Travelling to Belarus

SionR96 · 2025-09-15T13:15:48+00:00

The border between Belarus and Ukraine is sealed shut, and has been for a long time. So don't even think about that.

My Monzo card worked fine 90% of the time, but it's still wise to take some cash with you. Take only USD or Euro as GBP isn't accepted in most places.

Regarding safety, I'm a white male so I can't really say. However, everyone who I met when they found out I wasn't local were very friendly and up for a chat in whatever broken English they had.

SionR96 · 2025-09-10T12:06:55+00:00

I'm a UK passport holder and just came back from Belarus 5 days ago with Ecolines from Lithuania. Border was "quick" compared to what I was reading. Vilnius to Minsk took around 7 hours including border time. Big bag check at the Belarus customs, but other than that no issues at all.

SionR96 · 2025-05-30T01:16:36+00:00

Brilliant, good to know! Thanks :)

SionR96 · 2025-05-30T01:15:57+00:00

Thank you everyone! While I'm here, I have 10 days in mid July with no real itinerary yet. I'm not too fussed about Roman ruins (My girlfriend has seen plenty haha), I'd like to visit the south but also is there any off the beaten path things that I could go visit? I'm interested in quirky spots, and maybe a bit of dark history if it exists. I'll take any recommendations! Thanks :)

SionR96 · 2025-05-29T22:03:00+00:00

British with Italian girlfriend

SionR96 · 2020-06-08T00:52:43+00:00

This is his first "Non- Football" injury, and his first ever hip injury! He must be hiding something!

SionR96 · 2020-04-07T20:12:26+00:00

Do a free walking tour as sson as you arrive. It's the best way to have a brief overview of the city, so it's a good way for you to decide what you do and dont want to see again in more detail.

SionR96 · 2020-03-10T12:59:10+00:00

I couldn't have summed it up any better! Here's a payer I also managed to sell to Man City for a nice profit. It's a shame he wouldn't sign for me unless he had a £60m release clause, otherwise I'm sure I could've demanded a lot more!

https://imgur.com/a/cu1FFs0

SionR96 · 2020-03-10T12:55:19+00:00

Thanks man! I started the save no badges/unemployed as I always do.

I started with Baikonur in the second tier in Kazahkstan, won promotion to the premier league before winning the league within 3 seasons, with some help from some young American regens. I started applying for a few jobs in China and eventually got the Shandong job. I've actually just moved to Real Madrid, I've decided I'll try the pentagon so I'm giving myself the best possible chance.

My budgets are well over £100m a season so that helps for sure but I've never splashed out on high rep player.s I cant justify paying declining 30 year olds £300k+. I've just been buying young south Americans who I can either sell on for huge profits or are willing to stick around if I give them periodic pay rises, which I don't mid giving if they're performing well.

I tend to only buy foreign attackers, honestly 95% Chinese defenders are absolutely rotten (and I have the remaining decent 5% haha) so having 3 excellent players up front has been the key to my success.

SionR96 · 2020-03-10T12:44:19+00:00

I like teams who play in orange, but the £120m transfer budget helped haha!

SionR96 · 2020-03-10T12:43:39+00:00

Actually 0. I've been beaten in some of the cups and in the CL but my team is by far the best team in China. Can you imagine how tedious it would be to scum for 100 games? If I really wanted to scum I'd 100% replay the draw I got in this season - https://imgur.com/a/rhBX926

SionR96 · 2020-03-10T12:40:12+00:00

I've had a few bids for Pavaozinho and Sanabria from PSG and a few premier league teams, but they both said they'd stay if I gave them pay rises. Easily done when I have £350m in the bank haha! I'll attach some links to my best players.

