November 28, 2012

My Travel Timeline 2003 – 2024

Backpacking in the Faroe Islands: Exploring Saksun on Streymoy Island

My Travel Timeline: Jonny Blair

I thought it would be a good idea to post my travel timeline since 2003 to give you all an idea of how I manage to travel as much as I do. Now that my journey has ended due to a compulsive liar, it’s time to compile this list. A lot of people ask me where I have worked and how I have funded and financed my way around the world. I’ve worked in a lot of jobs and places and am also a published author. I have built myself a lifestyle of travel and I must admit it’s easier than staying in the same place and yes it’s a cliche but anyone can do it!!! You just need to make sure you work hard, travel light and don’t spend money on “stupid things” like TVs, clothes, beds and mobile phones! I’ll do this in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent year 2023:

Where I travelled each year is written in green (COUNTRY: Location)
Where I lived each year is written in red
Where I worked (voluntary, pleasure and paid) each year is written in brown
Where I studied each year is written in black

2024:

ENGLAND – Bournemouth, Erith, London, Stansted
NORTHERN IRELAND – Bangor, Belfast, Helen’s Bay
POLAND – Gdansk, Gdynia, Katowice, Kokoszkowy, Krakow, Modlin, Warszawa

2023:

BAHAMAS – New Providence – Nassau
BELGIUM – Brussels, Charleroi
CAPE VERDE ISLANDS – Sal Island
ENGLAND – Birkenhead, Birmingham, Derby, Dronfield, Heathrow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Sheffield, Stansted, Tottenham
FRANCE – Paris
GEORGIA – Kutaisi
GUINEA – Conakry, Kassa Island
GUINEA-BISSAU – Bissau
HUNGARY – Budapest
ITALY – Rome
KAZAKHSTAN – Astana
MADAGASCAR – Antananarivo, Ambohimanga, Katsaoka (Lemur’s Park)
MALAWI – Cape Maclear, Dedza, Lake Malawi, Lilongwe, Monkey Bay
MAURITIUS – Blue Bay
MOZAMBIQUE – Calomue
NEPAL – Kathmandu, Lalitpur (Patan)
NORTHERN IRELAND – Bangor, Belfast, Newtownards
PAKISTAN – Karachi, Lahore, Wagah
POLAND – Gdansk, Gdynia, Kokoszkowy, Modlin, Nasielsk, Police, Starogard Gdanski, Szczecin, Tczew, Warka, Warszawa
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Athenry, Dublin, Galway, Salthill
REUNION ISLAND – Saint Denis, Saint Gilles Les Bains
SENEGAL –
SIERRA LEONE – Freetown, Lungi, Tacugama
THE GAMBIA – Banjul
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah

2022:

ALDERNEY – Braye Bay, Corblets Bay, La Frette Farm, Longis Bay, Platte Saline, Saint Anne
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA – Saint John’s
AZORES – Ponta Delgada
BAHAMAS – New Providence – Nassau. Paradise Island
BAVARIA – Munich
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – Beef Island, Tortola
CUBA – Havana
CURACAO – Mambo Beach, Willemstad
ENGLAND – Birkenhead, Birmingham, Gateshead, Hadrian’s Wall, Heathrow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Rowley Regis, Shell Corner, Solihull, Southampton, Stansted, Stratford Upon Avon, Sunderland, West Bromwich, Whitley Bay
FRANCE – Marseille
HAITI – Port-Au-Prince
ISLE OF MAN – Douglas
JAMAICA – Kingston Town
MAURITANIA – Adrar, Atar, Choum, Nouadihbou, Nouakchott
NORTHERN IRELAND – Ballymena, Bangor, Belfast, Dundonald, Dunmurry, Islandhill, Newtownards, Rathlin Island
POLAND – Dębki, Gdansk, Gdynia, Karwia, Kokoszkowy, Krakow, Plewiska, Poznan, Starogard Gdanski, Swarzędz, Tczew, Warszawa, Wejherowo
PORTUGAL – Lisbon
SCOTLAND – Dundee, Edinburgh, Gretna, Inverness, Loch Ness
SPAIN – Madrid Canary Islands – Fuerteventura (Puerto Del Rosario), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas)
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS – Providenciales

2021:

ALBANIA – Paskuqan, Shkoder, Tirana
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA Antigua – Devil’s Bridge, Ellen Bay, English Harbour, Long Beach, Saint John’s, Stingray City, Willikies
BARBADOS – Bridgetown, Christchurch, Hastings, Oistins, Waterford, Worthing
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS – Beef Island, Tortola
DOMINICA – Emerald Pool, Jacko Falls, Marigot, Roseau, Roseau Valley
GRENADA –
GUADELOUPE –
LITHUANIA – Kaunas, Trakai, Vilnius
POLAND – Bydgoszcz, Chałupy, Gdansk, Gdynia, Hel, Łodz, Łomianki, Łomza, Łowicz Wałecki, Piła, Poznan, Sopot, Wałcz, Warszawa, Władysłowowo, Zakrzewo
RUSSIA – Moscow
SEYCHELLES – Mahe Island – Victoria
UZUPIS – Uzupis

2020:

ANGOLA – Bengo, Luanda, Panguila, Viana
BOTSWANA – Kazungula, Kasane
ENGLAND – Bournemouth, London, Stansted
LESOTHO – Maseru, Quiolane Hill, Thaba Bosiu
NAMIBIA – Duesternbrook, Sandwich Harbour, Walvis Bay, Windhoek
NETHERLANDS – Amsterdam
POLAND – Gdansk, Gdynia, Krakow, Łodz, Łomianki, Pila, Poznan, Sopot, Warszawa, Zakrzewo
SOUTH AFRICA – Cape Town, Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, Bantry Bay, Simon’s Town, (Johannesberg), Bloemfontein
ZAMBIA – Kazungula, Livingstone, Victoria Falls
ZIMBABWE – Kazungula, Victoria Falls, Victoria Falls City

