back in 2003), we decided to have a one pound shot each and leave the students to it. Sure we could have partied all night for one pound, but I was flying back to Asia the next day, Alan was working and we’d got what we wanted – one pound drinks.

Alan with his pint of Tennents which was ONE POUND.

We had a cherry shot each for a pound and that was that.

pound a drink inferno thursday — Two pints of Tennents and two Cherry Sourz shots. Total bill – FOUR pounds!

The Inferno provided me with a load of cool moments when I was a student and worker in this lively seaside town. As a 33 year old returning, the feeling was still the same. I did miss this town when I backpacked my way round the world, but getting my pint of beer for a quid was a top class feeling. I sure hope I can relive some of my student nights on future Thirsty Thursdays on here.

A video of Alan and I in Inferno getting beers and shots for a pound each, yes one pound a drink nights in Inferno, Bournemouth:

My Bournemouth Story: Why I Left in 2009 and Why it Took me until 2014 to return.

Posted on February 5, 2014May 17, 2022 by Jonny Blair

bournemouth dorset — The story of how and why I left Bournemouth and vowed never to return, until last week…

“You’ll never change what’s been and gone” – Noel Gallagher

It took me almost 5 years to return to the seaside town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It was the town I had spent most of my adult life in, and the town which kick started my journey round the globe. I first moved to Bournemouth 11 years ago, that was September 2003. But things went sour for me in Bournemouth back in 2009 and I vowed never to return. I never really wrote the reasons why, I wasn’t happy about things at the time. Something changed though and in early 2014, the time was finally right for me to venture back to the streets of this iconic English seaside resort. In this post today, I don’t share my visa tips for Iraq, nor my top 5 things to do in Asuncion, nor how to backpack your way to Antarctica, but I’m telling my real life tale. This is my travel lifestyle blog don’t forget. It is what it’s always been. But there was once upon a time when Don’t Stop Living should have became “Stop Living” and I haven’t yet written about it. Here goes my friends…these are dark days…this is my story about why I left Bournemouth in 2009, saying I’d never be back and then finally going back in 2014.

slovenia 2008 — All happy backpacking in Slovenia in 2008…

2008 had been a decent enough travel year for me up until November. I had been to Italy, Slovenia and Slovakia for the first time, I’d finally graduated, I’d lived my dream by spending 6 months working on car ferries (you can read about my Wightlink days here) and I shared a flat with 3 of my best friends, Corinne, Dan and Richard. The three of whom would play a remarkable part on my journey. We shared a flat in Southbourne, Bournemouth, Dorset. As well as working on the ferries, I was a barman in the popular Pavilion Theatre in Bournemouth. I made some travel plans to hit Italy in 2009 as well as plotting my supposed route to South America. I made it to both in the end, but not the way I planned.

“Love hurts, I won’t be fooled again” – Marti Pellow

life changed jonny blair — Working in a theatre bar in late 2008. Things were about to change…

I was working a lot of hours in the Pavilion Theatre at the time and headed into work for a normal shift on the Ballroom Bar. This is the day when it all changed…

I went into work one day in late November 2008 and my life was about to turn on its head. I didn’t know it then, nor did I know it for the few months afterwards. I had a girlfriend at the time, Helen. I’d met Helen after the Oasis gig the previous month and we were having fun. But this one day, I walked from my bar in the Pavilion Theatre to get some lemons, the lemons were in the coffee shop, Costa Coffee. Costa Coffee later became Piacetto. In there that day, working in the coffee shop was a quiet yet beautiful Hungarian girl by the name of Noemi Linzenbold.

“A pretty dancer from Hungary”

This is the first time I’m properly sharing this story on here by the way – it didn’t feel right before but it seems the right time for me to do this. Things seemed weird when I met Noemi, as Northern Ireland had just played Hungary and I fell immediately in love with this pretty Debrecen lady. Back on the streets of Debrecen, this girl was a top notch Hungarian dancer. But she was sad. She was crying, while playing a game to herself in the absence of customers buying coffee. She had just split up with her boyfriend. Somehow in the circle of life, I got caught up in it all.

bournemouth pavilion theatre 2008 — Working in Bournemouth’s Pavilion Theatre in 2008.

I spoke to her at length over the next few weeks and something inside of me changed. I wasn’t myself. I was in love with this particular girl, yet I was so naive I didn’t know it. We had a night celebrating Christmas together at work and went to the Brasshouse Pub for a beer. I was on Guinness. She wasn’t. She didn’t drink. She detested alcohol. Anyway, Noemi would work in the coffee shop in the theatre while I’d do the bar. We’d be working together almost every day. We got free tickets to shows on our nights off and we ended up watching Peter Pan together. It was just two workmates going together. I didn’t know it was to become more than I’d bargained for…

drinks in brasshouse bournemouth noemi — Work Christmas drinks in December 2008 in the Brasshouse, Bournemouth.

New Year 2009 came round and I visited my church and prayed for a change in the new year. I had already backpacked round the world in 2007, (taking in about 15 countries) and started this blog and knew I would head off travelling again in 2009 – I had major plans. Meanwhile, my girlfriend Helen and I lost touch, it was my fault. I ignored her. I didn’t know why. I should have worked it out but I didn’t. Helen and I had split up, but nobody really ended it – my fault completely.

