“It’s the eye of the tiger, it’s the thrill of the fight” – Survivor. After my first Christmas in Northern Ireland since 2019, I headed out of Belfast on Boxing Day/Saint Stephen’s Day south to…
Zanzibar is one of those countries that has introduced a mandatory travel insurance. This means to backpack it, you MUST have their travel insurance, not yours, not Jimmy’s and not Sally’s! As a backpacker who…
I finally arrived in Comoros in July 2025! It was the third country of my Rainy Summertime tour and my 235th recognised country on this whackpacking odyssey on a ball. What Is Comoros? What are…
As part of my Rainy Summertime tour in 2025, I made The Maldives my first proper port of call. In advance of your visit to The Maldives, you need to get a The Maldives Traveller…
“Need permission to land” – Robbie Williams. Tourists visiting The Maldives DO NEED a visa, however the process does not involve countless embassy visits, stress, nor even excruciatingly annoying online form filling. All nationalities, yes…
“Johnny ‘crackers’ Knoxville” – Chris Bilsland. The Time I Was In A Country For 3 Days But Had A Passport Stamp In And Out On The Same Day! This has to be a nuts one.…
“We are not born for departure, but we do learn to take it” – R.E.M. In the last 20 years of backpacking the world, only TWO countries charged me for departure tax to be paid…
“Last Minute.com” – Martha Lane Fox. First up, quell the fake news from fake tourists, extremists, unbackpacked governments and social media keyboard wizards. Burkina Faso is open, it’s friendly and it’s welcoming. Although, I almost…
“Another night, another dream, but always you” – The Real McCoy. How To Get A Tourist Visa For Niger At The Embassy In Berlin, Germany When you’re suddenly on a lifelong quest to whackpack /…
As a fellow traveler who understands the freedom an Irish passport provides, I’ve mastered the art of spontaneous international travel. Here’s my comprehensive guide to maximizing visa-on-arrival privileges across the globe. The Power of an…