2019:

Travelled to –

AUSTRIA –
BELARUS –
BELGIUM – Brussels
BURUNDI – Bujumbura, Lake Tanganyika
CZECHIA – Prague, Olomouc
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Bukavu, Kahuzi-Biega
EGYPT – Cairo, Giza, Memphis, River Nile, Sphinx
ENGLAND – Bath, Bristol, Bournemouth
GERMANY –
GREECE –
KENYA –
KUGELMUGEL – Kugel Mugel
MOROCCO – Casablanca
NORTHERN IRELAND – Bangor, Belfast, Newtownards
POLAND – Starogard Gdański
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND –
RWANDA –
TANZANIA –
UGANDA –
UKRAINE – Lviv
WALES – Cardiff
WALLACHIA –

2018:

AZERBAIJAN – Baku
BELARUS – Grodno, Minsk
BENIN – Cotonou, Porto Novo, Ouidah, Abomey
CYPRUS – Nicosia, Larnaca, Tseri, Limassol
ENGLAND – Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, The Wirral, Bournemouth, London
FRANCE – Paris
GERMANY – Berlin, Frankfurt
IVORY COAST – Abidjan, Grand Bassam
LEBANON – Beirut
NORTHERN CYPRUS – Turkish Nicosia
NORTHERN IRELAND – Ballyhalbert, Kircubbin, Belfast, Bangor, Newtownards
OMAN – Muscat, Mutrah, Riyam, Ruwi
POLAND – Krakow, Warsaw, Złotokłos, Wrocław, Swidnica, Piła, Poznań, Trzcianka, Zakrzewo, Złotów, Nowy Wies
Toruń, Włocławek, Bochnia, Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, Kraków
Lanckorona, Tarnówskie Góry, Tczew, Starogard Gdanski, Sopot, Gdynia, Gdansk
PORTUGAL – Lisbon
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Dublin
RUSSIA – Kaliningrad, Saint Petersburg, Krasnodar
SAUDI ARABIA – Dir’aiyah, Ha’il, Hrabat, Jabal Umm Sanman, Jeddah, Jubbah, Mashar NP, Riyadh, Shaqra, Ta’if, Tawarun, Ushaiqer
TOGO – Coco Beach, Togoville, Lake Togo, Lome
TURKMENISTAN – Anau, Ashgabat, Darvaza Crater, Dashoguz, Diyar-Bekir, Jerbent, Konye-Urgench, Mary, Merv, Ruhubelent
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Dubai

2017:

Travelled to –

ENGLAND – Bournemouth, Liverpool, London, Poole
GERMANY – Berlin, Frankfurt, Altenau, Gosler, Oker , Bad-Harzburg
HONG KONG – Lam Tin, Lan Kwai Fong, Kwun Tong
(INDIA – New Delhi)
HUNGARY – Budapest
KROLESTWO DREAMLANDU – Gdynia, Gdańsk Dolne Miasto
KYRGYZSTAN – Bishkek
MALTA – Birkirrharra, Comino, Gozo, Paceville, Popeye Village, Sliema, Valletta, Vittoriosa
MONGOLIA – Ulaan Baatar
MOROCCO – Casablanca, Marrakesh
NARNIA – The Lion, The With, The Wardrobe
NORTHERN IRELAND – Ballyhalbert, Ballywalter, Bangor, Belfast, Cloughy, Donaghadee, Dungiven, Glastry, Londonderry, Millisle, Newtownards, Portaferry, Toome
POLAND – Bialystok, Biskupiec, Bydgoszcz, Gdańsk , Gdynia, Ketrzyn, Kokoszkowy, Krajenka, Krakow, Łodz, Lublin, Majdanek, Nieciecza, Opole, Olsztyn, Piła, Poznań, Starogard Gdański, Szczecin, Tarnow, Tczew, Warsaw, Zakrzewo, Zalipie, Zielona Gora, Złotow, Złotokłos
PORTUGAL – Lisbon
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Dublin
ROMKERHALL – Romkerhall
SLOVAKIA – Donovaly
SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA – Upper Fort St. Angelo
SWITZERLAND – Basel
TURKEY – Istanbul
WESTERN SAHARA – El Aaiun

2016:

Travelled to –

AFGHANISTAN – Bagh e Jahan Nama, Balkh Town, Tashkurgan, Masar e Sharif, Hayratan, Samangan, Haibak, Talk e Rostam.
AUSTRIA – Salzburg, Grodig.
BELGIUM – Antwerp, Bruges, Brussels, Ghent.
BOSNIA – Sarajevo
CROATIA – Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb
ENGLAND – Bournemouth, Liverpool, London, Southampster, Stoke.
FRANCE – Lyon, Nice, Paris.
GERMANY – Munich, Nuremberg.
GORNO BADAKHSHAN – Khorog, Kalai Khum, Vanj.
HERZEGOVINA – Mostar
HUNGARY – Budapest
INDIA – Gujarat, New Delhi, Andaman Islands, Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka.
ITALY – Milan, Bergamo.
KALININGRAD – Kaliningrad City
KARAKALPAKSTAN – Nukus.
KAZAKHSTAN – Shymkent, Turkistan, Taraz.
KYRGYZSTAN – Bishkek, Ala Archa, Ruh Ordo, Cholpon Ata, Petroglyphs, Burana Tower, Balasagun, Tokmok.
LOVELY – Eel Pie Island, Bow.
MONACO – Monte Carlo.
NETHERLANDS – Amsterdam.
NORTHERN IRELAND – Bangor, Belfast, Donaghadee.
POLAND – Gdańsk, Gdynia, Krakow, Malbork, Elblag, Stutthof, Poznan, Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Łeba, Pelplin, Słowiński National Park, Sopot, Starogard Gdański, Tczew, Warszawa.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Dublin, Cork, Blarney, Cashel.
RUSSIA – Moscow (stopover).
SLOVAKIA –
TAJIKISTAN – Dushanbe, Hissar, Kulob.
UZBEKISTAN – Navoi, Tashkent, Karshi, Urgench, Khiva, Samarkand City, Termiz, Bukhara, Denau.