“I’m what you found, I’m upside down, you’re in the air” – Michael Stipe

helen in 2008 guinness — Guinness time with Helen back in 2008.

I had now fallen in love with this petite Hungarian dancer. Who lived just 2 streets away. We’d get the same bus together, we’d work together, we’d eat together and we got to know each other very well. It was obviously, too good to be true.

After a staff party in January 2009, she shocked me by inviting me back to hers and soon enough she was enticing me into steamy sex in the cold winter…I was smitten and yes it was her that made the first move, which is probably why I didn’t understand the situation. Early February I decided to concentrate on love and this one girl for the first time in my life. I ridiculously gave everything else up. Crazy. Everything that made me happy. I quit my stint as chief chairman, organiser and nutcase in charge of the South of England Northern Ireland Supporters Club. I gave up going to watch the Cherries, AFC Bournemouth. I wrote much less blog posts than normal (check my blog entries for early 2009 – few and far between). I also decided to give up alcohol completely unless I was in a new country. I changed because of this girl. She probably didn’t even notice.

“Don’t ever change” – Ian Brodie

Valentines day I cooked for her, bought her gifts and flowers and I was so enchanted. In February we went up to London and I took her sightseeing and out to some bars with my mates. In one of those bars, an Irish Pub in Soho, I had my last alcoholic drink in the UK for what would become 6 months. Times were good, but it was all a bit false somehow.

“In each and every gathering, a scapegoat falls to climb” – Michael Stipe

In early March we toured parts of Dorset, Southampton and Portsmouth together. I remember enjoying a romantic moment at the top of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth. It was all bliss.

“Every day is all there is in my some kind of bliss” – Kylie Minogue

During March I also started working again for the local council in their seafront huts. It was my plan to work as many jobs and hours as I could to save for Peru. Machu Picchu had been my main dream that year. Then my grandmother, Mary Blair died in March 2009. On Mother’s Day. Noemi spent the whole day with me – we toured the New Forest and she got my mind off things while I headed back to Northern Ireland for the funeral. For once I knew I’d found the girl for me. Oh really…

“You’re not the girl you think you are” – Neil Finn

In April things got even better. We shared many more intimate moments and I was happy not be be drinking or watching football. My flatmates couldn’t believe I had missed 7-8 Cherries matches in a row. I was a big football fan, and wouldn’t miss a home game except for a major work event but now I didn’t even check the scores. April 13th was Noemi’s birthday and we had such a great night. We also headed to Hungary to visit her family. I was loving it. I was happy almost all the time. But something wasn’t right. She didn’t want me and I was too stupid not to work it out. I visited Debrecen, Budapest and Szolnok and met all her family. I even turned down new beers in Hungary to prove to her I had given up alcohol.

“Finding ways to stay sober” – Damon Albarn

Out for a top meal in Budapest, Hungary and a sneaky wine.

In May, we headed to Venice together and I splashed out on a decent hotel – the Hotel Noemi!! I showed her how a barman can backpack through cities with ease on a budget as well. We spent days on the beach, walking round the city and being cheap. It was amazing. Truly amazing. I was also now working on the Cross Channel Car Ferries. I worked in the bar and restaurant from Poole to Cherbourg, as well as the Guernsey, Jersey and St Malo routes. Life was good, until a bombshell dropped and my fall from grace was more dramatic than that of Wimbledon FC.

“The memory of what you had and what you lost” – Fleetwood Mac

After Venice, she told me she didn’t want to see me again. I was devastated. I had given up all this stuff for her, yes stupidly but now I had nothing. At least I felt I had nothing. I just felt so bad. Noemi was even embarrassed to be with me during those few months, something she later admitted to me. I don’t know how or why we had gotten into this relationship and this situation, but she wanted out and I didn’t. When she called it quits, I decided I was finished with life. This might be hard to understand for everyone reading. I mean at the time I still had a job (actually 2 jobs), I still had my mates (I ignored them for Noemi), I still had my family (always welcome), but I was simply suicidal. I was depressed. I was unstable. I wanted to die. I had given up the whole football, travel and beer lifestyle for this girl and I was out of the game now.

“Everybody cries and everybody hurts, sometimes” – R.E.M.

Hengistbury Head in the south of England. This is the place I drove to with the intention of killing myself.

One cold, windy night in early June 2009, after 11pm, after work, I drove my car to the edge of a cliff at the notorious suicide spot, Hengistbury Head on the south coast of England. I remember getting lost along the way but I found it. I parked near the edge. I got out. I stared at the sea. I stared down the cliff. I got naked. I stood right on the edge. Thinking. I was ready to die – my suicide note was in my car, I can’t remember the words but “Noemi, I love you. Family and friends, I’m sorry” was something like what I wrote. I was finished. Then in the dark night, my phone bleeped with a text message and I turned round. I headed back to the car to check the message. I’d left my phone on the driver seat. It was a quiet night and the noise of the text message was distinctive. Perhaps I only went to check as I thought it could be Noemi. It wasn’t though – it was Dan. My flatmate and fellow AFC Bournemouth football and pub buddy. To this day I can’t remember what he said, but I was cold and it was windy and I put my clothes back on after reading it. I was still alive and I knew I had just diced with death. I thought of my dreams to see Machu Picchu. I thought of my family. I thought of Dan. I knew this Hungarian girl had f##ked my life up. But I had now survived. I felt like I’d beaten something.