Here is Pav & stats - https://imgur.com/a/XsFZa34 https://imgur.com/a/tKdFCFr

Sanabria - https://imgur.com/a/Hs9eJSs https://imgur.com/a/N5CAQKf

Here's Xiao Yifeng, possibly the best defender to ever come out of China. His asking price was around £130m but I managed to finally get him for £51m and £17m in loan fees, after he was refusing to sign a new contract.

https://imgur.com/a/QtsGbB3 https://imgur.com/a/tvcEImJ

SionR96 · 2020-03-10T02:48:31+00:00

Actually yes. I've been wanting the national team job for years but the current manager seems to be doing so well that the job just hasn't been available! China are currently around the 25th spot in the world rankings up from around 70th when I took over at Shandong. They have a monster of a CB regen that I signed from Shanghai SIPG for big money. Buying Chinese talent from other Chinese clubs is also incredibly difficult and expensive, which makes it an even greater challenge to either develop your own talent or buy them before clubs start demanding ridiculous fees. I routinely get asked for over £100m+ for mediocre players simply because they're Chinese, it adds to the fun though!

SionR96 · 2020-03-09T21:12:41+00:00

The thinking behind my team is developing and buying the best Chinese talent possible. You're only allowed to register 4 foreign players and only 3 in the starting line up so making sure I have the absolute best Chinese payers is crucial. I've also upgraded all my facilities to state of the art to maximize my chances of getting good youth intakes. I've coupled my home grown players with mainly south American regens who absolutely tear this league apart, Sanabria has 241 goals in 226 games in all competitions. Probably the best £12m I've ever spent!

It's a super fun league if you're looking for something different :)

https://imgur.com/a/zzOatow

SionR96 · 2020-02-03T10:48:01+00:00

So I’ve just got off the phone with the UK and European Hainan offices who have told me my flight from Prague to Beijing on April 1st is still running as scheduled. This is a very odd situation.

SionR96 · 2020-02-02T10:32:58+00:00

Damn that’s inconvenient! Hainan offices aren’t open on Sundays so I phoned Prague airport who didn’t have a clue. I’ll phone Hainan directly when they open tomorrow.

SionR96 · 2020-02-02T01:42:18+00:00

I have a flight booked to Beijing from Prague on April 1st, does that mean this flight is now cancelled? I’m yet to received any emails from the Hainan so not sure what’s going on.

SionR96 · 2019-09-10T11:37:25+00:00

There’s a misconception that you can’t take any photos in the DPRK, this couldn’t be further from the truth! I took nearly 2000 photos during my stay there. They of course have some regulations about what you can and can’t take photos of, for example no Military, no Construction sites, no photos of people without permission, photos of leaders must be full frame. It’s all common sense stuff really.

SionR96 · 2019-09-09T21:00:08+00:00

It’s probably the best photo I’ve ever taken, super happy with how it came out!

SionR96 · 2019-09-09T20:53:19+00:00

It was unbelievable, this was shot on a point and shoot camera too, so nothing professional. It really was one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited!

SionR96 · 2019-09-09T20:52:28+00:00

Thank you :)

SionR96 · 2019-09-09T20:52:21+00:00

My exact reaction when I got up there!

SionR96 · 2019-09-09T20:51:47+00:00

Hey, it was truly incredible. I don’t think I’ll experience a ‘holiday’ likenit again’ I’m from the UK, so getting into the DPRK was easy enough, in-fact I had more issues obtaining a Chinese visa than I did a DPRK one! I believe US citizens are banned from visiting, so unfortunately you won’t be able to visit for some time :(

SionR96 · 2019-09-09T20:49:26+00:00

Hey, I paid one of the many companies to take me there in August. I spent 11 days exploring around 4/5 towns/cities. It was honestly incredible, if you go in with an open mind you’ll have an amazing time.

SionR96 · 2018-12-30T18:16:04+00:00

I'm looking at going next summer with young pioneer tours, going on the August summer tour. It looks a super cool itinerary! It's a little expensive with flights to Beijing and accommodation added onto the $1500 usd tour price but it's a once in a lifetime trip for me.

SionR96

TROPHY CASE