2015:

Travelled to –

ADAMMIA – Tytannia Province, Maternia Province, Jagstonian Plains
ALGERIA – Algiers
AUSTENASIA – Wrythe, Orly
BAHRAIN – Manama, Oil Fields, Tree of Life, King Fahd Causeway, Sitra, Riffa, Muharraq, Um Al-Na’san
BANGLADESH – Chinki Astana, Chittagong, Dhaka, Uttara
BASQUE COUNTRY – Bilbao, Donostia (San Sebastian)
CATALONIA – Barcelona
CHERNOBYL EXCLUSION ZONE – Chernobyl Town, Pripyat, Reactor Number 4, Kopachi
CHRISTIANIA – Christiania
DENMARK – Copenhagen (x4), Helsingor
ENGLAND – Liverpool, Birmingham, Carshalton, London, Bournemouth, Poole, Bristol, Luton, Manchester, Gloucester, Forest of Dean, Portsmouth, Crawley, Gatwick
ESTONIA – Parnu, Tallinn
FAROE ISLANDS – Gasadalur, Sorvagur, Sorvagsvatn, Kirkja, Harrarvik, Svinoy, Klaksvik, Hvannasund, Gjogv, Torshavn, Vatnsoyrar, Bour, Midvagur, Traelnipa, Kirkjubour, Saksun
FRESTONIA – Freston Road (Latimer Road)
FINLAND – Helsinki, Jarvenpaa, Suomenlinna
GIBRALTAR – Gibraltar City
(GUERNSEY – St. Peter Port stopover)
HONG KONG – Central, Kwun Tong, Lantau Island, Lam Tin, Yau Tong
(INDIA – Mumbai stopover)
ITALY – Roma
JERSEY – St. Helier, St. Lawrence
KAZAKHSTAN – Almaty, Ile Alatau National Park, Korday
KUWAIT – Kuwait City
KYRGYZSTAN – Bishkek, Ruh Ordo, Cholpon Ata, Petroglyphs
LADONIA – Nimis
LAGOAN ISLES – Baffin’s Pond
LATVIA – Riga
LITHUANIA – Kaunas, Kryziu Kalnas, Siauliai, Vilnius
NORTHERN IRELAND – Bangor, Banbridge, Belfast, Comber, Newtownards
NORWAY – Bergen, Flam, Gudvangen, Myrdal, Oslo, Rygge (Airport), Voss
PODJISTAN – The People’s Palace, Four Gables, Upper Yard, Lower Yard, The Lane, Frog Pond National Park
POLAND – Krakow, Poznan, Auschwitz, Birkenau
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Dublin
SCOTLAND – Edinburgh
SPAIN – Madrid, (Zaragoza), Malaga, La Linea de la Concepcion
SWEDEN – Angelholm (x2), Gothenburg, Helsingborg, Malmo, Stockholm
TUNISIA – Sidi Bou Said, Tunis, Carthage, Mahdia, Teboulba, Kairouan, Monastir, Sousse
(TURKEY – Istanbul stopover x2)
UKRAINE – Kiev, Lviv, Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Pripyat, Chernobly Town, Reactor Number 4, Kopachi)
UZUPIS – Uzupis
VATICAN CITY – Vatican City

Worked at –
Full time Travel Writer at Don’t Stop Living.net
Owner of multiple travel sites including Backpacking in China.net
Writer for numerous travel and sports related sites
Writer for football websites including UFWC
Editor of Southbourne.net
Copywriter for Hipmunk

Stayed in a flat in Hong Kong for 3 months
Stayed with family for 7 weeks
Stayed with friends for 9 weeks
Hostels for 3 months
Hotels for 2 weeks
Night flights – 6 nights
Slept in airports – 5 nights
Night buses – 4 nights
Night trains – 2 nights

2014:

Travelled to –
ANDORRA – Andorra La Vella, Escaldes Engordany, Ordino
BELIZE – Actun Tunichil Muknal, Ambergris Caye, Belize City, Belmopan, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Caye Caulker, Placencia, San Pedro, Spanish Lookout, Xunantunich
BRAZIL – Belem, Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Foz Do Iguacu, Macapa, Oiapoque, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Sao Paulo
BULGARIA – Gorna Oryakhovitsa, Plovdiv, Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo

CHINA – Changsha, Da Lang, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen
COSTA RICA – Alajuela, Cacao, Grecia, Penas Blancas, San Jose
EAST TIMOR – Atauro Island, Cape Fatucama, Dili
EL SALVADOR – Anguiatu, Barra de Santiago, Casa Blanca, Chalchuapa, Joya de Ceren, Las Chinamas, Nejapa, Puerta del Diablo, Ruinas de San Adnres, San Salvador, Santa Ana, Sonsonate, Tazumal
ENGLAND – Alnwick, Birmingham (twice), Bournemouth (twice), Christchurch, Dartford, Liverpool, London (thrice), Portsmouth, Mansfield, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sunderland
FRENCH GUYANA – Cayenne, Iracoubo, Kourou, Sinnamary, St. Georges de L’Oyapock, St. Laurent de Maroni
GUATEMALA – Antigua, Anguiatu, Coban, Flores, Guatemala City, Huehuetenango, Lanquin, La Mesilla, Panajachel, Quetzaltenango, Rio Hondo, San Marcos, Santa Maria, San Pedro La Laguna, Santa Clara, San Marcos La Laguna, Tajumulco, Valle Nuevo
GUYANA – Bartica, Corriverton, Falmouth, Georgetown, Kaieteur, Mahdia, Parika, Sloth Island
HONDURAS – Bay Islands (Utila), Copan Ruinas, El Florido, El Triunto, La Ceiba, Puerto Cortes, Rio Cangrejal, San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa
HONG KONG – Kwun Tong, Lan Kwai Fong, Lam Tin, Sheung Shui, Tsuen Wan, Tai Po, Wan Chai, Yau Ma Tei, Yau Tong, Yuen Long
IRAQ – Ainkawa, Amadiya, Dohuk, Erbil, (Kirkuk), (Mosul), Qadash, Sulav, Sulimaniyeh
KOSOVO – (Blace), (Kulla), Pristina
MACEDONIA – (Blace), Gostivar, (Kulla), Ohrid, Skopje
MEXICO – Agua Azul, Ciudad Cuauhtemoc, Mexico City, Misol Ha, Monte Alban, Oaxaca de Juarez, Palenque, San Cristobal de las Casas, Teoutihuacan
MOLDOVA – Butuceni, Chisinau, Orheiul Vechi
MONTENEGRO – (Budva), Kotor, Podgorica, (Rozaje)
NETHERLANDS – Amsterdam
NICARAGUA – Guasaule, Granada, Leon, Managua, Sapoa
NORTHERN IRELAND – Ballintoy, Ballycopeland, Ballywalter, Ballywhiskin, Bangor, Belfast, Bushmills, Coleraine, Donaghadee, Greyabbey, Lisburn, Millisle, Newtownards, Portbraddon, Portadown, Scarva, Tandragee, Whitepark Bay
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND – Dublin
ROMANIA – Bran, Brasov, Bucharest, Cacica, Campulung Moldovenesc, Marginea, Moldovita, Sucevita, Suceava
SCOTLAND – Edinburgh
SPAIN/CATALONIA – Barcelona
SURINAME – Albina, Concordia Plantations, New Amsterdam, Marienburg, Nieuw Nickerie, Paramaribo, South Drain, (Zanderij)
THAILAND – Bangkok
TRANSNISTRIA – (Bendery), Tiraspol
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – Atlanta, New York

Worked at –
Full time Travel Writer at Don’t Stop Living.net
Owner of multiple travel sites including Backpacking in China.net
English Kindergarten teacher in Hong Kong
Itinerary Planner at Vadovia
English Primary School teacher in Hong Kong
Part-time English Teacher in a Primary School in Hong Kong
Writer for numerous travel sites
Writer for football websites including UFWC

Stayed in a flat in Hong Kong for 4 months
Stayed in a different flat in Hong Kong for 2 weeks
Stayed with family for 2 weeks
Stayed with friends for 3 weeks
Hostels for 7 months
Hotels for 2 weeks
Night flights – 4 nights
Slept in airports – 2 nights
Night buses – 10 nights
Night jeep – 1 night
Night trains – 5 nights

2013:

Travelled to –
ARMENIA – Garni, Geghard, Goght, Goris, Haghpat, Khor Virap, Nora Vank, Sanahin, Tatev, Yerevan
AZERBAIJAN – Balaken, Baku, James Bond Oil Fields, Lake Masazir, Mud Volcanoes, Qobustan, Quba, Seki, Xinaliq, Zaqatala
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM – Bandar Seri Begawan, Muara, Serasa
CHINA – Baisha, Beijing, Chongqing, Dandong, Dansha, Guilin, Hangzhou, Jianlong Waterfalls, Jiangling, Jianshui, Jin Ji Cun, Jingdezhen, Kunming, Little Likeng, Luoping, Nanchang, Sanqingshan, Shanghai, Shangrao, Shenzhen, Shilin, Suzhou, Wangkou, Wuyuan, Yuanyang, Yushan, Xiaoqi, Xingjie, Yangshuo, Zhuhai
ETHIOPIA – Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa, Harar
GEORGIA – Batumi, Davit Gareja, Gergeti, Gori, Kazbegi, Lagodekhi, (Sadaklo), Sighnaghi, Tbilisi, Uplistsikhe
HONG KONG – Aberdeen, Central, Kowloon Tong, Kwun Tong, Lam Tin, Lantau Island, Lo Wu, Ma Wan, Mong Kok, Shek Kip Mei, Sheung Shui, Stanley, Tai Po, Tsing Yi, Tsuen Wan, Yuen Long
IRAN – Alamut Valley, Bandar e Golmankhaneh, Bayaziye, Bazargan, Chak Chak, Esfahan, Gazor Khan, Kaluts, Kandovan, Kerman, Khalate Talkh, Kharanaq, Khoor, Lake Orumiye, Maku, Marvdasht, Mashhad, Mahan, Mesr, Nasqh-e Rostam, Orumiye, Persepolis, Qazvin, Rayen, Shahr-e Kord, Shiraz, Tabriz, Tehran, Yaseh Chah, Yazd, Zarad Band
IRAQ – Erbil
JORDAN – Amman, Aqaba, Irbid, Petra, Wadi Musa, Wadi Rum
(KENYA – Mombasa Airport)
MALAYSIA – Kota Kinabalu, Labuan, Mount Kinabalu, Sapi Island
MYANMAR – Amarapura, Bagan, Inwa, Mandalay, Sagaing, Yangon
NAGORNO KARABAKH – Agdam, Askeran, Gandzasar, Stepanakert, Vank
NORTH KOREA – DMZ, Kaesong, Panmunjom, Pyongyang
PHILIPPINES – Balicasag Island, Bohol Island, Cebu City, Panglao Island, Virgin Island
QATAR – Doha
SINGAPORE – Changi Airport (Stopover)
SRI LANKA – Adam’s Peak, Colombo, Dambulla, Dellhousie, Galle, Haputale, Kandy, Kurenegala, Mirissa, Negombo, Pinnewela, Sigiriya, Tissamaharama, Yala National Park
TANZANIA – Arusha, Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Rabat Maasai Village, Serengeti National Park
THAILAND – Bangkok
TURKEY – Adana, Ankara, Cappadocia, Dogubayazit, Goreme, Gurbulak, Istanbul, Kayseri, Sumela, Trabzon, Urgup
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – Dubai