“Suicide is painless, it brings on many changes” – Johnny Mandel

cherrybear afcb — Dan Darch and me, with Cherrybear in Happier times…

I went home to see Dan. I spoke to him briefly, told him I wasn’t feeling good and went to bed, up for work again as normal next day as if NOTHING had happened. Around the same time I talked to my Corinne at length. She was my Swiss flatmate who leant some girly advice to me when I had lost the plot. I didn’t tell her I was suicidal, I just wanted someone to talk to.

“You can talk to me anytime that you’re feeling down” – Chris Helme

At work I pretended to be all cool and normal. It was all a pretence. I came home every night and cried my eyes out. EVERY night for the whole of June and July. But I had survived. A few months previously, Manic Street Preachers released an album called “Journal for Plague Lovers” and it was written by Richey James Edwards. The guitarist and lyricist who disappeared back in 1995 – a suspected suicide. I listened endlessly to that album and it helped keep me sane.

“Only a God can bruise, only a God can soothe” – Manic Street Preachers

jonny blair condor ferries — Working for Condor Ferries in 2009 – we got to do some sightseeing too – here by Chesil Beach in Dorset.

To prove to myself that I had turned the corner, I booked a one way ticket to Taiwan. I knew I was getting back on the road again. I had spent almost 6 years (give or take the odd backpacking stint or trip round Europe) in Bournemouth by this point. With Noemi living round the corner and reminders of her every night I drove home, I had to leave the town behind. I vowed never to return. I just had to kill the ghost of her and of Hengistbury Head. The memories will linger forever and I can’t forget her, but 2009 was a dark dark year. By the end of the year I had new flatmates and worked in a really cool Irish Pub in Parramatta, Australia. I had also backpacked through Taiwan and met up with my best mate again.

“We’re still friends and we like each other” – Noel Gallagher

jonny blair taiwan — Smiling again in October 2009 while backpacking in Taiwan.

Thankfully in Antarctica in 2010 I met Panny, this sparkling travelling Hong Kong Girl. I had now lived a travel dream by visiting all seven continents and I then relocated to Hong Kong in 2011 and I was in love with the delightful Panny Yu! We have since travelled so much together – all over China and to about 25+other countries!!

“I found love so don’t fight it” – Ronan Keating

panny yu uruguay — First date with the delightful Panny Yu in Manchester Bar, Montevideo, Uruguay.

I’m at ease with my past now and felt that I could write about what went before. Panny Yu and I have a much closer relationship than anyone I’ve ever been with. In 2012, I did decide to return to England but I wasn’t yet ready for Bournemouth again emotionally and I ended up staying in Manchester at the last minute as I couldn’t face the history I’d had in Bournemouth. I met up with the lads again and went to watch Bury v. Bournemouth (an away match for my team).

“The boys are back in town” – Thin Lizzy

Back smiling in Manchester in April 2012.

In early 2014, I somehow felt the time was right for me to return to the scene of the crime so I did. I arranged to meet Dan and head back to Bournemouth again last week. The fact it was a new year and the 5 year mark looming, made me think that I was finally at ease with the past. I headed to Portsmouth from London Waterloo, ticking off crazy old haunts everywhere. Dan picked me up and I got all emotional again. He drove me back on the familiar old road to Bournemouth.

“Come back to what you know” – Embrace

jonny blair bournemouth — First time on Bournemouth Beach for 5 years!! Last week!!

Life had truly gone full circle and I was back in Bournemouth. It had taken me 5 years to have the desire to head back there. It was the saddest, most emotional and most sentimental trip of my entire travel life. It was tinged with sadness but I had made it back. Alive, healthy, happy and safe.

“Search for the hero inside yourself” – M. People

jonny blair of dont stop living — First night back in Bournemouth with the lads – DON’T STOP LIVING!!

I just wanted to share this story with you all and to have it in written form for myself as well, so I can understand what happened. I can’t remember every detail and there were also times that I harmed myself in my bedroom, hurting myself to get pain out.

“All we know is that we don’t know how it’s gonna be” – Noel Gallagher

dont stop living — “In this crazy little timeframe we’ve been given, love your enemies and don’t stop living.”

On a final note, I’ve taken some stick on here particularly from arrogant travel bloggers and travel writers who deem themselves “better than me”. Nobody is better than anybody else. Nobody. I’ve survived to tell the tale. I hope to inspire others to do the same.

“Nothing’s gonna change my world” – The Beatles

If you’re suffering from mental health or depression, make sure you tell someone.

“You are not alone” – Jacko

And finally, Don’t Stop Living. This is truly the most inspirational three words you will ever hear.

“You say you want your freedom, but who am I to keep you down” – Fleetwood Mac

“I don’t cry for yesterday, there’s an ordinary world somehow I have to find” – Duran Duran

Repeat: “You’ll never change what’s been and gone” – Noel Gallagher

That my friends is my Bournemouth Story. Although this girl hurt me, I dedicate this post to the hungarian dancer and coffee shop assistant, Noemi Linzenbold. I hope you sleep in peace tonight, Noemi Tipney Linzenbold. I’ve stopped crying my heart out…

Thirsty Thursdays: The Cluedo Pub Crawl, Manchester and Bury, England

Posted on January 16, 2014July 13, 2016 by Jonny Blair

While living in England I used to LOVE my pub crawls. I’ve touched on a few of them before, including the epic 2007 “Countries of the World” pub crawl in London. In 2005, me and three mates also did the Monopoly Pub Crawl (41 bars over 2 days – to be completed within 41 hours!), and that one I’ve yet to write about – have the photos in print only in an old photo album. In the meantime, today’s thirsty Thursdays is all about a Cluedo Pub Crawl. It’s a “whodunnit?”

cluedo pub crawl 2012 manchester bury — Just the ticket. I was back with the lads for one weekend only back in 2012 for the “Cluedo Pub Crawl”.

