The End of Don’t Stop Living. The Best of Don’t Stop Living. Thank you and Goodbye Everyone.

(from a Northern Irishman’s heart, 31st December 2016)
“Tell me a story where we all change. And we’ll live our lives together and not estranged. I didn’t lose my mind; it was mine to give away. You couldn’t stay to watch me cry so I softly slip away. No regrets.” – Robbie Williams. 

Monday's Money Saving Tips - Christmas Edition - put a Santa hat on and work over Christmas in a bar!

Where were you while we were getting high?

For the last 6 months, you knew what was coming and so did I. This website was once my pride and joy and my love. But I lost it. I lost myself. I got depressed and suicidal. I was too open about it. I shared my pain and tried to justify it to everybody. Nobody understood me and still nobody ever will. But one thing that you will understand I hope, is why this blog has to end today. It’s the 31st December 2016. This blog started in August 2007, so tomorrow would be the 10th calendar year of its existence, but let me just deliberately stop one day shy of that. Let this be the end. My glory days passed me by…

“We are not allowed to spend, as we are told that this is the end.” – Nicky Wire.

jonny blair lock in bournemouth

They passed me by; glory days…

For health reasons, due to my ongoing depression it makes no sense for me to continue on this platform. But as I bow out, I want to share with you some final cool moments, together for the first time on one post. The website will remain online and daily I still get messages from people saying I inspire them. That much is true, that sunk in when I went missing in Gdańsk and over 1,000 people messaged me in support, most not understanding my suicide plea. I thank you for that and I realise that something good came from my travel writing. I did help others in some way.

“There’s no love in your shotgun town” – Noel Gallagher.

It's a good time to knock it on the head.

It’s a good time to knock it on the head.

And this sunk in – I really backpacked the world. I should be proud of that you know. I properly lived in about 10 cities or towns across 7 countries since 2003. I worked in over 50 different jobs. I visited 117 FIFA countries, 136 disputed regions or countries and 845 cities and towns. I toured every continent, broke many rules, made new friends and let lots of people down. I went to the World Cup Final. I watched Northern Ireland at Euro 2016. I watched my beloved Cherries (AFC Bournemouth) get relegated and thrice promoted during the lifespan of this blog. There were ups and downs. On life’s ladder.

“Spend your nightlife table hopping, trying to keep your bag of bones in trim” – Noel Gallagher.

Back in the day - the loneliness and boredom

Back in the day – the loneliness and boredom

These were good times. Here is the best of Don’t Stop Living, in my opinion…please read and enjoy.

The Blair GAWA in Lyon the day that Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 2-0.

The Blair GAWA in Lyon the day that Northern Ireland beat Ukraine 2-0.

My Craziest Stories:
Drinking Guinness on the North Korea to South Korea border
Getting naked in Whaler’s Bay, Antarctica
Fireball fight in Nejapa, El Salvador
Showing my willy in Finland’s winter
Feeding hyenas mouth to mouth

One of my crazy moments in Ethiopia- feeding hyenas hand to mouth and mouth to mouth

One of my crazy moments in Ethiopia- feeding hyenas hand to mouth and mouth to mouth

My top 8 Shights
Stroking an awake crocodile in The Gambia
Losing $1,000 in a river in Laos
Lobbing the goalkeeper from the half way line in Afghanistan
Doing a sh*t in a broccoli field in Tasmania
Getting spanked in Lviv, Ukraine
Naked yoga in London, England
Getting naked in Bavaria in the city centre of Munich
Getting locked in a bus overnight in Sydney

The night my mate John f*ked a donkey in my living room

“These sacred moments of silliness are where I find my heaven” – Gigolo Aunts.