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Ma Wan, New Territories, HONG KONG (single bedroom, flat share – one flat mate) – 6 months
Ma Wan, New Territories, HONG KONG (different single bedroom, flat share – two flat mates) – 1.5 months
Hostels and Hotels – 3 months
Homestays – 20 nights
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 8 nights
Night Trains, night buses – 10 nights

Worked –

– Travel writer at Don’t Stop Living (Full time)
– Travel Expert for Think Places
– Travel Itinerary Compiler for Vadovia
– English Teacher at 2 Kindergartens in Hong Kong (Monday to Friday)
– English Teacher at a Primary School in Mong Kok, Hong Kong (Saturdays)
– Welcome Assistant for Internations Events, Hong Kong Island (Friday nights only)
– Column writer for the Glentoran Gazette, Northern Ireland
– Guest blogger on several other travel blogs

2012:

Travelled to –

CAMBODIA: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap
CHINA: Guangzhou (Stop over), Shenzhen, Yongding, Xiamen, Gu Lang Yu, Shaoguan, Danxiashan (Yao Tang Village), Kaiping, Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Shangri La, Shanghai, Kunming (Stop over)
ENGLAND: Bury, Manchester
HONG KONG: Tai O, Stanley, Yi O, Fanling, Yuen Long, Ma Wan, Tsing Yi, Yao Tong, Lai Chi Kok, Tsuen Wan, Lam Tin, Kwun Tong, Central
INDONESIA: Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Singaraja, Lovina, Ulun Danu, Munduk, Banyu Atis (Java and Bali)
JAPAN: Tokyo
LAOS: Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Pakse, Don Det
MACAO: Macao City, Taipa, Coloane
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Bushmills, Comber, Newtownards, North Antrim Coast
THE PHILIPPINES: Manila, Cebu, Bohol, Chocolate Hills
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin
SINGAPORE: (Stop over)
THAILAND: Bangkok, Nong Khai
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Dubai (Stop over)
VIETNAM: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Lao Cai, Lao Chai, Ta Van

jonny blair hiking in sapa vietnam

View on day 2 of the Sapa hike in Vietnam.

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Lam Tin, Kowloon, HONG KONG (single bedroom, flat share – local family) – 5 months
Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, HONG KONG (single bedroom, flat share – one flat mate) – 4.5 months
Ma Wan, New Territories, HONG KONG (single bedroom, flat share – one flat mate) – 1 month
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 4 nights
Night Trains – 4 nights
Night Buses – 4 nights
Hostels – 1 month
Staying with friends/family – 2 weeks
Campsites, homestays, local accommodation – 2 

Worked –

– Travel writer at Don’t Stop Living (Full time)
– English Teacher at 2 Kindergartens in Hong Kong (Monday to Friday)
– English Teacher at a Primary School in Yuen Long, Hong Kong (Saturdays)
– English Teacher at a Primary School in Mong Kok, Hong Kong (Saturdays)
– Welcome Assistant for Internations Events, Hong Kong Island (Friday nights only)
– Part time English teacher in 2 Primary schools in Hong Kong (Summer sessions)
– Column writer for the Glentoran Gazette, Northern Ireland
– Guest blogger on several other travel blogs
– Private English Tutoring, Hong Kong

2011:

Teaching English and having fun in Hong Kong in 2011

Travelled to:

AUSTRALIA: Coolangatta, Jenolan Caves, Katoomba, Melbourne, Parramatta, Sydney
BOTSWANA: Gaborone, Tlokweng
BRAZIL: Recife, Juquitiba, Sao Paulo, Fortaleza (Stop over), Belem (Stop over)
COLOMBIA: Chia, Cucuta, Guasca, Guatavita, Santa Ana Alta, Sopo
ENGLAND: Heathrow (Stop Over)
FRANCE: Paris
HONG KONG: Kwun Tong, Lam Tin, Sai Kung, Tai O, Tsuen Wan, Central, Tsim Sha Tsui
MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur (Stop Over)
NORTH KOREA: Panmunjom, DMZ
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast
QATAR: Doha
SINGAPORE: Singapore City
SOUTH AFRICA: Durban, Groot Marico, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto
SOUTH KOREA: Dorasan Station, DMZ, Imjingak, Incheon (Stop Over), Paju, Panmunjom, Seoul, Suwon
SURINAME: Paramaribo
SWAZILAND: Ezulwini, Lobamba, Mahlanya, Malkerns Valley, Mantenga
THAILAND: Bangkok
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Port of Spain
VENEZUELA: Caracas, San Antonio Del Tachira, San Cristobal