What is the Cluedo Pub Crawl?

I invented the idea myself. (Unless of course somebody else invented it before but I didn’t know about it). Basically it’s a pub crawl that incorporates a game of Cluedo in each pub you’re in, with a twist, that each person has to be dressed in a certain colour or be a character from the board game. Also, the pubs chosen need to have some kind of link to the board game Cluedo. I hadn’t seen a few of my best mates in what seemed like an eternity (it was over 2 and a half years!!) and so on our reunion in 2012, I helped organise the Cluedo Pub Crawl with my former flatmate and close mate Dan Darch.

jonny blair dan darch austin sheppard — Back with the lads – Dan Darch (left) and Austin Sheppard (right)

So the scene was set – I would return to England for 3 days in 2012 and over 2 of those days we would attempt to play 6 games of Cluedo, with 6 characters involved, in 6 different pubs in and around Manchester and Bury.

cluedo pub crawl bury — Bury was the venue for part of the Cluedo Pub Crawl

Why Manchester and Bury?

It was an easy one to organise. The lads could meet me in Manchester (they all live in either Birmingham, London or Bournemouth), and I would make Manchester my stop over flight between Northern Ireland and Hong Kong. In the end I flew Belfast – Manchester – Dubai – Hong Kong (and literally straight back into work the next day). So time was tough but we met up in Manchester, spent a night there then spent a night in Bury.

bury gigg lane v bournemouth — Gigg Lane, Bury – yes, football was involved!

This would coincide with a visit to Gigg Lane, home of Bury FC to watch our English team, AFC Bournemouth play. I was so excited. We were making up for 2 and a half years apart. These were best mates of mine for a few years. So it had to be special.

thirsty thursdays london — As well as being a Thirsty Thursday it was a big reunion!

Months of planning

Facebook messages are a great tool for casual planning of events. Gradually Dan and I had looked at the fixture list and realised that Bury away was going to be the easiest one for us to meet at. I was supposed to go to Preston away in 2011 (a match we won 3-1) but sadly I had got pre occupied with more jobs than I could manage, while living out in Hong Kong. So Bury it was. We planned it bit by bit on Facebook.

white lion bury — We’d stay in the Old White Lion in Bury.

First of all the flights. I arranged to have 3 days in Manchester (it was actually 2 and a half). Dan and Austin booked the Manchester Travelodge (handy place to stay and a backpacker’s budget with a bit more privacy ands luxury). I booked us all into the White Lion pub in Bury. This part of English lifestyle I love – pubs that host backpackers upstairs. They’re always family run, down to earth and great fun and value. Also the fact it was the WHITE Lion gave us a Cluedo link already. Miss White…

Bit of planning and we agreed on a Cluedo Pub Crawl.

The calm before the storm

My first night back with the lads was the Thursday night in Manchester. My girlfriend flew to Paris for the first time and I said goodbye to Belfast after my longest stay in Northern Ireland for about 4 years. I landed in Manchester Airport and couldn’t wait to see the lads again. We met in the bar at Manchester Picadilly Station. Dan Darch and Austin Sheppard, both former flatmates of mine. We’d been around England (and Scotland) together travelling with Cherries matches. If you did follow Don’t Stop Living in its early days, you’ll remember it was just stuff like this post – me telling stories. No holds barred – my travel lifestyle as it happens. It’s nice to return to this type of post tonight actually 😉

crazy cluedo pub crawl — Back with the lads ready for the crazy Cluedo day.

After meeting Austin and Dan, drinking till the sunset, finding our Travelodge, heading in search of the first Cluedo Pub. It didn’t take us long. Darch is master of the extraordinary. Austin is the uncomplaining all round top bloke. I was the long term backpacking farmer and barman back from a jaunt round Indonesia, China, Hong Kong and the Philippines. We found a bar called the Soup Kitchen. So that was our first Cluedo Pub. But this was the calm before the storm.

cluedo pub crawl — Proper lads night on the Thursday before the Cluedo Pub Crawl.

The Thursday night was just a catch up, a good few beers and a bit of preparation for the next day. We ate in the Soup Kitchen and as the banter flow and the reminiscing continued we moved on to a budget Wetherspoons (Dan and Austin are as cheap a backpacker as me, without even leaving their native land – how’s that for profoundness?). After our 20 pence pints (slight under exaggeration there), we went all Irish. I found a bar called Mulligans and the Guinness flowed. We watched a live band, chatted away to a few others and sang to some old songs like Oasis. Next up a nightclub in Manchester. It was good to be back and we all headed back to the Travelodge together.

travelodge manchester — View from our Travelodge in Manchester.

The Start of the Cluedo Pub Crawl

So we woke up in Manchester on the Friday morning, with the knowledge that there would be a total of 6 of us during the weekend. I’ll introduce my crew here guys…(if you’re a regular follower of Don’t Stop Living, these are my mates, and my mates are your mates. Come join us for a beer sometime!)

manchester bury tram — Manchester to Bury by tram.

