Tom

Tommy Rooney

Tom

Hello World

Welcome to my travel blog, dear reader

. During this visit I encourage you to take a walk in my shoes while browsing through these entertaining and informative travel journals. My weblog features journals, photos and videos from many of the world's beautiful countries. I have over two decades of travel experience, and feel blessed to embark on regular trips abroad. There are endless delights to enjoy while exploring foreign countries. After all, how else can you meet so many of the world's proud people and experience as much wonderful culture?

Travel is developing into a lifetime passion and I believe I'm making a positive contribution to global society, thanks to the bountiful gifts bestowed on us by Mother Earth. My journals from around the world commence in 1986, and are written for you to read sequentially as a travel book if you have the time. Otherwise, feel free to pay a short visit until next time to catch up on my blog. The journey through life takes us on an unforgettable adventure, and I'm confident you'll enjoy viewing recommendations on places to stay, locations to visit, and things not to be missed for the traveller in all of us.

Enjoy!

Tom

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Travel Blog Posts

I'm just a sweet transvestite, from transexual, transylvania - ha ha

Published: January 30th 2012Europe » Romania » Transilvania » Brasov

Central Bucharest in winter

Tommy Rooney
January 30th 2012

The historical figure Vlad the Impaler was a prince from Wallachia in the 15th century, and gained a reputation as the stuff of nightmares for his hideous method of executions. He was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's famous novel Dracula set in Transylvania. The book features terrifying creatures of the night, and continues to fascinate readers and moviegoers all over the world. In fact, the very thought of a vampire swooping down to sink their fangs into the tender skin of my neck leaves me close to panic. So it was with some degree of trepidation that our hostel group headed out to Transylvania, a mere two and a half hours on the train from Bucharest. We drew some comfort from the fact we were travelling during the day, but a fierce snowstorm meant a night ... read more

Words: 1138 | Comments: 4 | Photos: 12 | Videos: 1306 Views

The Paris of the East

Published: January 25th 2012Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest

Village museum, Bucharest

Tommy Rooney
January 25th 2012

Whether his intention was to enhance his own personal glory, or the glory of the party, or perish the thought even the glory of the Romanian people; Ceausescu left the capital city of Romania a far different place than it was before he came to power. Bucharest was at the centre of his grand obsession to outdo the French, with it's main boulevard built slightly larger than the Champs D'Elysees, and the Arch of Triumph also larger than the famous Paris attraction. The sheer scale of the work recently undertaken in Bucharest may never be matched in Europe, and could only have occurred under a communist dictator. Sixty thousand houses were flattened and their tenants evicted to clear the land for the Palace of Parliament, with matching architecture in the new buildings lining the three kilometre ... read more

Words: 983 | Comments: 3 | Photos: 11 | Videos: 1185 Views

Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music...

Published: January 19th 2012Europe » Bulgaria » Sofia City » Sofia

Rila mountains

Tommy Rooney
January 19th 2012

For those about to rock, Bulgaria salutes you! As a boy who loves rock and roll I think I've just about died and gone to heaven in Sofia. The country has a rich history stretching back many centuries but one thing is clear as soon as you arrrive ... they love to rock! From the first taxi ride, and in the hostel, and on to the clubs; it's 100% ear splitting, bone jarring, head banging rock and roll that's guaranteed to get the blood pumping. Everyone seems to know the words to the classics, and it's like being in the middle of a neverending rock concert. My first night started with stimulating conversation in the company of a group of young travellers. As the evening progressed they went out for a meal, but I decided to ... read more

Words: 1094 | Comments: 1 | Photos: 12 | Videos: 1142 Views

There's nothing like a good conversation...

Published: January 14th 2012Europe » Serbia » West » Belgrade

Belgrade at dusk

Tommy Rooney
January 14th 2012

Well come to think of it, dear reader , partying in Belgrade would have to come pretty close. The Serbian capital is a legendary party spot in the Balkans, and a place where sleeping habits get turned upside down. The hostel guests become creatures of the night, and like a ghoulish nightmare out of Transylvania search for the elixir of eternal life ... Rakia! They seem to appear out of nowhere as a beer chaser, and a night out in Belgrade is bigger than Ben Hur, it's bigger than ten men, it's bigger than the Beatles. In fact it's nearly as big as my hangover! Like everywhere else there are seven days a week in Belgrade, but here that means seven opportunities to party like there's no tomorrow. We spent monday night clubbing till six am ... read more

Words: 1086 | Comments: 2 | Photos: 12 | Videos: 1253 Views

A tribute to the people of Sarajevo

Published: January 9th 2012Europe » Bosnia & Herzegovina » East » Sarajevo

Stari Most, Mostar

Tommy Rooney
January 9th 2012

The people of Sarajevo endured the longest siege in history during the course of the Yugoslav wars from 1992-1995. This is an historically significant European city, and her 300,000 citizens lived a life of hell for four long years under relentless shelling and small arms fire from enemy forces, who occupied strategically important hills surrounding the city. They also had to deal with ever vigilent snipers who wreaked a deadly toll on those brave enough to run the gauntlet of sniper alley. Sarajevo has been the recipient of a massive reconstruction fund since the cessation of hostilities in 1995, however it's painfully obvious with thousands of bullet holes violently impacted on building facades that the city was shot up all to hell in the war. As a result of being besieged during those bleak years the ... read more

Words: 1012 | Comments: 4 | Photos: 11 | Videos: 2265 Views

Budva is glam central!