Lived:

Rented a room in a flat in Parramatta, AUSTRALIA – 5 months
Lived with a local family in HONG KONG – 5 months
Hostels, hotels and homestays – 6 weeks
Friend’s flats – 10 nights
Sleeping on planes, buses and in airports – 1 week
Staying with family – 3 nights

Worked:

– Travel writer at Don’t Stop Living
– Bartender, waiter, stocking at PJs Irish Pub in Parammatta, AUSTRALIA
– Bartender at Delaney’s, Kowloon, HONG KONG
 – Column writer for the Glentoran Gazette, Northern Ireland
– Private English Tutoring, Hong Kong
– English Teacher at 2 Kindergartens in Hong Kong (Monday to Friday)
– English Teacher at a Primary School in Yuen Long, Hong Kong (Saturdays)

Studied:

Online Teaching English as a Foreign Language Course, HONG KONG

2010:

Travelled to –

ANTARCTICA: Admiralty Bay, Barrientos, Cuverville Island, Deception Island, Elephant Island, Foyn Harbour, Half Moon Island, Jougla Point, Neko Harbour, Port Lockroy
ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires, Puerto Iguazu, Ushuaia
AUSTRALIA: Bagdad, Bishopsbourne, Brisbane, Bruny Island, Byron Bay, Canberra, Coffs Harbour, Cressy, Devonport, EastSassafras, Great Ocean Road, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Moriarty, North Lakes, Parramatta, Poatina, Port Macquarie, Queenstown, Rinadeena, Strahan, Sydney, Turner’s Beach, Ulverstone, Welsey Vale
BOLIVIA: La Paz, Potosi, Santa Cruz De La Sierra, Uyuni
BRAZIL: Foz Do Iguazu
CHILE: Cape Horn, Hito Cajun, Santiago
COLOMBIA: Bogota, Guasca, Santa Ana Alta
ECUADOR: Quito, Ciudad Mitad del Mundo
NEW ZEALAND – Belfast, Christchurch, Dunedin, Franz Josef Township, Greymouth, Mount Maunganui, Palmerston North, Papamoa, Picton, Queenstown, Rotorua, Taihape, Tauranga, Wellington
PANAMA: Panama City, Panama Canal
PARAGUAY: Asuncion, Ciudad Del Este, Luque (Airport only)
PERU: Cuzco, Desaguadero, Lima (Stop Over), Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Warmiwanuska, Intipata, Wayllabamba, Hatunchaca, Paqaymayu, Sayaqmarca, Llulluchampa, Q’Orihuayrachina, Intipunku, Llactapata
UNCLASSIFIED: The Beagle Channel, The Drake Passage
URUGUAY: Casapueblo, Colonia Del Sacramento, Punta del Este, Montevideo

Lived/Stayed/Slept:

Rented and shared a room in a flat in Parramatta, AUSTRALIA.
Rented and shared two rooms in Devonport, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA.
Slept upstairs an Irish Pub with a guaranteed free beer each night in Devonport, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA.
Homestay with Perla in Parque Rodo, Montevideo, URUGUAY
Camping in Poatina, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
The rest of the time was either sleeping in my car, on trains, on buses, in airports, in friend’s flats, in hostels or for one night – in a hotel!!

Worked:

Bartender at PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Parramatta, AUSTRALIA
Published Author (wrote a chapter about Belarus for the book “Albania to America (with Belfast in Between)” by Shaun Schofield)
Fresh market broccoli harvesting in Devonport, Moriarty and Wesley Vale, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
Processed broccoli harvesting in Cressy, East Sassafras, Longford, Devonport and Poatina, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
Weeding out a potato paddock in Wesley Vale, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
Weeding out a bean paddock in Bishopsbourne, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
Processed cauliflower harvesting in Forth, Kindrid, Port Sorrell and Devonport, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
Echinacea Harvesting and Purifying in Forth and Lillico, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
Milking Cows in Santa Ana Alta, COLOMBIA

Studied:

Crash Course in Spanish in Montevideo, URUGUAY

2009:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Rented a room with a local family in Charminster, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, house share, varying house mates) – 1 month
Rented a room in a flat in Southbourne, Bournemouth,ENGLAND (single bedroom, house share, 4 flatmates) – 6 months
Room shared in a flat in Parramatta, AUSTRALIA – 2 months
Stayed in a friend’s flat in Shinying, TAIWAN – 2 weeks
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 6 nights
Night Buses – 2 nights
Hostels – the rest

Travelled to –

AUSTRALIA: Blackheath, Katoomba, Wentworth Falls, Parramatta, Sydney
CHANNEL ISLANDS: Guernsey, Herm, Jersey, Lihou, Sark
ENGLAND: Bournemouth, Bristol, London, Poole, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Southampton, Stonehenge, Weymouth, Winchester, Hereford
FRANCE: St. Malo, Cherbourg
HUNGARY: Budapest, Debrecen, Szolnok
ITALY: Florence, Pisa, Rimini, Venice
MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur, Batu, Woodlands Checkpoint (Singapore Border)
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Larne, Newtownards
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin
SAN MARINO: San Marino City, Serravale
SINGAPORE: Singapore City
TAIWAN: Anping, Changhua, Chiayi, Eluanbi, Guanshiling, Hualien, Kaohsiung, Kenting, Shinying, Taouyuan, Taichung, Taidong/Taitung, Tailuga/Taroko Gorge, Tainan, Taipei.
THAILAND: Bangkok (Stop Over)
WALES – Mardy, Abergavenny