Let’s meet the crew. The lads. The boys…

Dan Darch – The Cornish Cherry. Budget cider drinker. Hardcore Cherry fan. He got out of prison in 2008, but only in the football sense. In fact, we got relegated but Darch stayed up. That’s the sort of bloke he is. Dan Darch is a man who won’t let you down. If he was alive when the Titanic sank, he’d have survived. And he’d tell you the tale if you buy him a cider.

cornish cherry dan darch — Dan Darch – Cornish Cherry.

Austin Sheppard – Austin was commonly known as “Aussie” at university, but I didn’t like that nickname. I half expected him to come into the room with a boomerang and dressed as a kangaroo. But he’s English – and proud. He ain’t no Australian. He sometimes consumes vaster quantities of apple related alcohol products than most people living in Bristol. He’s the most authentic Bournemouth fan out of all of us – he was born in nearby Poole. Or at least that’s what his assumed birth certificate says. Don’t forget to wake him up, or he’ll miss the first half.

Chris Sheppard – No relation. Honestly. He even has a different hair colour to quash the rumours. Shep was a backpacker too. He visited the same places as me, at different times. Shep’s a barman too – he also lends his support to Aston Villa on occasion. And by hell, they need it! Shep is so innovative he invented his OWN Cluedo Character – Sergeant Grey.

Lee Adams – Real name of Lee Adams is “Lock In Lee” – that’s what it says on his birth certificate. He’s a punk that got smitten with the 1979-1980 era Nottingham Forest team. Since he left the New Forest zone, he also had a stint of Australian backpacking and banking work. When the pub opens, Lock in Lee will be there. When the pub closes, he blames the Queen. And why shouldn’t he. It’s as much his country as it hers. Though he owns more Ozzy Osborne albums, albeit on rare 12 inch vinyl only found in a market stall in Dudley. Occasionally he gets pissed off and swears at Yeovil Town fans.

lock in lee forest fan — It’s Lock In Lee! At the Kellogg’s Factory in Manchester.

Richard Rowland – I can never remember if Rich’s surname is Rowland or Rowlands. I actually just had to check Facebook to confirm it!! Rich was also my flatmate once and a good one. Tidy, clean, respectful and aways busy. Not too busy to give up the odd Saturday for a spot of Cluedo and a game of football. Actually I lied – Richard Rowland is an authentic AFC Bournemouth fan. OK, let’s check the facts – yes he’s from Bournemouth. In fact, as Austin is from Poole, then Rich os the only real Cherry amongst us. But he’s popped his own cherry enough times to know the score. Wedding bells and nappies are his latest line.

Jonny Blair – Jonny Blair gave up living in the dormitory town of Bangor over a decade ago. His Northern Irishness is what he prides himself on. He thinks he’s a cool global traveller who has been everywhere and has a load of crazy stories to tell. Deep down, Jonny is just a football loving lad who wants to head down the pub with his mates and talk nonsense over a Guinness. And that he does.

backpacker jonny blair — Jonny Blair – wannabe travel expert who loves a Guinness

So now you know the six Cluedo players/suspects/killers/murderers/drunks, it’s time for some ground rules.

The Rules of Pub Cluedo (official)

1. You can only play Pub Cluedo when more than 50% of the players agree it’s an appropriate related time to play it.

2. No cheating

3. Nobody can be the same Cluedo character

4. No cheating

5. You have to dress in the colour of your Cluedo character at all times during the game.

6. No cheating

7. When playing the “actual game of Cluedo” (which in fairness is the point), the NORMAL Cluedo rules apply

8. No cheating

9. When one of your mates goes to the toilet, you should not check their cards unless everyone except that person agrees

10. No cheating

If you break any of those rules you’re out of that game – but can join in the next one. We’re not that strict.

backpacker in bury — Backpacking in Bury, England.

How to get from Machester to Bury as a backpacker

OK this is a travel site, so you’ll want to know how to get there – easy tip is to head on the tram to Bury from Manchester, further details here on “this website” etc.. So after checking into the White Lion in Bury (decent wee backpackers hostel with a bar below 😉 we headed into central Bury to find a Cluedo set. We first went into backpacker mode by scanning the charity shops but in the end none of the 15 shops we tried had Cluedo and WH Smiths was too dear. We ended up buying the Cluedo Board Game in Smyths.

cluedo bury — First step was buying the Cluedo set in Bury.

The Warm Up

The warm up to the game included a trip to Old Trafford in Manchester for no reason really other than to have pints. In terms of sightseeing, we also passed the Kellogg’s Factory on route after meeting Lock In Lee.

kelloggs pint — The warm up involved pints near the Kelloggs Factory and Old Trafford football stadium.

This caused the pun “Cereal Killers” to be used and BANG! The game was underway. We met Shep in Picadilly Station bar. Shep hadn’t actually met Lock In Lee before and on meeting each other we realised they may be both English, but they speak different languages. Lock In Lee reads and speaks backwards. Shep is of the more conforming type – he reads, writes and speaks all words the way they are meant to be read – forwards. So while Lock In Lee said “Ih Woh Era Ouy?” Shep’s response was “Good Mate”.

pub cluedo — Pub Cluedo – all just a big of a laugh!

