Travel

Today’s story is inspired by a former colleague and a good mate, who when reading one of my blogs a few weeks ago, said whatever you do, don’t write about the time we got deported from Belarus. Unbeknownst to us both, I had done it two years ago, but it bears repeating….. Phase 1: It is said that to make a mistake once is forgivable, twice is careless and three times is unforgivable. I am therefore on my last chance in relation to Belarus. I have managed (almost) to get mysel

The main Pyramid at Giza Before I visited Egypt, I should probably have paid more attention or cognizance to my history knowledge. I was aware that for a relatively long period from the 1950’s to the 1990’s or thereabouts, Egypt was allied with and to a large extent supplied by, the Soviet Union. This had been at the back of my mind but I had assumed that it was a military thing because the US was supplying Israel so Egypt turned to the Soviets. What I didn’t realise was that

Brendan in the early days. I saw an item on TV recently about the erection of a statue in a place called Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, in Ireland, to Dr. Brendan O’Regan. Who was he, many would ask — probably one of the greatest Irish innovators of the 20th Century or indeed of any time. The erection of a statue is hugely deserved but it cannot even begin to quantify what this man achieved or do justice to his legacy. I’m not too sure as to what positions Brendan held in Shannon A

Biarritz Back to my theme of writing travel blogs on places I have been in the past, I have never done blogs on France, Germany, Spain or Portugal. In fact, there are many more I need to get to. I’ve decided to start with France as it is one of the countries I have visited most often. As far as I can recall, I have visited every region except Normandy. So the question is where to start? I’m tempted to just go with a series of anecdotal experiences and then try to summarise. B

I first published this article early in 2024 but at that time, I was only posting on Medium. Now that I have acquired a wider audience on other platforms, it bears repeating. It’s also an updated version. I recently told my partner a funny story about the trip to Kenya and she said I should have included it in the blog. So I will this time but you’ll have to read to the end to find it. J Before I visited Kenya, I was told to beware that there would always be people around me

On our recent trip to the Balkans, my partner and I visited four countries in eleven days. We started in Croatia, crossed into Montenegro, then Albania, back into Montenegro, then into Bosnia and back to Croatia. So we quickly got used to crossing borders in remote mountain enclaves; I think apart from one time, ours was the only car in the queue at the border posts and a cursory check on our passports was all that was required. Imagine our shock therefore, when we crossed th

When I write an article or a blog, I very rarely show it to anyone before I publish it. Maybe it’s stubbornness on my part but I also don’t like people editing my books. Anyway, on this occasion, my partner Gill, who was with me in the Balkans, said she enjoyed the article but that I didn’t tell the full story. Also, a mate of mine, who has lived in the Balkans, reminded me about the Mercedes.’ So, here is the fully expanded version: People say that if you want to get the bes

Datka Peninsula, near Marmaris. I have travelled extensively in Turkey over many years so this travel blog will probably be a mix of recommendations about places to visit, recall of personal experiences and even some commentary about Turkish society and culture. In fact, let’s start with something that, while not unique to Turkey is very commonly practiced there. In western language, we would call it ‘touting.’ That is, trying to attract people to your business by approaching

The Excursion I awake to glorious, blinding sunshine. My jet lag of the previous two days is now banished to memory. A quick look from my seventh floor balcony shows me that the snow has almost disappeared and Spring is finally here. I have been living in Novosibirsk for over four months now and I have seen most of the city on foot. Having recently acquired a car, it is surely time for an excursion further afield; time for me to resume my travels in this seemingly never endin

Main Entrance. I was born in the countryside and although I have spent a lot of years living in and around different cities, I am still a country person at heart. I am most at home in the countryside, preferably when there are a few mountains, lakes, forests or even the ocean in the background. Maybe it’s a liking for the outdoors or fresh air or an appreciation of beautiful scenery. Whichever, I can never see the point of visiting museums or even cities just for the sake of

The Matterhorn. Who is the President of Switzerland? I think I could ask that question of a hundred people or even more and no one would know the answer. Why, you may ask? Most people know who the President of the US is, and of Russia, China, France and so on. People will even know the leaders of smaller nations. But in all my life, I have never heard any mention of Switzerland in a political sense, other than as the headquarters of the United Nations and many other world age

I have been fortunate to visit over eighty countries in my lifetime and I still try to visit at least two new ones each year. It was a little difficult during the covid pandemic but despite the restrictions, I managed it. People have asked me to write something about places I have visited and to give my impressions. I’ve decided to start with South Africa as I have visited quite recently and it’s fresh in my memory. In fact, I have now visited the country on two occasions. I’

Blyde River Canyon I looked at my Medium profile a couple of days ago and realised I had five new followers. As I haven’t written anything in a while, I thought, better do something if people are following. So, where to begin…I have visited many places and later regretted that I didn’t record my thoughts at the time and do a travel blog. I am therefore going to start with my most recent trip and over the coming months, work backwards. I have now visited Cape Town three times.

The Three Rondavals I've done travel blogs on South Africa before but this time, having just spent six weeks there, my longest time yet, I can probably do a more in-depth look at or analysis of the country. I'm calling this article ‘where worlds collide.’ It may sound dramatic but it's not. The message I'm trying to get across say is that it is probably the only country I have visited which has strong evidence of first, second and third world elements to it. We all know the h

Altai Mountains - Siberia I read an article by a fellow writer this morning which stated that Russia is experiencing profound demographic issues and that this is effectively the root cause of their invasion of Ukraine. There is merit in this assertion. Russia, as the leading actor (Dictator) in the Soviet Union was a powerful nation, some would say a superpower. But since the break-up of that failed entity, Russia’s population has declined significantly and continues to do so

Pavlovsk Park near St Petersburg in Autumn I have tried to explain here before how Russian society works and how the system always requires and generates a strong leader, who is generally accepted and supported by the majority of the population, regardless of how they may act. Sometimes an anecdote or a practical example is the best way to explain something so I hope the following tale may make some sense of the current situation. I have many good friends in both Russia and U

Porto I saw an internet poll a few days ago which voted Ireland as the friendliest country in the world to visit. I’m not sure how much provenance these polls have but nonetheless it’s nice to hear. Not that far behind Ireland was Portugal and as we recently visited that country, I can personally attest to this. I have heard it said by foreigners that Irish people give such detailed directions when asked, that they practically go with you to your destination. We found similar

New Mexico - another seemingly endless straight road I don’t think you would describe this as a travel blog, but the reader can be the judge of that. I get bombarded with articles on Medium, most by Americans. Nothing wrong with that of course, but many of them are critical of other places. I have to say at the outset that these writers are not stating that the US is perfect although there is an inference that perhaps things are better there, and maybe they are. I have trave

Beautiful Dunluce on the Antrim Coast For those of you unfamiliar with Irish colloquialisms, Norn Iron is short for Northern Ireland, or the six counties of Ireland which are still part of the UK. It probably derives from the inhabitants’penchant for speaking rapidly. People will be aware that the region suffered over thirty years of civil strife, during which over three thousand people lost their lives. Consequently, there was very little investment in the six counties durin

Ait Benhaddou Oasis in the Sahara I haven’t written much recently as I’ve been travelling a lot. So I thought another l blog might be a way to get back to writing. I recently spent a week in Morocco. Starting in Agadir, I hired a car and visited Essouira, Marrakech, Casablanca, Meknes, Volubilis, Fez, then took an 800km trek across the Atlas Mountains to Ourzazate, on the edge of the Sahara. From there to Ait Benhaddou, Tarradount and back to Agadir. I possibly took on too mu