My New Book: 💚STARO🌟GARD🏰GIRL🩷👱‍♀️Is Released

REGULAR FEATURES/REGULARNE OPOWIEśCI

Jonny tells it how it is - he's a top drawer travel writer who converts what he sees with his eyes and feels with his heart into what he writes with his pen. Expect ice cool regular features from Jonny's barmy life in Poland as a passionate Ulsterman. This is Jonny's second favourite country in Europe (after Northern Ireland). Jonny has travelled to 181 countries in the last 20 years but since 2016, POLSKA is his home.

MAGICZNE MIASTA – MAGIC TOWNS

Check out Jonny’s Magical Towns, Cities and Villages. Jonny goes away from the obvious haunts to bring you some tales of sublime towns and villages you may not have heard of. Inspired by his travel friends down the years, Jonny ended up in Biskupiec, Kokoszkowy Zlotoklos and Starogard Gdański long before his backpack toured Lublin or Wrocław. #magicznemiasta

NIGDY WIęCEJ WOJNY – NO MORE WAR

In the “Nigdy Więcej Wojny/ No More War” Series, Jonny delves deep and peacefully into Poland’s horrific past, bringing a sense of new found freedom amongst a destructive history. You can read here about the horrible German Death Camps in Poland and the Communist eras. #germandeathcamps #nigdywięcejwojny

Smaczne Środy- TASTY WEDNESDAYS

Jonny’s Wednesday Series called “Smaczne Środy” features Jonny’s food experiences within Poland. While Pierogi, Zurek and Bigos do feature (and he loves the Polish cuisine), you may also see Jonny munching a Vegan Burger, a Turkish kebab or even an Ulster Fry in his latest country of residence. “Down your neck”, “Smacznego!” #SmaczneŚrody #smacznego

PIąTKOWE PICIE – THIRSTY FRIDAYS

Jonny tours Poland’s finest independently run cafes, bars, pubs, brewhouses and clubs to bring you an alternative collection of “wacaday” (lunatical) places to hang out when your backpack hits Poland. Think locally run real ale houses, dive bars, quirky cafes and PRL-based pubs and less of your capitalist trash. Good night Ratsbux, Dzien dobry Kraftodajnia! #piątkowepicie

Dziwaczne Odkrycia – Quirky Encounters

In Dziwaczne Odkrycia – Quirky Encounters, Jonny delves into the absurd, obscure and wacaday things to do in Poland. You’ll end up reading about things like indoor sky diving, nude beaches, countries that you’ve never heard of (which border Poland) and anything extraordinary that catches Jonny’s eye. #dziwaczneodkrycia #quirkyencounters

Śmieszne Historie o Piłce Nożnej w Polsce – Football Stories

Jonny’s first trip to Poland was inspired by football. A keen supporter of Northern Ireland, Glentoran and AFC Bournemouth, Jonny chose Klub Piłkarski Starogard and Legia Warszawa as two Polish teams he follows, inspired by the legend that is Kazik Deyna. Jonny is a groundhopper and writes about his football trips inside Poland! #football #pilkanozna #ŚmieszneHistorieoPiłceNożnejwPolsce

Pracujące Poniedziałki – Working Mondays

As well as writing about Poland for himself, Jonny works tirelessly promoting Poland, working for various companies and also learns Polish while teaching English. Expect to read about hotels, tour companies, English teaching, volunteering and travel writing. #PracującePoniedziałki

Cover Photo: Jonny Blair became the first backpacking tourist to write about Starogard Gdański, when he toured in July 2016.

Starogard Gdański

Jonny's Stories

Jonny Blair loves Poland. Here are some of his favourite cities, towns, villages and locations in Poland.

Gdańsk

Read Jonny’s stories from spending 6 months in the port city of Gdańsk.

The Pomeranian capital, once the “Free city of Danzig”, the city where the Germans invaded, the place where Lech Wałęsa’s Solidarnosc all began. Jonny lived in the Stare Miasto and in Brzezno and loves Gdańsk. #visitgdańsk

Warszawa

Read about Jonny’s love for Poland’s capital city, Warszawa.

Starting with his first trip here back in 2005 as a Northern Ireland football fan. Jonny later returned to visit his friends Rafał, Artur and Piotr, penning a poem on the city. By 2017 Jonny had relocated to Warsaw. #visitwarsaw

Poznań

Jonny loves the Stare Miasto in a city he nicknames “Pozzie”: Poznań.

Having first visited Pozzie in 2015 inspired by an infamous travel friend, Jonny later came back to do his first live Polish radio interview, partake in a football tournament and review the bars of the city. #pozzie #Poznań

Starogard Gdański

Jonny’s love for the unknown and lesser conquered, led him to the charming Kociewien town of Starogard Gdański.

It was here in Starogard Gdański. that Jonny was featured in the local newspaper, loved being the only tourist and was inspired to live in Poland from hereon, influenced by locals. #ilovestg #starogardgdanski

Bydgoszcz

Jonny backpacked through delightful Bydgoszcz.

Jonny uncovered the secret charms of a city dubbed “the Venice of Poland”, while Jonny argues this spot is nicer. On his adventure here, Jonny also chilled out recovering from depression. #bydgoszcz

German Death Camps

Jonny has also toured the German Death Camps in Poland, including Auschwitz, Birkenau and Stutthof.