Now you’ve met the lads, let’s have their Cluedo aliases:

Reverend Green – Jonny Blair

Professor Plum – Austin Sheppard

Mister Scarlet – Dan Darch

Sergeant Grey – Chris Sheppard

Mr. White (with a Revolver) – Lee Adams

Colonel Mustard – Richard Rowland

Game 1 – The English LOUNGE

We chose the English Lounge pub in Manchester for our first game. After a hard fought battle, Lock In Lee won the game. Key moments included the bouncer asking Jonny why he had a backpack. Obvious answer followed “to play pub Cluedo”.

cluedo pub crawl english lounge — The English Lounge – one of the pubs on the Cluedo Pub Crawl.

Game 2 – The Soup KITCHEN

Upstairs was full so we didn’t have a table to play on. They let us into the downstairs nightclub and while dancers danced, we played Cluedo. A local lad came over wanting to join in. He wore blue, but his spell in the game was brief. Mr. Navy bought Shep a shot of Sambuca as a reward yet Reverend Green, disguised by Jonny won the game.

cluedo pub crawl the soup kitchen — In the basement of the Soup Kitchen on the Cluedo Pub Crawl.

Game 3 – The ROPE Bar

It was getting late and we needed 6 more games of Cluedo, so we had to sweet talk our way into the ROPE Bar. After getting inside through a hotel and pretending to be staying there, Lock In Lee and I got the gin and tonics in, before finding a spare table to play another game. Lock In Lee won it.

smoak manchester — The Rope Bar, known as Smoak in Manchester.

Game 4 – The HALL, Tram

OK so we all agreed we should play a game on the tram between Manchester and Bury and that we did. We got the last tram back to Bury, playing a spontaneous game on the floor, adding in a random tram passenger to the story.

cluedo manchester to bury — Game of Cluedo on the Manchester to Bury tram.

Game 5 – The WHITE Lion

We got back to the White Lion late on and it was a Lock In. Lee particularly enjoyed this as it’s his name. Then he got a vintage CD player out and started playing his CD of spooky songs related to murder. Sophie Ellis Bextor, The Beatles and the Killers all got an airing as we downed pints and kebabs and played another game.

cluedo white lion — Early morning Cluedo in the White Lion.

Game 6 – The WHITE Lion

OK the next morning, before the big match, we got lazy, playing another game in the same venue. We liked the WHITE Lion. This game was fixed and we faked to Rich that Austin won it by default.

cluedo pub crawl thirsty thursdays — The epic Cluedo Pub Crawl – a Thirstier Thursday than normal – great day out with the lads.

After that it was off to another pub, also with a murderous name, the TWO BARRELS pub where we watched Liverpool gun down Everton in the FA Cup Semi Final. After that we headed to Gigg Lane in Bury to watch Bury FC v. AFC Bournemouth.

gigg lane bury — Inside Gigg Lane for more beers watching Bury v. Bournemouth.

We lost the match 1-0 and it was a non event. We had time for a final lads drink together at Manchester Picadilly Station before I headed to Dubai and they all headed back to their flats in England. The Cluedo Pub Crawl was fast and encompassed a lot more than just the Cluedo. It was real good fun and pub crawls like this are my speciality. I’m up for another one sometime, when the time is right.

I owe it to the lads – if they’re reading, I promise to meet up soon for a pint, a football match and a few days of randomness. I said it before and I’ll say it again:

“These sacred moments of silliness are where I find my heaven”

Thanks lads, stay happy and stay crazy.

For the memory:

The Night My Best Mate Drank 3 Litres of cider in the space of 90 seconds on a Megabus to Leeds, England

Posted on December 20, 2013May 2, 2014 by Jonny Blair

Crazy stuff time. This is an old gem of a memory which still has me and my mates talking about it, and me blogging about it some NINE years later.

We’re warped back to the end of January 2005. I was living in Bournemouth in England at the time but we were on a crazy trip north to Leeds. The culmination of which would be to watch Bournemouth play Burnley at Turf Moor on the Saturday in the FA Cup. Drinking began in earnest at 7am on the Friday morning. We all had the weekend off work, including the Friday.

Living in England, I was a master of the cheap bus tickets at the time. Me and my mates used to head to London, Leeds, Colchester, Birmingham, Manchester and a load of other places all on a cheap Megabus. Megabus only started around 2004 time and they started by advertising tickets for ONE POUND. Our trip to Leeds would cost us TWO QUID. First we boarded a ONE POUND Megabus in Bournemouth at 7am, then we met up with another mate in London for a day out. Then we headed on a ONE POUND Megabus north to Leeds at 7pm.

We had done our fair share of London pubs during the day time, including the Urban Bar in Whitechapel, the Shed Bar at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge and Molly O’Grady’s at Victoria. As our hot and stuffy Megabus steamed out of Victoria station in London, we were bound for Leeds…

We had the foresight to bring some beer and cider on board. It was a packed Megabus. It was pouring outside and cold. Inside it was hot and steamy. There were a mix of business men, kids, students, London commuters and drinkers. After 30 minutes we had ran out of beer. There were four of us – myself, Neil, Austin and James. Austin had in his bag a 3 Litre bottle of cider. That was the only entertainment we had for the 4-5 hour bus ride. But no way was Austin parting with it.

