Top 10 Places to Visit in the World

“Been around the world; and there’s no place like home” – East 17.

Backpacking ain’t just a hobby – it’s a lifestyle, a passion, a never-ending story of stamps, scars, and smiles, and trying to actually visit the best places in the world. I’m relatively decent in the field having released about 14 books on it and even dated the nutty “Starogard Girl“…

Those books are all still out there, for all the world to read, but deeper we go selfish. Since leaving Bangor, Northern Ireland behind in 2003, I’ve wandered through over 200 countries, each place stamping itself on my soul. From sipping vodka with a Ukrainian babushka to watching goats chew mobile phone chargers in Madagascar, life on the road never stops surprising me. Glory days loyal. GAWA. Aye. So it is. So it was…

But among all the madness, the magic, and the mayhem, here are my top ten backpacking memories. This ain’t your average top 10 of course – no Eiffel “excrement” Towers or Sydney “loved it but would rather have a kiss there” Harbour here. Nah, this is raw, real travel. Let’s dive in.

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1. Feeding Hyenas in Harar, Ethiopia
Harar – a labyrinth of alleys, colours, and culture – gave me a night I’ll never forget. Imagine standing in pitch-black darkness outside the walled city while wild hyenas circle you. Now imagine someone handing you a raw slab of meat on a stick and telling you, “Put it in your mouth. The hyena will take it from there.” WHAT?! But yes, I did it. A beast twice the size of a Great Dane snatched meat inches from my face. My heart nearly exploded with adrenaline, but I was smiling for hours. That’s what travel does – it terrifies you and thrills you in the same breath.

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2. Backpacking Antarctica
Antarctica – the white beast at the bottom of the world. The final continent. Getting there involved selling my possessions and blagging a last-minute deal in Ushuaia, Argentina. But when I stepped off the boat and stood on Deception Island, with penguins waddling past me and glaciers crunching in the distance, I knew it was all worth it. I camped overnight on the snow, survived a snowstorm, and even took the plunge into freezing Antarctic waters in nothing but my boxers. Mental? Maybe. But regret? Never.

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3. Playing Football in Samangan, Afghanistan
In dusty northern Afghanistan, amidst war stories and ancient ruins, I played a chaotic, dusty game of football with a bunch of local lads in Samangan. No nets. No boots. Just joy. The pitch was a bumpy field, and the goals were marked with rocks. But the smiles were real, and the tackles were as hard as a Belfast derby. These kids had never met a foreigner before, and by the end of the match, we were all sweaty, laughing brothers. Football truly is the world’s language.

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4. Mass Games in Pyongyang, North Korea
North Korea doesn’t do subtle. The Mass Games – imagine 100,000 kids flipping giant cards in synchronised perfection while gymnasts fly through the air and patriotic music blares – is like nothing else on Earth. I sat gobsmacked in the May Day Stadium, unsure whether to clap or cry. It was hypnotic, powerful, and politically charged. But as a traveller, witnessing it was like peeking behind the curtain of the world’s most secretive theatre.

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5. Backpacking Starogard Gdański, Poland
Sometimes, magic hides in the underrated. Starogard Gdański – a town nobody had heard of until I turned up – stole my heart. I was there chasing a story, a girl, and a pint of Okocim beer. I found all three. I strolled around the Rynek, met local legends, and even penned a book about it: Starogard Girl. Poland gave me pierogi, poetry, and peace. It became more than a stop – it became a chapter.

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So there you have it – the first five memories that are carved into my backpacking soul. From hyenas to hymns, from penguins to pierogi – Don’t Stop Living ain’t just a name. It’s a way of life.

Backpacking is a wild ride. One day you’re munching camel meat in the Sahara, the next you’re locked in a pub betting on Austrian football. It’s a rollercoaster of highs, lows, and “did that really just happen?” moments. I’ve been chased by bulls, hugged by monks, and sung karaoke in places where karaoke should never be sung.

But some memories rise above that madness – the cooler ones, the kind that stick to your brain like chewing gum on a Converse. Here are five of the next wacaday coolest travel moments from my globetrotting journey. Let’s make it a top ten, but no order.

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6. The Grodig Bet with Lock-In Lee, Austria
It was just supposed to be a quiet match in a sleepy Austrian town – SV Grödig vs. nobody remembers who the fuck they played. But then came The Bet. My mate Lock-In Lee and I had a tradition: win a bet, face the consequences, go nuts till themmuns. I backed the underdogs. They won. Lee’s punishment? Stay in the pub till lock-in, and recite a verse of “Waltzing Matilda” to every Austrian we met. What followed was chaos, schnitzel, and pints of Stiegl. We made friends, got free scarves, and ended up on a local radio station. Backpacking madness at its finest.

“At my most beautiful, I count your eyelashes secretly” – Mike Stipe.

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7. Summiting Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia
Mount Kinabalu doesn’t mess about. It’s 4,095 metres of rock, mist, and sweat. I’d eaten too much nasi lemak the night before, and halfway up I questioned every decision I’d ever made. But sunrise from the summit? Oh wow. Standing above the clouds, watching the sun split the sky over Borneo, made every blister worth it. I’d never felt so small – or so alive. Kinabalu humbled me. It also gave me legs of steel and an unflattering summit photo that still hangs in my mum’s kitchen.

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8. Watching the World Cup Final in Brazil
It’s 2014. I’m in Rio de Janeiro. The Maracanã is lit up like a spaceship. The streets are buzzing. I didn’t have a ticket (who could afford that?!), but I watched the final from a packed bar near Copacabana beach, surrounded by passionate locals and backpackers from every continent. Germany vs. Argentina. When Götze scored that winner, the place erupted – and not just with Germans. We were all just fans of football, life, and that beautiful South American energy. One of the best atmospheres I’ve ever soaked in.

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9. Visiting Tunis to Celebrate 100 Countries
Country number 100 had to be special. I chose Tunisia. Why? Because it wasn’t obvious – and I love the underdog. I arrived in Tunis, took a selfie with the flag, and celebrated like I’d won the lottery. I explored ancient Carthage, haggled in souks, and even got gifted a fez. A local man said, “Why Tunisia?” I replied, “Because it’s real – and because it’s mine.” Hitting 100 countries was never about the number. It was about the stories. And Tunis gave me plenty.

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10. Touring the Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
Home. The final frontier. I’d travelled the world, but when I stood on those iconic basalt columns in County Antrim, I realised that Northern Ireland had been epic all along. The wind slapped my face, the Atlantic roared below, and the myths of Finn McCool danced in the air. I took my notebook out and wrote: “Even a backpacker’s heart needs a home.” That day wasn’t just cool – it was full circle. And that’s the beauty of travel – sometimes, the best place was right where you started.

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Ten nuts cool memories should give you twenty plus reasons to keep moving. Because once you catch the travel bug, you don’t stop living – you just keep writing chapters. See you on the road, folks.