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JAN

Backpacker jobs: ideas for making money on the road

Good, honest work… Even when you’re staying in cheap hostels to keep your costs down, there’ll be times when money gets tight. How can you make enough cash to keep up your travel? Nobody wants to go to the Bank of Mum And Dad too often, and travel writing and photography – the dream careers for many travellers – can be brutally tough to make money from if you don’t already have a reputation or a few good contacts. Thankfully, those aren’t the only two options. While the bloggers who’ve ‘made it’ have a high media profile, the reality is that most travellers earn a buck through fairly ordinary jobs. The work may not always be glamorous, but it’ll expose you to new people and another side of life in your chosen destination ...

JAN

Youth Hostels - Hiking holiday in Bled or Bohinj

Four active hostel breaks for 2017

With a new year stretching ahead of us, we aren’t just thinking about travel: we’re also thinking about how to set some new personal goals and shed some of the pounds we put on over Christmas and New Year. With that in mind, we’ve thought up a few inspiring active backpacking breaks that’ll get you into a new sport, introduce you to a new one or push your performance to a new level. And because they’re in places with plenty of cheap hostels, they won’t break the bank either… A kayak tour of Stockholm (and beyond) An active break in a major European city? No, we haven’t lost it – Stockholm, remember, is one of several cities that claim to be the ‘Venice of the North’. There’s water everywhere ...

JAN

4 local breweries to visit when you’re in Melbourne

Like America, Australia has traditionally been the butt of the rest of the world’s jokes when it comes to beer. The long-standing (and unfair) stereotype sees Aussie beer culture as a bunch of guys swilling lager from ‘stubbies’ - and the beer they’re drinking is probably Victoria Bitter, brewed in Melbourne since the mid-19th century. Thankfully, beer drinkers have wised up. Just as we’ve learned that there’s more to the US scene than Bud and Coors ...

JAN

5 of the world’s best towns for outdoor activities

Every backpacker has their own reason for hitting the road, but for many, adventure and activities are a big part of the mix. If you think that means basing yourself out in the wild, think again: there are loads of cities around the world that have outdoor adventure right on the doorstep, allowing you to stay in a buzzing city-centre hostel and still get your adrenaline fix. What’s more, a cheap dorm space means you spend less on accommodation ...

JAN

4 great souvenir ideas for a backpacking trip

Picking up souvenirs while backpacking is half the fun, right? Rooting around off the beaten track often turns up some proper little must-haves that will get friends talking when you get home. There’s a slight hitch, though: clearly, when you’re backpacking, there’s not a whole of room to cram in souvenirs. And on top of that, money’s often tight. So it helps to set a few ground rules before you go shopping. First, keep it small. That one’s obvious. Second ...

OCT

Health basics: first aid essentials to pack for your backpacking trip

While it’s good to be prepared, you can go overboard with your travel meds pack - some backpackers rock up to their hostel with a whole pharmacy in tow, including nice-to-have but non-essential items like vitamin tablets and cough lozenges. We think the six items below are the foundation of a travel first aid kit, obviously supplemented by any regular medicines you’ve been prescribed and any destination-specific items you need, such as antimalarials and altitude sickness pills ...

OCT

Youth Hostels - Experiencing cities like a local

Six-and-a-half tips on experiencing cities like a local

Want to avoid being these guys? Of course you do. Read on… 1. Read local media If there’s local media available in your language, devour it in advance of your backpacking trip. Hit up newspaper or magazine websites and social feeds. Look at the lifestyle sections for the latest top spots for food and drink, entertainment and shopping. Check the news sections to make yourself aware of any important news stories or events. You may not come across anything need-to-know ...

OCT

Youth Hostels - Good night's sleep in a Hostel

How to get a good night’s sleep in a hostel

Sharing a dorm in a city centre hostel? Here’s how to make sure you get some solid rest whatever your fellow backpackers get up to… 1. Get a private (or nearly private) room Pretty obviously, private rooms give you a touch more control over noise, lighting and so on - though unless you’ve managed to find a hostel with soundproof walls, you’ll still be able to hear what’s going on outside. Going private is less expensive than you might think ...

OCT

Newbie tip: 4 destinations that are great for finding travel companions

If you’re heading out on a solo backpacking trip, meeting travelling companions is probably going to be high on your agenda. As we’ve said here many times, companions are indispensable when you’re on a long hostelling trip: they offer fun, support, and ideas about what to do and where to go next. They don’t have to become BFFs, but they often do. When it comes to actually finding like-minded travellers, not all backpacker destinations are created equal. Sure ...

APR

Chicago grub on a budget: a local’s guide

Caption: Chicago is famous for deep-dish pizza, but its foodie delights don’t end there… Heading to a hostel in Chicago this year? Follow city resident Abby Baric’s 24-hour, bank-balance-friendly guide to delicious dishes in the city… If you’re a backpacker setting your sights on the US, don’t sleep on the Windy City. Chicago offers more than just world-famous sports teams, beautiful architecture and notoriously cold winter temperatures ...

APR

In praise of Valparaíso: Why Chile’s student-packed port is backpacker heaven

Half way down the Chilean coast, the sprawling historic port of Valparaíso has four universities, art events galore and bohemian culture running along each of its chaotic hilly streets. If you’re looking for a backpacker-friendly stay in Chile, you can’t do better – there are plenty of cheap hostels, and the combination of artists and students makes for a nightlife that carries on well into the early hours. On top of that ...

APR

A beginner’s guide to Japanese drinking culture

Most new arrivals find there are two sides to Japan: it’s both exciting and unfathomable, both welcoming and confusing. And when you head out of your hostel to enjoy some local nightlife, that feeling often doubles. While the drinking scene is very rarely as formal as Japanese professional life, there are a few customs and regional variations that are worth understanding. The flipside is that locals go hard – so once you’re in the swing of things ...

Travel insurance for backpackers: a beginner’s guide

Five must-bring items you probably haven’t thought of

A backpacker’s guide to visiting the Berlin Wall