Jonny has also toured Majdanek, Auschwitz, Birkenau and Stutthof. It is important and essential to understand Polish history and the destructive regime implemented upon Poles by the Germans. #germandeathcamps

Szczecin

Jonny backpacked in Szczecin, again seeking answers for his travelling heart.

Jonny backpacked in Szczecin, again seeking answers for his travelling heart. This city sits right by the German border and gives you a gateway to “the west” but within this misty town lies some intriguing tales. #szczecin

Countryside Towns

Pelplin, Tczew, Kokoszkowy, Rywald, Kuklowka, Zlokotlos, Biskupiec – Jonny’s quest for the obscure took him to remote, peaceful, tranquil and wonderful towns and villages in Polish countryside.

Jonny was so amazed by the excellent hospitality in remote towns and villages like Kokoszkowy and Biskupiec, the tranquility and beauty of rural Poland. #kochampolskę #biskupiec #kokoszkowy #pelplin #kuklowka

Tczew

Learn where the Second World War REALLY began: Tczew.

Inspired by a travel friend who alerted Jonny that the Second World War began in Tczew, he had to backpack it and check out the infamous bridge. The Germans were once here but no longer. Jonny also appeared in the Tczew newspaper. #tczew #worldwartwo

Transferring money abroad as an immigrant

Jonny, like other immigrants in his position, knows that transferring money from the UK overseas via banks will incur massive fees, for no good reason. To discover the best alternatives for high-street banks, Jonny uses Money Transfer Comparison, a review and comparison site focused on this space.

View MoneyTransferComparison's International Transfers Guide using this link.

CryptoCasinos provides crypto gambling guides for those interested in crypto casinos.

Managing an online business in Poland

How to manage your business from abroad.

Jonny in the Polish Media

Jonny Blair is a popular Northern Irish travel writer who has appeared in the Sun, BBC, Ulster Television and the Belfast Telegraph in his homeland, Northern Ireland. Jonny has now appeared in Polish media too.

Wiedzieliście, że plac Rynku to kwadrat o wymiarach 107×107 metrów? Albo że w Starogardzie mamy wyspę? O tych i o kilku innych ciekawostkach napisał Jonny Blair z północnej Irlandii, który wyruszył kilka lat temu w niekończącą się podróż z plecakiem. Podczas niej odwiedził 7 kontynentów, 117 krajów, 836 miast i wsi na całym świecie. To mu jednak nie wystarcza – wciąż odwiedza nowe miejsca, opisując je na swym wirtualnym blogu „Don’t Stop Living”. Niedawno blogger odwiedził stolicę Kociewia – Starogard. I niezwykle się nim zachwycił! .

Gazeta Kociewska

Gazeta Kociewska, Starogard Gdanski (August 2016)

Irlandzki podróżnik i bloger zwiedzał ostatnio Pomorze. Trzy dni spędził w Tczewie. Irlandczyk podziwiał m. in. Mosty Tczewskie, plac Hallera, zabytkowe kościoły. Zachwycił się m. in. Fabryką Sztuk i Muzeum Wisły. Jego relację można zobaczyć tutaj – http://dontstopliving.net/backpacking-in-poland-top-23-sights-in-tczew/ lub na kanale w YouTube

TCZ.PL

Tczew Newspaper, Tczew (September 2016)

“To właśnie między innymi dzięki Porozumieniom Sierpniowym, których rocznicę obchodzimy dzisiaj, po 1989 roku Gdańsk i inne polskie miasta mogły otworzyć się na tak pozytywnych ludzi jak Jonny. Jonny jest pisarzem z Irlandii Północnej, mieszka w Gdańsku i intensywnie uczy się polskiego :)/ This is what also thanks sierpniowym agreements, which we celebrate the anniversary today, after 1989 year of Gdańsk and other polish cities could open up to yes positive people like Jonny. Jonny is a writer from Northern Ireland, who lives in Gdańsk and is enjoying learning Polish.”

Miasto Gdansk

Miasto Gdańsk, Gdańsk (August 2016)

Jonny Blair to pisarz i podróżnik, który uczynił swą pasję sposobem na życie. Ostatnie lata to podróże i szukanie swojego miejsca na ziemi. W 2016 los rzucił go do Polski. Jak twierdzi Johny, kocha nasz kraj i poprzez swą działalność chce promować jego walory turystyczne. W ramach cyklu “Magiczne Miasta” swoją pierwszą podróż w 2017 postanowił odbyć do Biskupca i spędzić tu weekend.

Biskupiec News

Biskupiec News, Biskupiec (January 2017)

My new website, Northern Irishman in Poland, is my new project to promote Poland as a tourist location but also from an expatriate’s mind. I am also working with local councils in Polish towns and cities to promote them and do a lot of media outreach and some volunteer work. I have featured on Polish Radio, written itineraries for some cities (including Bydgoszcz and Starogard Gdanski) and I have opportunities for Polish TV too. However a lot of that must wait while I study Polish, get used to life in Warsaw and attempt to crack a milestone of having visited every Province in Poland by the end of 2017!

ExPat Focus Warsaw

Ex Pat Focus Poland, Warszawa (June 2017)