The Latest Backpacker News

RTW: Festive Edinburgh

Posted by Heather on August 24th, 2009 to

It's the wee Scottish city that is spelled with only nine letters but pronounced with about fourteen syllables, six of which are variations on the rrrrolled rrrrr. It's got more pubs than you can dream of crawling 'round (indeed many Scots do dream about exactly this), a pretty little castle perched atop a rock and a year's worth of events stuffed into one month. From the home of haggis and heilan' coos, I give you my take on Edinburgh. Read more »

RTW: To Flag or Not to Flag

Posted by Heather on August 20th, 2009 to
It's hard to go anywhere on the backpacker trail without seeing a Canadian flag. Sure, Canadians like to travel, and you'll run into us all over the place but we tend to be heavily outnumbered by Brits, Germans, Dutchies and Aussies. But I have to say Canadian flags on backpacks far outnumber any other nation's flag. 
 
Are we just proud? Are we trying to distinguish ourselves from our neighbours to the south? Are we trying to identify ourselves to others of our ilk? I can't tell you, I'm not a flagger.
Read more »

Bungee Jumping 'Feels Like Death'

Posted by andrea on August 19th, 2009 to

 

 

Add some excitement to your day and feel the thrill of flying...

Whistler offers whack loads of outdoor activities, including the adrenaline-pumping bungee jumping hosted by Whistler Bungee! Now, not everyone does the Charlie Brown dance when bungee jumping is mentioned but for 3 friends and me, we were cha cha cha-ing all the way to Whistler.

  Read more »

HI Still a Great Deal During 2010 Olympics

Posted by Backpacker Buzz on August 17th, 2009 to

Check out this Global News Story on staying with HI during next years Olympics: With just six months to go before the 2010 games two of the largest hostels in downtown Vancouver are nearly booked up. Read more »

RTW: The Prodigies of Salzburg

Posted by Heather on August 16th, 2009 to

If you've seen The Sound of Music, you know all about Salzburg, Austria. If you're like me and you haven't seen it, then come to Salzburg and you'll feel like you have. The small city breeds child talent - with both the von Trapp kids and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart among its former residents. Whichever genre tickles your fancy more, there's plenty to see on the matter in Salzburg.  Read more »

Translink Canada Line to Open August 17, 2009

Posted by Backpacker Buzz on August 14th, 2009 to

Opening in time for the 2010 Olympics, Translinks new Canada Line is ready to start running on August 17th, over 3 months ahead of schedule.  This new skytrain route will run from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to the downtown core, taking a mere 25 minutes end to end and stopping at 16 locations.  The route will connect with the Expo Line, the King George Line, the Seabus and the West Coast Express, at the Waterfront Station, providing an invaluable asset to Vancouvers transit infrastructure. 

Check out the Canada Line video, route map and Translink's Tips for Opening Day after the jump. Read more »

RTW: Riding the Euro Rails

Posted by Heather on August 13th, 2009 to

It's a bit of a contentious issue but I don't think there's a better way to get around than by train. All things considered - price, convenience, comfort and time - the train wins. Canada doesn't come close to doing the train justice. Compare a rail map of Canada with a rail map of Europe and it's like comparing a single strand of spaghetti with a massive bowl of spag bol. Europe knows trains and if you're heading here any time soon, I suggest you get acquainted.  Read more »

RTW: Slow Down in Slovenia

Posted by Heather on August 10th, 2009 to

It's hard not to hop from city to city in Europe. It seems like that's what most backpackers do. So after a stream of Eastern European cities, I was happy to get to Slovenia, where even the capital seems like a glorified town and just outside there's a national park bursting at the seams with outdoor activities.

Read more »

RTW: Salsa With the Sarajevans

Posted by Heather on August 6th, 2009 to
Sarajevo has only been on my radar for a short time. One day a few years ago, at an old, very boring job (not with HI!), I had a habit of Wikipedia-ing random cities around the world that I knew little about. When I searched for Sarajevo, two bits of new information stuck in my head. 
Read more »

A Letter from HI-C-PMR Members

Posted by Backpacker Buzz on August 5th, 2009 to

HI-C-PMR members Gerald and Alison Hankins recently attended the 100th Anniversary event at Bragg Creek.  Read their letter about the event and about their personal connection with beginning of hostelling in Canada after the jump.