The Day I...Lobbed the Goalkeeper From 30 Yards in Afghanistan

The Day I…Lobbed the Goalkeeper From 30 Yards in Afghanistan

Some of my finest stories:
Staying in the village of Xinaliq in Azerbaijan
Watching the Mass Games in Pyongyang, North Korea
The Journey from Dushanbe to Khorog in Gorno Badakhshan
Touring Masar e Sharif’s Hazrat Ali Mosque in Afghanistan
Touring Hebron in Palestine
Watching the National Day Parade in Pyongyang, North Korea
Touring the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Touring the Imam Reza Mosque in Mashhad, Iran

Meeting the local lads of Xinaliq in Azerbaijan

Meeting the local lads of Xinaliq in Azerbaijan

Best Hotel Stays:
Staying at the Sarovar Portico, Andaman Islands
Staying at the Ibis, Kaliningrad City
Staying at the Lady Hamilton, Stockholm, Sweden
Staying at the Clarion Collection Hotel, Oslo, Norway
Staying at the Park Inn, Copenhagen, Denmark
Staying at the Mad Hatter, London
Staying at Doxford Hall, England
Staying at the Xanadu Resort in San Pedro, Belize

– Staying at the Coco Ocean Resort in The Gambia

  • I stayed in and reviewed over 100 hotels in the last 9 years
Three Days in Madonna's Island: La Isla Bonita, San Pedro, Belize

Three Days in Madonna’s Island: La Isla Bonita, San Pedro, Belize

“Last night I dreamt of San Pedro” – Madonna.

Best Hostel Stays:
Staying at Abraham Hostel, Jerusalem
Staying at Oki Doki Hostel, Warsaw, Poland
Staying at Why Not Hostel, Tbilisi, Georgia
Staying at YHA in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Staying at Apple Hostel, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Staying at Ten Coins Hostel, Sofia, Bulgaria

Staying at the Little Bucharest Hostel, Romania

  • I stayed in and reviewed over 400 hostels in the last 9 years
Happy times at Apple Hostel in Bishkek

Happy times at Apple Hostel in Bishkek

Some of my City, Town and Village Guides:
Best sights in Starogard Gdanski, Poland
Best sights in San Salvador, El Salvador
Best sights in Pyongyang, North Korea
Best sights in Chittagong, Bangladesh
Best sights in Escaldes Engordany, Andorra

  • I have written over 2,000 city, town and villages guides in the last 9 years
Backpacking in Starogard Gdanski

Backpacking in Starogard Gdanski, off the wall in Poland’s Pomerania Province

“This was my dream and now my dream has flown” – Noel Gallagher.

My Best First Hand Visa Advice:

visa for east timor

Getting my visa in East Timor.

free TEFL for china

Teaching English in Hong Kong.

Arrival in Kaliningrad, August 2016 - veteran visa expert.

Arrival in Kaliningrad, August 2016 – veteran visa expert.

My other stories with a horrific history to them, down the years of my travels:

Stalin's Museum, Gori, Georgia

Stalin’s Museum, Gori, Georgia

iraq amna suraka kurdistan

All alone touring Saddam Hussein’s House of Horrors at Amna Suraka in Iraq.

Best posts on Countries or Regions that are debated:
Wales
Adammia
Andaman Islands
Gorno Badakhshan
Chernobyl Exclusion ZOne

At the Gates near the Duga Radar in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

At the Gates near the Duga Radar in Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

Andorra
Don’t Stop Living
The Vatican City
Austenasia
Sark
Northern Ireland
Uzupis
Scotland
Macao
Frestonia
Kosovo
Transnistria

Backpacking in Tiraspol, Transnistria

Backpacking in Tiraspol, Transnistria

Christiania
French Guyana
Hong Kong
Monaco
Nagorno Karabakh
Ladonia
Lagoan Isles
People’s Republic of Podjistan
Taiwan
Karakalpakstan

Flying my Northern Ireland flag in Nukus, Karakalpakstan

Flying my Northern Ireland flag in Nukus, Karakalpakstan

San Marino
England
Herm
Guernsey
Jersey
Druze People

sark bicycle backpacking

Touring Sark on a bicycle – best way to get around.

