Travel books can do more than describe destinations. The best travel memoirs allow readers to experience the uncertainty, excitement, humor, setbacks, and personal discoveries that come with life on the road. Backpacking Centurion – A Northern Irishman's Journey Through 100 Countries: Volume 3 – Taints and Honours, written by Northern Irish travel writer Jonny Blair, is one such book. It brings together a remarkable period of backpacking as Blair moves closer to an ambitious milestone: visiting 100 countries.
Volume 3 is presented as the concluding volume of the original Backpacking Centurion trilogy. It follows the earlier books Don't Look Back in Bangor and Lands Down Under, taking the story into a more intense phase of international travel. According to the author's own description, the book covers the final stretch toward becoming a "Backpacking Centurion," with the journey eventually reaching Tunisia, where the 100-country milestone is achieved. (Don't Stop Living)
What Is Taints and Honours About?
At its heart, Taints and Honours is a travel memoir about adventure, persistence, and the unpredictable nature of long-term backpacking. Rather than presenting travel as a perfect collection of beautiful destinations, Blair documents both the highs and lows of his experiences.
The book begins with a significant personal realisation in Jordan. Blair reflects on having spent ten years living away from Northern Ireland, which becomes an important point in his continuing relationship with travel. From there, the narrative moves through the Caucasus, the Middle East, Europe, Central America, and South America before approaching the final stages of the 100-country journey. (Don't Stop Living)
The book's chapter list gives readers an idea of just how varied the journey is. It includes experiences in Bethlehem, Georgia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador, Moldova, Finland, and other destinations. Some chapters focus on individual countries, while others explore particular people, events, memories, and moments from Blair's life. (northernirishmaninpoland.com)
A Travel Memoir Rather Than a Traditional Guidebook
One of the most important things to understand about Taints and Honours is that it is not designed to function like a conventional travel guide.
Readers should not approach it expecting hotel recommendations, standard itineraries, transportation tables, or a straightforward list of tourist attractions. Instead, Blair focuses on personal experiences and stories. His travels are filtered through his own personality, memories, interests, friendships, mishaps, and observations.
This makes the book particularly interesting for readers who enjoy travel memoirs. The destinations provide the setting, but the real subject is the experience of traveling through them.
The Caucasus and Middle East
Some of the most intriguing sections of the book involve destinations that are less familiar to mainstream travelers.
The journey through the Caucasus includes a chapter about Nagorno-Karabakh, while the Middle Eastern portion includes extended experiences in Iran and Iraq. The chapter titles themselves suggest that these sections contain uncertainty, unusual encounters, and unexpected situations rather than simply conventional sightseeing. (Don't Stop Living)
The month spent in Iran and the journey through Iraq are particularly notable because they take the memoir beyond the typical backpacking destinations found in mainstream travel literature. Blair's approach emphasizes experiencing places directly rather than allowing their reputations to define them completely.
For adventurous readers, these sections can be among the most compelling parts of the book.
Brazil and the World Cup
Another major part of the narrative takes place in Brazil during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Blair's identity as a Northern Irish traveler and football supporter becomes particularly relevant here. One chapter is titled "I'm in Brazil, I'm Northern Irish," while another focuses on the World Cup final. (northernirishmaninpoland.com)
This combination of football and travel gives the book another dimension. The journey isn't simply about collecting countries. Sporting events, friendships, national identity, and personal interests become intertwined with the travel experience.
For readers who enjoy football as well as travel writing, these chapters can offer an especially engaging perspective.
Adventure, Risk, and the Unexpected
A major strength of Taints and Honours is its willingness to acknowledge that backpacking does not always go according to plan.
The book includes stories involving remote destinations, unexpected problems, dangerous situations, unusual encounters, and moments of emotional difficulty. The author's own description makes it clear that readers should expect both triumphs and setbacks rather than a polished version of international travel. (Don't Stop Living)
This honesty gives the memoir a distinctive character. The difficult moments are not necessarily presented as failures. Instead, they become part of the larger story of what it means to travel extensively.
The Road to 100 Countries
The central narrative goal is the journey toward the 100-country milestone.
As the chapters progress, the reader can see the significance of the target increasing. The title Backpacking Centurion reflects this achievement, with "centurion" representing the completion of the 100-country journey.
The final stages include travel through Europe and eventually Tunisia. Blair's later account confirms that Tunisia was the place where he officially became a Backpacking Centurion in March 2015. (Don't Stop Living)
This gives the book a satisfying sense of progression. The countries are not simply disconnected destinations; they are steps in a much larger personal journey.
Writing Style and Personality
The writing is strongly personality-driven. Blair combines travel storytelling with humor, football references, personal memories, and observations about the places and people he encounters.
This is one of the book's defining characteristics. Readers who enjoy highly personal travel writing are likely to appreciate the directness and individuality of the narrative.
The title itself, Taints and Honours, reflects this balance between positive and negative experiences. The book does not attempt to suggest that an adventurous life consists only of achievements. Mistakes, difficult situations, strange encounters, and disappointments exist alongside memorable accomplishments.
Who Should Read This Book?
Taints and Honours is particularly suitable for:
- Readers who enjoy travel memoirs
- Backpackers and independent travelers
- People fascinated by unusual destinations
- Fans of Northern Irish travel writing
- Football supporters who enjoy combining sport with travel
- Readers interested in long-term solo travel
- Anyone curious about what it takes to visit 100 countries
It is also worth reading alongside the first two volumes if you want to follow Blair's journey chronologically. The three books collectively document the development of his travel ambitions and the increasingly intensive nature of his backpacking experiences. (SAO Architects)
Final Verdict
Backpacking Centurion – Volume 3: Taints and Honours is more than a collection of stories about different countries. It is a personal record of a traveler pursuing an ambitious goal while dealing with everything that comes with life on the road.
Its biggest appeal is its authenticity. The book celebrates memorable destinations and achievements but also embraces the uncomfortable, chaotic, and sometimes difficult sides of backpacking. The journey through the Caucasus, Middle East, Brazil, Central America, Europe, and ultimately Tunisia creates a varied and unpredictable narrative.
For anyone who believes that travel is about more than simply taking photographs at famous landmarks, Taints and Honours offers an entertaining and unconventional look at what it means to keep moving, exploring, and chasing a personal milestone.
Where to Buy
If this journey sounds like something you'd enjoy, you can purchase Backpacking Centurion – Volume 3: Taints and Honours on Amazon:
Buy Backpacking Centurion – Volume 3 on Amazon
The book is also part of the wider Backpacking Centurion collection, which chronicles Blair's journey from his early travel experiences toward the 100-country milestone. (Don't Stop Living)
For readers looking for a travel memoir filled with unusual destinations, personal stories, football, humor, setbacks, and the excitement of reaching a major travel goal, this volume is a fascinating addition to the genre.
Get your copy of Taints and Honours on Amazon