Worked –

– Barman in PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub, Parramatta, AUSTRALIA
– Steward on board Condor Ferries operating between: ENGLAND (Weymouth, Poole), CHANNEL ISLANDS (Guernsey, Jersey), FRANCE (Cherbourg, St. Malo)
– Ice Cream Salesman for Best Break, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Casual article writer for Northern Ireland Football Fanzine, Happy Days
– Writer for my Original Travel Blog, “Don’t Stop Living” on the Blogger Platform!!
– Chairman and PR guru for the South of England Northern Ireland Supporter’s Club (Quit on 1st April 2009)
– Barman at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, ENGLAND
– Barman at Bournemouth International Centre, ENGLAND

Studied –

– Completed my Seafaring Certificates for working on the Cross Channel Ferries, Weymouth, ENGLAND
– Responsible Service of Alcohol for working in Bars, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
– Responsible Conduct of Gambling for working in Betting Venues, Parramatta, AUSTRALIA

2008:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Rented a House in Ensbury Park, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, house share, varying house mates – room shared for 3 months) – 9 months (the longest single stay in the same house in one year for me in the last decade!!!)
Rented a Flat in Southbourne, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, house – 3 house mates) – 3 months
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 3 nights
Night Buses – 4 nights
Hostels – 7 nights
Staying with friends/family – 4 weeks
Other – 2 nights

Travelled to –

ENGLAND: Aldershot, Basingstoke, Bath, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Brownsea Island, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Colchester, Dartford, Dorchester, Fleetwood, London, Lulworth Cove, Lymington, Poole, Portsmouth, Southampton, Weymouth, Winchester
ISLE OF WIGHT: Newport, Yarmouth, The Needles
ITALY: Trieste
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Larne, Newtownards
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin
SCOTLAND: Glasgow
SLOVAKIA: Bratislava
SLOVENIA: Maribor, Ljubljana, Bled

Worked –

– Steward on board Wightlink Ferries, Lymington and Yarmouth, ENGLAND
– Casual article writer for Northern Ireland Football Fanzine, Happy Days
– Radio DJ on Nerve Radio, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Writing my Original Travel Blog, “Don’t Stop Living” on the Blogger Platform!!
– Chairman and PR guru for the South of England Northern Ireland Supporter’s Club
– Barman at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, ENGLAND
– Barman at Bournemouth International Centre, ENGLAND

Studied –

– Completed my final year on a Public Relations BA Honours Degree in Bournemouth University, ENGLAND (having re-sat a year part time and taken a gap year)
– Completed my Seafaring Certificates for working on the Isle of Wight Ferries, Lymington, ENGLAND

2007:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Rented a House in Dartford, ENGLAND (single bedroom, mate’s house – 1 house mate) – 5 months
Rented a Flat in Southbourne, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, house – 1 house mate) – 1.5 months
Rented a Flat in Ensbury Park, Bournemouth,ENGLAND (ensuite bedroom, house – 7 flat mates) – 1.5 months
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 9 nights
Night Buses – 4 nights
Hostels – 2.5 months
Staying with friends/family – 4 weeks
Other – 5 nights

Travelled to –

BELARUS: Minsk, Bobruisk
BELGIUM: Maastricht
CANADA: Toronto
CHINA: Great Wall, Badaling, Beijing
ENGLAND: Bournemouth, Bristol, Dartford, Dorchester, Exeter, London, Manchester, Oxford, Poole, Portsmouth, Skegness, Southampton, Torquay, Weymouth
FRANCE: Paris, Campeigne, Marseille
GERMANY: Berlin, Dresden, Magdeburg, Osterweddingen, Hannover, Bremen, Koln, Trier, Hamburg, Liepzig
ICELAND: Reykjavik, Keflavik, Gullfoss, Pingvellir, Geysir
LATVIA: Riga
LIECHTENSTEIN: Vaduz
LUXEMBOURG: Luxembourg City
NEW ZEALAND: Auckland, Huntly, Hamilton, Rotorua, Taupo
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Newtownards
POLAND: Warsaw
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin
RUSSIA: Moscow
SWEDEN: Stockholm
SWITZERLAND: Zurich
USA: New York, Los Angeles, (Stop overs in Dallas, Pittsburgh)

Worked –

– Public Relations Accounts Assistant at Bite Communications (Working on Apple, Sonos, CPP, Iomega and Zopa), London, ENGLAND
– Casual article writer for Northern Ireland Football Fanzine, Happy Days
– Radio DJ on Nerve FM, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Launched my first Travel Blog, “Don’t Stop Living” on the Blogger Platform!!
– Chairman and PR guru for the South of England Northern Ireland Supporter’s Club
– Barman at Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, ENGLAND
– Barman at Bournemouth International Centre, ENGLAND

Studied –

– Continued into my final year on a Public Relations BA Honours Degree in Bournemouth University, ENGLAND (having re-sat a year part time and taken a gap year)

2006:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Shepherd’s Bush, London, ENGLAND (bedsit, house share) – 3 months
Ensbury Park, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, flat share – 4 flat mates) – 5.5 months
Dartford, ENGLAND (single bedroom, mate’s house – 1 house mate) – 3 months
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 2 nights
Night Buses – 2 nights
Hostels – 2 weeks
Staying with friends/family – 2 nights