Some Unusual Meals I Had:
Turtle soup in Kaiping, China
Dog Meat Soup in Seoul, South Korea
Kangaroo Curry in Parramatta, Australia
Wallaby Bolognaise, Tasmania, Australia
Guinea Pig in Aguas Calientes, Peru
Zeama in Butuceni, Moldova
Yak Butter Tea in Zhongdian, China

Dining out in Butuceni, Moldova

Dining out in Butuceni, Moldova

Some of the best dates and girls I travelled with:
Dinner with Panny Yu in San Cristobal, Mexico
A visit to Noemi’s town, Debrecen in Hungary
Dinner in Tainan with Natalja and Eva
Panny Yu and I getting our diving certificates in Honduras
Katia and I whackpacking in Ahmedabad, India
A night out in Gdansk, Poland

“Thanks for that amazing night” – Tourist Friend.

My Regular Features:
World Border Crossings
World Travellers
Monday’s Money Saving Tips
Tuesday’s Travel Essentials
Tuesday’s Travel Problems
Working Wednesdays
Thirsty Thursdays

Thirsty Thursdays: Top 5 Bars in Starogard Gdański, Poland

Thirsty Thursdays – With Paulina, Marta and Ola at Browar Pub in Starogard Gdański, Poland

Friday’s Featured Food
Studying Saturdays
Sunday’s Inspiration
Backpacking Buddies
Travel Collectables

Sunday's Inspiration: It's a Lonely World After All

It’s a Lonely World After All

On that backlog of posts and features is a huge and hefty amount of work. Remember I did most of this for free from the goodness of my heart, the blog was only monetised from 2012 onwards. It was never meant to be a business.

Panny Yu and I deep sea diving off the coast of Honduras.

Panny Yu and I deep sea diving off the coast of Honduras.

For those keen to know exactly where my journey took me, these two pages pretty much cover it all:

Where I’ve Been
Where I’ve Been by Flags

kaieteur falls guyana

Standing on the edge at the top of Kaieteur Falls, Guyana

“and Arconada…Armstrong!” – John Motson.

Secret Senegal: Dean Court to Dakar Part 1 - Goodbye the Portman, Up the Cherries

Watching the Cherries at Dean Court, Boscombe, England

My Posts on Professional Travel Blogging:
Tips on becoming a professional travel blogger
Easy ways to travel the world
How to become a professional travel blogger
10 lessons learned from 7 years of travel blogging
Why not to become a professional travel blogger

jonny blair in a 5 star hotel in china

Relaxing and updating my blog in the luxury of a 5 star in China.

“In a rare bite of pressure, I’m forfeiting love for fame” – Jonny Blair.

My feature in The Sun newspaper.

My feature in The Sun newspaper.

The truth about my Professional career as a travel blogger 2012 – 2016
I earned about $101,000 US Dollars in the last 4 years of being a professional travel blogger, I slept in over 700 beds in exchange for reviews, I received some free flights, free trips, complimentary travel gear, free dinners and beers and coffees and lots of people thought I was “living some kind of dream”. But I wasn’t. I ended up lost, in debt and depressed so I must pick my life up from here and try to smile again. Right now, I am actually in debt (due to the depression), working hard to pay it off and trying to get my life back on track.

7 lessons learned from 7 years of travel blogging.

7 lessons learned from 7 years of travel blogging.

“I’ve been before much too long, this is the past that’s mine” – Nicky Wire.

So without further ado, it’s goodbye from me on the Don’t Stop Living platform. I will have to cover the cost of this site to keep it live, so there may be some advertising from time to time but that will be it. Health and sadness comes first. Maybe one day, I will smile again and maybe some of my Polish friends will appreciate my new story and new website, which you can now follow – this is a hobby only, I’m still a tourist and a writer. Come and find me on these two platforms from now on:

Northern Irishman in Poland Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/northernirishmaninpoland/
Northern Irishman in Poland website- http://www.northernirishmaninpoland.com/jonnys-story/

My new story - Northern Irishman in Poland

My new story – Northern Irishman in Poland

From Warszawa with Love,

Jonny Blair
Former Travel Writer at https://dontstopliving.net/
Don’t Stop Living – A Lifestyle of Travel
Current Travel Writer and Tourist in Poland at http://northernirishmaninpoland.com/
http://www.twitter.com/jonnyblair/
http://www.facebook.com/donotstopliving/
https://www.instagram.com/jonnydontstopliving/

“It’s over. You don’t need to tell me” – Damon Albarn.

koala bear hugging

Sleep tight

 

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