These were the days before you had music on your phone, video on the go, wi-fi on buses and even cups of coffee on board weren’t yet trendy. We provided the entire bus with an evening of entertainment. Well, it was a double decker bus and we were top deck. It was only the top deck that was to be entertained.

Bored and having drank all day, James and I sat together pondering whether it was best just to sleep all the way to Leeds then hit the pubs when we arrived. We were checked into some decent 3 star for the night. Then Neil grabs the 3 Litre bottle of Cider off Austin and says he wants to pay for half of it. Since it’s the only bottle of alcohol on the entire bus, Austin says no and wants it all to himself. We reckon he was playing devil’s advocate with a tongue in cheek. But who was to know.

neil macey jonny blair london — Millwall Neil and I on the tube in London back in the day…

Other people on the bus began to watch as Austin and Neil had a war of words over the said bottle. At the time James and I would have been fairly happy for the pair of them to split the bottle and drink to their hearts content. Neil then gives Austin a challenge, or gives himself a challenge. From Austin refusing to take a pound fifty off Neil for half the bottle, it transpires that Austin has now had enough of the argument and wants to shut Neil up. He bets him TEN QUID that he can’t finish the entire bottle in 90 seconds.

So the bet is:

– Neil gets to get drink as much as he can in ONE sip and if he can’t finish the bottle in one sip, he owes Austin TEN QUID. Austin gets to drink the remainder of the bottle too.
– If Neil finished the entire 3 Litre Bottle of Cide in ONE sip, then Austin owes him TEN QUID. Austin also ends up with ZERO cider.

You’d think given the odds and the fact that it had to be done in one sip, coupled with the fact we had all been drinking since 7am that day, that Austin would come out smelling of roses while Neil sulks in the corner. Enter Millwall Neil.

With a load of eager watchers on the bus, Neil bursts open the bottle of cider and in “Eye of the Tiger” style, “Cream of the Fight” vigour he faces up to the challenge of his rival. One rule we add is that nobody else can touch the bottle while Neil is drinking – otherwise Austin could grab it off him and the cider would go everywhere on the bus. We wanted to entertain in a civil yet crazy way.

James and I have the timers on as Austin watches in disbelief. Neil, like a man possessed and up for the challenge necks the entire bottle in less than 90 seconds (well less if we remember right!). Buoyed on by youths, students and business men on the bus, Neil is the hero of the bus. He sank it!

That’s 3 Litres of Cider on a packed Megabus to Leeds on a Friday night in just over a minute. Completely crazy.

Neil is so drunk he can’t even bring the energy to be sick despite a toilet visit. He sits back down, konks out and remembers NOTHING of the rest of the night.

Meanwhile, me and the other three boys, hop off the bus, head to our hotel to check in, checking Neil is OK the entire way and we somehow get him in past the bouncers of Jumpin Jaks nightclub in Leeds. This was hilarious in itself as Neil at the time worked in another Jumpin Jaks!! Once inside Neil perches himself by a pillar and basically is there comatose the rest of the night. James, Austin and I partied all night in complete stitches at Neil’s act of craziness. Out of the four of us, in general, Neil was easily the most sensible at and yet here he was, smashed beyond belief in Leeds!!

After that heavy night, I wake Neil up early morning for a fry up and tell him of the previous night’s mental ness.

It was all so crazy, we were all so young…good times lads!

My best mate Neil and I at Underhill, home of Barnet FC in London. The guy who drank 3litres of cider in 90 seconds!

Tuesday’s Travel Essentials: Dual Nationality, Holding Multiple Passports

Posted on December 17, 2013October 12, 2020 by Jonny Blair

Today on Tuesday’s Travel Essentials it’s time to take advantage of all the passports you can get. You’ll need them – trust me. When you go travelling, your passports fill up quickly with visas and stamps so it’s essential to have a back up – dual nationality and multiple passports is the best way to travel. But passports filling up fast isn’t the only reason to have multiple passports. Getting visas for countries is another reason. You will find some nationalities can get cheaper visas for some countries, some nationalities can get visas easier to and some nationalities are even denied access to certain countries. So have a back up. Do it and don’t hesitate. The trigger for this post was that recently two other Northern Irish friends of mine asked me if I ALSO have an Irish Passport. My reply to them should be, “I ALSO have a British Passport”.

For me getting dual nationality was easy. Apologies to those who don’t have dual nationality, or cannot currently get it – I know a visa for a country can be harder to obtain in those circumstances. Here’s why it was easy for me:

I’m from Northern Ireland.

I was born and bred in Northern Ireland. It’s a British owned country on the island of Ireland. Thanks to some clever agreements down the years, anyone born and bred in Northern Ireland has a right to be British or Irish. Or both. I have no qualms whatsoever in admitting I’m Irish and I’m British. It hasn’t always been like that for me by the way – but these days I’m very proud of both heritages. Being Northern Irish is the most ice cool thing on the planet. I love it.

Nationality Number One – I’m British. I grew up in the UK in the country of Northern Ireland. I paid British taxes. I watched British TV. I went to a school governed by the UK. English is my main language. I’m proud of my British heritage.

delaneys hong kong paddys day — I’m proud to be Irish: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Delaneys, Hong Kong

Nationality Number Two – I’m Irish. I grew up on the island of Ireland. I support the Northern Ireland football team. I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day (and yes I know he’s Welsh). I drink Guinness. I love potatoes. I’m Irish. I’m Northern Irish. So I own an Irish passport. I’m proud of my Irish heritage.