Travelled to –

ENGLAND: Bournemouth, Bristol, Dartford, Dorchester, London, Manchester, Poole, Portsmouth, Skegness, Southampton, Torquay, Weymouth
DENMARK: Copenhagen
ISLE OF WIGHT: Cowes
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Newtownards
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin
WALES: Swansea

Worked –

– Public Relations Accounts Assistant at Bite Communications (Working on Apple, Sonos, CPP, Iomega and Zopa), London, ENGLAND
– Casual article writer for Northern Ireland Football Fanzine, Happy Days
– Radio DJ on Nerve FM, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Manager of the rock band “The Waves”, ENGLAND
– Beach Catering Seafront Assistant for Bournemouth Borough Council, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Cashier and tills assistant in Tesco, Poole, ENGLAND
– Chairman and PR guru for the South of England Northern Ireland Supporter’s Club

Studied –

– Continued a Public Relations BA Honours Degree in Bournemouth University, ENGLAND (but took a Gap Year)

2005:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Lansdowne, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, room share – 1 room mate) – 2 months
Wallisdown, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, flat share – 5 flat mates) – 5.5 months
Ensbury Park, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, flat share – 4 flat mates) – 3.5 months
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 2 night
Night Buses – 1 night
Hotels – 2 weeks
Staying with friends/family – 5 nights

Travelled to –

AUSTRIA: Vienna
ENGLAND: Bournemouth, Bristol, Burnley, Colchester, Dartford, Leeds, London, Manchester, Poole, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Southend, Weymouth
GERMANY: Berlin
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Newtownards
POLAND: Warsaw
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin

Worked –

– Casual article writer for AFC Bournemouth fanzine, A View From The Tree, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Radio DJ on Nerve FM, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Beach Catering Seafront Assistant for Bournemouth Borough Council, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Beach Catering Seafront Supervisor for Bournemouth Borough Council, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Cashier and tills assistant in Tesco, Poole, ENGLAND
– Chairman and PR guru for the South of England Northern Ireland Supporter’s Club

Studied –

– Continued a Public Relations BA Honours Degree in Bournemouth University, ENGLAND

Miscellaneous:

I entered an outdoor pursuits challenge called “Locked Out” where we trained on an army base near Dorchester, Dorset, ENGLAND.

2004:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Springbourne, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, flat share – 3 flat mates) – 8 months
Wallisdown, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, flat share – 5 flat mates) – 3.5 months
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 1 night
Night Buses – 1 night
Hotels – 4 days
Staying with friends/family – 1 night
Other – 1 week

Travelled to –

ENGLAND: Blackburn, Bournemouth, Bristol, Dartford, Eastleigh, Liverpool, London, Poole, Portsmouth, Rochester
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Newtownards
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin
WALES: Cardiff

Worked –

– Editor, producer and salesman of a Northern Ireland football fanzine, Belfast, NORTHERN IRELAND (part time)
– Casual article writer for AFC Bournemouth fanzine, The 08:44 to Waterloo, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Radio DJ on Nerve FM, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Beach Catering Seafront Assistant for Bournemouth Borough Council, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Hotel Resident Barman and Wedding Functions Assistant at Heathlands Hotel, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Students Union Welcome Crew Representative, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Cashier and tills assistant in Tesco, Poole, ENGLAND

Studied –

– Passed a Food Hygiene Standard Course in Bournemouth, ENGLAND
– Continued a Public Relations BA Honours Degree in Bournemouth University, ENGLAND (but went part-time)

2003:

Lived/Stayed/Slept – 

Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND (single bedroom, detached house, with family) – 8 months
San Martin, SPAIN (single bedroom, villa, with family) – 1 week
Springbourne, Bournemouth, ENGLAND (single bedroom, flat share – 3 flat mates) – 3.5 months
Sleeping in Airports/on planes – 1 night
Night Buses – 1 night
Hotels – 1 week
Staying with friends/family – 1 week

Travelled to –

ENGLAND: Bournemouth, Blandford Forum, Poole
NORTHERN IRELAND: Bangor, Belfast, Londonderry, Newtownards
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Dublin, Rosslare
SPAIN: Torrevieja, Alicante, Valencia, San Martin
WALES: Fishguard

Worked –

– Editor, producer and salesman of a Northern Ireland football fanzine, Belfast, NORTHERN IRELAND (part time)
– Butchery and meat counter assistant in local grocery store, Steenson’s, Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND
– Cashier and tills assistant in Tesco, Poole, ENGLAND
– Radio DJ on Nerve Radio, Bournemouth, ENGLAND

Studied –

– Passed a Foundation Studies Course in English and History at Queen’s University, Belfast, NORTHERN IRELAND
– Started a Public Relations BA Honours Degree in Bournemouth University, ENGLAND

4 thoughts on “My Travel Timeline 2003 – 2024

  • Wow! You have an impressive list of things you’ve visited. You see, you’ve had a lot of adventures and you’ve learned a lot. Experience is shown by the advice we give us.

  • Hi Lucian, thanks for the comment and apologies for the delayed response. I have been suffering from long term depression caused by liars. I am glad you enjoyed my post on my travels. Stay safe. Jonny

  • you travel Timeline looks awesome. You are enjoying the life in fullest so you have travelled a lot . The last time i travelled was four years ago time in Annapurna Base Camp Trek which was full of thrilled and adventures
    Ras Bahadur Rai recently posted…ReviewMy Profile

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