Brian's Blog – Occasional Rambles and Various Mutterings

To Africa with Love

31st March 201922nd April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdail2019 African Safari

Here are details of my next big three month Safari to Africa in November 2019[…]

This is the End, my Friend

9th November 201814th April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

The end of my Silk Road journey. My final days in istanbul before returning home.[…]

Habibi, my Mellow Yellow Chariot

17th September 201822nd April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

The start of the expedition with Oasis Overland. Some details about the truck and journey.[…]

Uzbekistan

14th September 20186th April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

This is an account of my travels through Uzbekistan from the border crossing with Kazakhstan[…]

Kyrgyzstan

11th September 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

I’m almost a fortnight on the road now. Days are blurring together and the only[…]

Almaty, My First Steps on the Silk Road

31st August 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

At last, after years of planning and following one failed, or aborted, attempt, I finally[…]

Steppes around Astana

29th August 201830th August 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

Friday 24th November – Astana Main process today has been travelling from Helsinki to Astana,[…]

The Wheel Starts Turning

24th August 201824th August 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdailUncategorized

The wheel starts turning. My journey to the Silk Road has started. At last, a[…]

Steps and Stops Along the Way

29th July 201830th July 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

I promised in my last post to write a more detailed report on the places[…]

Just Keep on Truckin’

19th July 201819th July 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

You know what the say about the best laid plans of mice and men. By[…]

Joining the Road

16th June 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

It’s been awhile since I posted anything here as I’ve been caught up with work[…]

First Silk Road Steps

7th May 20188th May 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

The fact that I managed to maintain a love of poetry from childhood is a[…]

Bla, Blaa; Blah, Blah, Blah.

3rd May 20183rd May 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

Technobabble time. I love technology and have been an early adopter of internet related thingys[…]

On Sleeping Pods and Yurts

30th April 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

This is just a brief overview of my travelling plans on The Silk Road for[…]

The Silk Road Revisited

16th April 2018 Brian Ó hÚrdail2018 Trip

I started to get itchy feet again a few months ago so my mind started[…]

Long, long ago (fadó, fadó)

24th December 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailUncategorized

Yesterday, I found myself using an expression I don’t think I’ve ever used before. I[…]

Dreams and Dreaming the Dream

15th October 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

I had a very vivid dream last night. I was on an old boat. It[…]

Omsk to Severobaykalsk

12th October 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

09:44:54Days 25 to 29 (Note: sorry but internet really slow so cannot add photos.Will try[…]

Moscow to Yekaterinburg

4th October 20175th October 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Days 20 to 23, 20-23 Sept 2017, Yekaterinburg, 5383 km travelled from Dublin I’ve been[…]

Omsk and the Bird of Winged Doom

4th October 20175th October 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Day 24, 24 Sept, Omsk, 6332km from Dublin Just checked into my hotel in Omsk[…]

An Intermission

3rd October 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Day 31, 1st Oct 2017, train from Tynda to Komsomolsk, about 12,000km from Dublin This[…]

Moscow or Do You Want to Hear the Gods Laugh?

30th September 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Days 14 to 20, 14-20 Sept 2017, Moscow, 3592 km from Dublin. Want to hear the[…]

Minsk – City of Heroes

28th September 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Days 12 & 13, 12th to 13th Sept 2017 – Minsk, Belarus I left Warsaw […]

Warsaw

14th September 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailGermany

Days 7 to 11, 7th to 11th Sept 2017 – Warsaw. I’m writing this on my last[…]

Ich Bin Ein Berliner

9th September 20179th September 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailGermany

Days 4, 5 & 6 – Berlin The journey from Cologne to Berlin was my[…]

On the Road Again

5th September 20175th September 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailGermany

Day 1 – 1 Sept 2017 I locked my hall door at 6:45am this morning[…]

The Final Leg

26th August 201727th August 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Well, it’s almost time. In less than a week, at 7am on Friday 1st September,[…]

Rushing around Russia

22nd August 201722nd August 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

In my last blog, I said I would be going across Russia and then leaving[…]

Training for the Train

21st May 201711th August 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

First of all, I’m not a train nut. I don’t wear an anorak and stand[…]

Yet Another Grand Tour

1st May 201723rd May 2017 Brian Ó hÚrdailMy Grand Tour 2017

Last Autumn, as I noticed the evenings drawing in, I reflected that less than a[…]

Cornucopia – the Horn of Plenty

5th October 201629th October 2016 Brian Ó hÚrdailUncategorized

Jaysus, I’m so hungry I’d ate a nun’s arse through a convent wall, I said[…]

Ding, Ding, Ding Went the Trolley.

15th October 201524th October 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailChina

The weather is slowly changing here in Hong Kong. A few days ago, there was[…]

Heavy Daze in Hong Kong

3rd October 20153rd October 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailChina

I had about a thousand word article written for this blog but unfortunately the dreaded[…]

Homage to the Magnificent Mango

2nd August 20152nd August 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailChiang Mai

On motorbikes, motorcars, mosquitoes and mangy dogs. And magnificent mangoes too. First of all, mangos.[…]

Wat a Wat

27th July 20152nd August 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailChiang Mai

On monsoons, monks, manky meals, mediocre meals and magnificent meals, mangy mongrels, mosquitos, motorbikes and[…]

Brian Brain Strain

21st July 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailChiang Mai

On a level road now in Chiang Mai. Getting to know the ropes in the[…]

To the North…

19th July 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailThailand

Sun 19 July 10:30am In Bangkok Airways, “The Boutique Airline” lounge. Quite posh, free grub,[…]

Earwig Oh, Again

18th July 201518th July 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailHong Kong

What I meant to say was ‘Here we go again’ and talk about Hong Kong.[…]

On a slow road to China (and back via Holyhead)

15th June 201516th June 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailChina

I spent a long while, years, decades, arranging to come back home to Ireland. I[…]

When I’m Sixty Four

24th May 201515th June 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailUncategorized

Today is my 64th birthday. When I was making my breakfast this morning, I found[…]

My First Voting Card

21st May 201524th May 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailYes Equality

I got my first voting card this morning in the post. I’m in my mid[…]

Why I Meditate

24th April 201510th April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdailUncategorized

This is a talk I gave about 18 years ago when I was very involved[…]

Hello world!

15th March 201515th March 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailUncategorized

Welcome to my blog. This is my travel blog but will also contain occasional musings, reflections,[…]

The Last Post…

18th August 201315th June 2015 Brian Ó hÚrdailThailand

Today is my last day in Bangkok and SE Asia. I fly out late tonight[…]

Wat’s it all about..

15th August 201310th April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdailThailand

I had a few hours to kill yesterday morning. My train from Laos arrived early[…]

Messages, Smessages

13th August 201310th April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdailThailand

Returning home.

All good things, etc. etc.

6th July 2013 Brian Ó hÚrdailThailand

Well, all good things come to an end. Today is my last official day at[…]

Best near death experience I’ve had all week

23rd June 201310th April 2019 Brian Ó hÚrdailThailand

Life here in Koh Chang is assuming a rhythm all of its own. The days[…]