The dual passport benefits – using my British one to enter Brazil a few years back.

So there you have it – I am able to get two passports, two nationalities and I feel equally proud of both. As I believe every Northern Irish person should.

irish visa iran — I used my Irish passport to get my Iran visa recently.

Here are the main advantages of having dual nationality and holding spontaneous passports for different countries:

– You have more pages in your passports therefore you won’t need to replace them as often ( I once got refused entry to Singapore for having no space in one of my passports – ludicrous decision but hey…)

– You can say you’re Irish or British and be correct with both (this is particularly helpful in countries like Iran and Argentina, where it’s better to say you’re Irish than British – less hassle).

– You can choose which passport to use based on the visa prices (a Chinese Visa is cheaper on an Irish passport than a British one).

– You can choose which passport to use based on the visa difficulty (An Iran Visa is easier to get on an Irish passport than a British one).

– You can choose which passport to use based on the visa qualifications (A Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa is ONLY available on an Irish passport and not a British one).

– If you do LOSE one of your passports, you have another one.

– If you ever get rejected for a visa for a country, don’t get upset – you can reapply using your other nationality, visa qualifications are hit and miss.

– You can visit Israel, Malaysia, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Nagorno Karabakh etc. without worrying about being permitted into other countries (e.g. having an Israel stamp in your passport automatically disqualifies you from visiting places like Iran and Iraq, same goes for holding a Nagorno Karabakh visa and then trying to get into Azerbaijan)

– You can freely pick and choose which passport to use each time you travel

You can check out some of my other passport and visa related posts here.

– How to get a Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa

– Carrying Passport Photos

– Carrying Photocopies of Passports

– How to get an Iran Visa in Turkey

– How to get a Suriname Visa in Venezuela

– How to get a China Visa in Hong Kong

– How to get a Vietnam Visa in Hong Kong

– How to get a Myanmar Visa in Hong Kong

– How to get an Ethiopian Visa at Addis Ababa Airport

– How to get a Tanzanian Visa at Kilimanjaro Airport

– How to get an Australian Working Holiday Visa

– How to get a Second Australian Working Holiday Visa

So there’s a tip for you all – take advantage of your passport options and use them both. Believe me – you don’t want to be that British guy talking about the Falklands War to police officers at the Argentina border, just whip out your Irish one 😉

Safe travels.

My Top 5 Camping Memories!

Posted on September 26, 2013June 19, 2015 by Jonny Blair

wadi rum camping memories — My top 5 camping memories from my travels!

As I celebrate the 10 year mark of being away from Northern Ireland by camping out in the desert at Wadi Rum with Rum Stars (AMAZING!), I thought it was a good time to share my top 5 camping moments from my travels…including my latest spot of desert camping, these moments were inspiring…

poatina camping — The inside of my tent from my time camping in Poatina in Australia

1. Camping in Poatina, Tasmania, Australia
Poatina in Tasmania will always be a special place for me as I camped out there while working my ass off in broccoli farms. It’s a mountain village that nobody has ever heard of!! I bought a tent for $15 AUD, lived in it and saved a load of money so that I could afford a trip to Antarctica. Yes, I really did it! Camping in Poatina.

2. Camping on the Inca Trail, Peru
I had waited all my life to do the Inca Trail and when the moment finally came in 2010, it was just amazing. We spent 4 days and 3 nights camping in the mountains of Peru, all the way enjoying incredible views of landscapes, challenging hikes and a lot of fun. I have released an e-Book on hiking Inca Trail in Peru and lots of blog posts here – The Inca Trail.

3. Camping all over England with my family

My Mum and Dad would disown me if I didn’t mention the fact that a lot of my early travel and camping memories were thanks to my parents. We did it hardcore in fact! We trekked all over England in summers as a child, sleeping in a trailer tent. We also camped out in France and of course my home country of Northern Ireland. Every time we moved campsites, my Dad would put have to put the tent up again, we’d help a bit but it was always a challenge. We did this in the 1980s and early 1990s and I was hoping that trailer tents and caravans were still going, thankfully thanks to help from English based companies they still are! Will have to ask my Mum if she has any photos of those days though…

camping ni — Memories of camping out in the 1980s with Dad and my sister Cathy and brother Marko. Found it hard to find a camping photo from those days but I love this one!

4. Camping in the Serengeti in Tanzania

I loved my recent safari in Africa and the Serengeti in Tanzania was a perfect spot for camping. Imagine sleeping with laughing hyenas, running gazelles and even a field mouse (which crept into my tent) all around you. A beer for sunset and an awesome safari from Shadows of Africa make this one easily in my top 5 camping moments. Camping in the Serengeti.

5. Camping in Rumstars Camp, Wadi Rum Desert, Jordan

This post comes on the day I celebrate 10 years of travel away from my home country of Northern Ireland and my night in the Wadi Rum desert was the catalyst for it. This completes the set nicely for me in my top 5 camping moments. Listening to Arabic singing and sleeping under the stars in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan in the Middle East is most definitely a travel highlight! I’m actually just trying to get my post about it written tonight so you guys won’t have to wait long!!

wadi rum jordan — My tent LAST NIGHT in Wadi Rum, Jordan to celebrate 10 years away from Northern Ireland.

In the meantime, happy camping and safe travels 😉