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Welcome to Backpacker Buzz,
Hostelling International's blog from Western Canada. We'll bring you news, information and tips about hostels in Canada and around the world.
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- January 2012 (12)
- December 2011 (18)
- November 2011 (13)
- October 2011 (9)
- September 2011 (8)
- August 2011 (16)
September 2009
Do you Believe in Hostelling?
Our Believe in Hostelling Engagement Continues.
Do you have ideas to share with your Board that extend beyond those of a user of hostels? Do you want to make a contribution to the organization at a governance level? Are you interested in providing face-to-face feedback to your Board on the issues we are dealing with today? Do you believe that HI is more than just a "cheap sleep"? Read more »
Get Natural. Get Going.
Their tourism board has a Get Natural campaign which pictures a half-naked bronzed Adonis, standing next to his skis at the top of a mountain, with the sun bouncing off pecks, peaks and pure white powder. This lone skier staunchly stands, seemingly to contemplate his naked navel and the untouched, heavenly surrounds.
I know. I thought chocolate, cheese and yodeling were the dream trifecta for Swiss marketing. Turns out, it's the Alps. Read more »
Ten of the Top Winter Resorts in Canada
Canada's position as one of the northernmost countries in the world has one inevitable consequence: winter. This, coupled with Western Canada's magnificent mountain ranges, produces some of the world's best winter resorts. If you're thinking about relocating here to spend a winter working on a mountain, we've got some great winter deals and Job Seeker Packages to get you started. We've put together a list of 10 of the Top Winter Resorts (published in Outpost issue #71) with dates to buy early-bird (cheap) season's passes. Better be quick!
RTW: OK, I Get It. It's a Small World
Backpacking, like life, is filled with many random encounters. But when you open your life up to the entire world, and these random encounters still happen, it's enough to make you want to build an amusement park ride with animatronic children singing about it.
RTW: Princess of a Portuguese Palace
I think I spoke too soon last week when I ran through the tips for splurging on a private room. By this point, I thought I'd seen it all but this is a new one. Little did I know that a stroke of luck would land me in my own private Portuguese villa overlooking the ocean for 14€ a night. Read more »
RTW: Two Weeks Left
What started as a 260-day journey 'round the world is now down to just 15. Yesterday, I flew from Stuttgart, Germany to Lisbon, Portugal because I wanted to go to the beach. I guess you could say it's going to be difficult to shake this lifestyle.
RTW: Do You Know Europe's Best Beach Town?
In a month, I'll be back in Canada, and winter will probably be taking the next flight over. So with eight and a half months of travel wrapping up, the prospect of a return to life and work and winter, I'm on the look out for the ideal beach holiday locale in Europe to wrap up this trip on a high note, or at least with a few beachside cocktails/bottles of wine. I'm looking at you to spill the beans on beach hotspots you've discovered in Europe.
RTW: Berlin and Dresden
As much as backpacking is about the people you meet and the fun times you have, you'd be a fool to ignore all the things you can learn first hand about the histories of the world. Europe is teeming with the stuff and in many parts, WWII seems to be one of the relatively recent events that really left no part untouched. I spent the better part of this week in Berlin and Dresden, reminding myself once again that what you read in books can never measure up to what you see in person. Read more »
RTW: When to Splurge for a Private Room
It's hard to find a hostel without private rooms these days, with hotel-quality accommodation at a fraction of the price. But as a solo traveller, private rooms sometimes seem like the realm of couples and friends alone. But after weeks and weeks of dorms, a private room is a nice, worthwhile splurge. Here are a few tips for figuring out the time and place for a sweet, glorious upgrade.
RTW: Worthwhile Paris
There is no other city like Paris. It has starred in movies and books since it was born, and its hype is only rivaled by its history. Some people love it, others hate it. And on my flight there from Glasgow, I still wasn't sure where I'd fall.
Thanks for your comments!
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