Published: January 5th 2012Europe » Montenegro » Budva

Budva walled town

Tommy Rooney
January 5th 2012

Yes, yes. I know what you're thinking, you've never heard of Budva right? Well, the truth is neither had I just a week ago! For the record I'm sure the guys are fabulous, but if you'll indulge me for a moment I'd like to comment briefly on the women. I arrived on New Year's Day in the middle of the heaving celebrations, with people flocking from all over the Balkans to ring in the new year in this picturesque Adriatic city. I stepped out for a stroll when the earth shook to it's very foundations. So then, what's the story morning glory? Oh that's it, suddenly it dawned on me that never before have I seen such beautiful women! Finally there's a city to rival St Petersburg, and the ladies promenade here like they've just stepped ... read more

Words: 1008 | Comments: 0 | Photos: 11 | Videos: 1193 Views

Happy New Year from Dubrovnik

Published: January 1st 2012Europe » Croatia » Dalmatia » Dubrovnik

City Walls, Dubrovnik

Tommy Rooney
January 1st 2012

The Dalmatian coast of Croatia is fast gaining a reputation as the new playground for the rich and famous. But the thing is you have to get there first! In my case the journey entailed catching a midnight bus from Zagreb in freezing temperatures, only to pull an all nighter on the aforementioned bus before a weary group of passengers arrived in Dubrovnik the next morning. The odd midnight bus ride is an unavoidable part of life on the road, and just goes to show this travel caper is not all supermodels and speedboats! Let's rewind just a fraction, dear reader , to bring you up to speed on the journal. The Balkans adventure left off in Ljubljana, from where I caught a morning train to the Croatian capital of Zagreb. It was a scenic and ... read more

Words: 1081 | Comments: 4 | Photos: 18 | Videos: 1295 Views

Season's Greetings from Ljubljana

Published: December 26th 2011Europe » Slovenia » Upper Carniola » Ljubljana

Christmas day celebrations

Tommy Rooney
December 26th 2011

If you have a desire to get out and see the world, the lovely reader , surely now's the time then to fill your boots! Life offers us so many rewarding experiences in this wonderful world we share, as I send fond season’s greetings from lovely Ljubljana. The Balkans is a fascinating part of Europe, and I'm looking forward to exploring this unique region during the next month. So once again it's time to get with the program here in Slovenia, as I embark on a new series of travel adventures. The most competitive long haul airfare out of Australia at Christmas time is with China Southern airlines. So I purchased a ticket cause the price is right, and the flight had it's transit in Guangzhou. It was interesting to compare China Southern with the more ... read more

Words: 937 | Comments: 1 | Photos: 12 | Videos: 1280 Views

Africa Unite

Published: June 6th 2011Africa » Sudan » North » Khartoum

A car drive in Khartoum

Tommy Rooney
June 6th 2011

The result of the January 2011 referendum ensures Sudan will confront a period of momentous and irrevocable change. An overwhelming majority of the population in South Sudan voted for independence from the North, barely ten years after the cessation of hostilities in what was the longest running civil war on the African continent. As a result, North and South Sudan will be going their separate ways. The official date for the proclamation of the newly created South Sudan will be 9 July 2011, so this blog entry may well be the last from the unified country of Sudan. Khartoum is the engine room and traditional capital of the united Sudan, and will remain the capital of the newly created North Sudan. The long running dispute at the heart of the civil war involved access to the ... read more

Words: 1324 | Comments: 3 | Photos: 11 | Videos: 1246 Views

Welcome to the Horn of Africa

Published: May 31st 2011Africa » Somalia » Somaliland » Hargeisa

Boys and their toys

Tommy Rooney
May 31st 2011

Somaliland is still fighting an unsuccessful battle with the United Nations, in trying to achieve international recognition as an independent country. The people of this territory have taken a different path to the lawless, dangerous and chaotic goings on that dominate Somalia and Puntland, both of which are absolute no go zones for foreigners. The stark contrast in Hargeisa, however, sees the capital city of Somaliland on a peaceful path since 1991, where foreigners prepared to put in the effort to obtain a visa in advance receive a warm welcome. I scooped up a visa from Addis for forty bucks, and it was not a drama obtaining the necessary paperwork to visit one of the last frontiers in this wonderful world we share. The journal left off in Lalibela, dear reader , at the conclusion of ... read more