lok ma chau

World Borders: How to Get from Lok Ma Chau to Shenzhen (Hong Kong to China Border)

I’ve crossed the Hong Kong – Macao – China borders over 20 times now, and have already covered a few of those crossing on here. I aim to make these border crossings seem easy and smooth, which they normally are. On my most recent trip to China, I crossed overland from Lok Ma Chau to Read more about World Borders: How to Get from Lok Ma Chau to Shenzhen (Hong Kong to China Border)[…]

pound a drink inferno bournemouth

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

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 Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: One Pound A Drink Nights in Inferno, Bournemouth, England in 2014[…]

jonny blair working in iran

Working Wednesdays: Helping out at Issa’s Allotment in Zarad Band, Iran🇮🇷

Anyone who has travelled in Iran will tell you that you always get offers to stay with families and live with them. This happened to us a load of times, and we ended up in three family houses over the course of a month and it could have been more. Two of our host families Read more about Working Wednesdays: Helping out at Issa’s Allotment in Zarad Band, Iran🇮🇷[…]

christmas dinner in shiraz

Friday’s Featured Food: Dizi on Christmas Day in Shiraz, Iran

My “Christmas Dinner” in 2013 came in the form of local Iranian dish Dizi while I was backpacking in Iran. We were almost at the end of our month in Iran when we arrived in the city of Shiraz. We were there to see the city itself, as well as visiting Marvdasht, Persepolis and Naqsh-e Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Dizi on Christmas Day in Shiraz, Iran[…]

jerusalem pub crawl abraham hostels

Thirsty Thursdays: Abraham Hostel Pub Crawl in Jerusalem, Israel

It was time for another crazy pub crawl on my travel corridor! I’ve had some crazy ones down the years, notably Buenos Aires, New York, London and Christchurch. But how about a night on the town in Israel’s ice cool capital city. It had to be done and thanks to the awesome guys at the Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Abraham Hostel Pub Crawl in Jerusalem, Israel[…]

soroche jonny blair

Tuesday’s Travel Problems: How to deal with Soroche (Altitude Sickness)

Today on my ongoing series of Tuesday’s Travel Problems, I look at altitude sickness and the best ways to avoid it, deal with it and get through it. Altitude sickness is also known as soroche. It is common of course in areas of HIGH altitude. Places such as Tibet, Nepal, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru are Read more about Tuesday’s Travel Problems: How to deal with Soroche (Altitude Sickness)[…]

jonny blair dhow qatar doha bay

Backpacking In Qatar 🇶🇦: Top 5 Things to See and Do in Doha (In One Day)

I’ve touched on Qatar before on this blog, as I have passed through it a few times now, in 2011 and at the end of 2013, and again in 2016 and 2021. As the country prepares in advance for the World Cup of 2022, I checked out the city of Doha with my ex-girlfriend doing Read more about Backpacking In Qatar 🇶🇦: Top 5 Things to See and Do in Doha (In One Day)[…]

mahaneh yehuda market

Friday’s Featured Food: Browsing in the Mahaneh Yehuda Market, Jerusalem, Israel🇮🇱

I spent just over 5 days backpacking in Jerusalem, Israel’s quite unique and cultured capital city. This place rocked, and as cheap backpackers we made a nosedive for the Mahaneh Yehuda Market every day on our visit to Jerusalem. It was that good a market, and you can pick up fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and Read more about Friday’s Featured Food: Browsing in the Mahaneh Yehuda Market, Jerusalem, Israel🇮🇱[…]

aqaba sunset jordan

Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking Petra Beer at sunset in Aqaba, Jordan

When we arrived freshly into Aqaba in Jordan from Israel, I realised I was back in a strict muslim state and alcohol may well be prohibited in parts and restricted. But I forgot about Aqaba – it’s a city which attracts tons of tourists, a city that contains the borders of 5 countries in essence Read more about Thirsty Thursdays: Drinking Petra Beer at sunset in Aqaba, Jordan[…]

backpacking in kaesong

Backpacking in North Korea🇰🇵: Top 5 Things to Do in Kaesong

I’m on a serious mission to catch up on my latest travel stuff, so North Korea needs more posts on here. I didn’t just backpack the hell out of its charming capital city, Pyongyang, we also checked out the DMZ, the city of Kaesong and took the train north to Sinuiju on route back to Read more about Backpacking in North Korea🇰🇵: Top 5 Things to Do in Kaesong[…]