Backpackers.com

Would You Know How To Survive A Hostel Fire?

A week ago, a hostel in Chile caught alight, and ten backpackers died in the blaze. A horrible story with a very unhappy ending.

Would you know what to do if a fire started in your hostel? Or would you panic?

I’m not sure I would have the faintest clue what to do and was very happy to hear that Flarebrands (creators of the Flaresafe – portable smoke detector/torch) have put together a free guide on how to survive (and prepare for) a fire.

Some handy tips mentioned in the fire safety guide:

• when checking in at a hostel, ask at the reception about fire safety measures
• make a note of exit points when you arrive (smoke is likely to obscure exit signs)
• remember that smoke is often more dangerous than the fire itself – cover your nose and mouth
• if there is a fire – stay low: smoke and heat rises, oxygen sinks

These may sound paranoid, or overkill, but building a quick check into your routine takes so little effort, and could save you from what is a horrid horrid death.

Take a moment to read through the Fire Safety Guide – it’s worth the effort.

Related stories:
‘Backpackers Killed in Chile Hostel Fire’ (Backpackers.com)
‘Australian dies in Chile hostel fire’ (The Age)
‘Aussie killed in hostel inferno’ (Sydney Morning Herald)
‘Fire at hostel’ (Newsshopper.co.uk)
‘Melbourne Hostel Blaze Kills Backpacker Couple’ (Backpackers.com)
‘Flaresafe: Torch, Smoke Detector And More’ (Backpackers.com)

Useful resources for backpackers:
Flarebrands website – creators of the Flaresafe smoke detector/torch.
Hostels Worldwide – find and book cheap hostels online

Travel Tips Forum – share your own travel tips or warnings with fellow travellers.

Posted in General Travel, Hostels, Travel Gear, Travel News, Travel Tips & Planning, Travel Tools | No Comments »

Travel Tips For Europe

Europe’s summer season isn’t too far away now. Many backpackers may already have booked their plane tickets, purchased guide books and started working out a rough POA.

Those of you looking for a bit of travel advice might like to take a look at this article.

Written by a guest of Brave New Traveler (one of my favourite travel blogs), the article – ‘The 7 Secrets Of Independent Travel In Europe’ – has the following advice for independent travellers:

1. Do not try to see and do too much.
2. Decide on mode of transport.
3. Be aware of security of possessions.
4. Try to learn at least a few words of the language.
5. Don’t be too structured.
6. Don’t just stick to tourist traps.
7. Book your accommodation in advance.

Read the full article here.

Useful resources for backpackers:
Hostels in Europe – find and book cheap hostels online

Backpackers Travel Forums – find travel buddies and share travel advice with other travellers.
Guide for Europe – backpackers guide for Europe.
Europe From A Backpack – real stories from young travellers.

Photo by EugeniaB, a member of the Backpackers Travel Photo Pool on Flickr (join the group)

Posted in Destinations, General Travel, Travel Tips & Planning | No Comments »

Travel Warning: Heavy Flooding In Mozambique

It’s been raining in Mozambique – a whole lot. So much so that the Zambezi River has burst its banks and is wreaking havoc.

This has spurred Canadian Consular Affairs to issue the following travel warning:

‘Current heavy rains have caused flooding in Mozambique, mainly in the provinces of Zambezia and Sofala, along the entire length of the Zambezi River. This has affected road travel and sanitation in these areas.’

‘Travellers should avoid the affected areas until the situation has stabilized. (Travellers) currently in Mozambique should refrain from undertaking unnecessary overland travel in this area, monitor local news and weather reports, and follow the advice of local authorities.’

For more info, visit this site.

Useful resources for backpackers:
Canadian Consular Affairs – travel guides and warnings for Canadians abroad
British Foreign & Commonwealth Office – travel advice for Britons
Australian Dept Foreign Affairs & Trade – travel advice for Aussies
U.S. Dept of State – travel advice for American citizens

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Tripmates Becomes ‘TripUp’

This just in from Tripmates – one of our favourite social travel networking sites:

The old Tripmates is now the new TripUp! Your social travel network has a catchy new name, fresh look, and exciting new features. You can now customize your profile by designing your profile styles and embedding html and flash into your Excess Baggage (such as graphics, YouTube videos, and slideshows). Plus, you can post past trips, create a map of all of your travels, and upload travel videos (which we like to call “Trip Flicks”).

TripUp offers more opportunities to link up, meet up, and hook up with locals and travelers from all over the world. Follow the link below to check out your new and improved social travel network:

http://www.tripup.com

Sounds pretty cool. We look forward to giving it a try.

Related stories:
‘Travel Buddies online’ (Backpackers.com)
‘Social Networking for Backpackers’ (Backpackers.com)
‘TripFlicks: Sharing Travel Videos With Your Tripmates’ (Backpackers.com)

Useful resources for backpackers:
International Hostels – find and book cheap hostels online

Backpackers Travel Forums – find travel buddies and share travel advice with other travellers.

Posted in Backpackers Bookmarks, Travel Community, Travel News | 1 Comment »

A Working Holiday With A Difference: Selling Sex To Earn Travel Money

Now here’s a job that’s unlikely to turn up on any working holiday websites: casual prostitution.

According to this article an increasing number of foreign backpackers visiting the state of Queensland, Australia have found an unusual way to fund their planned travels: by working as ‘black market prostitutes’.

I’m guessing the only reason it’s making the news is because Queensland’s existing bevy of brothels is kicking up a bit of a fuss:

‘Having fewer overheads, they could often undercut the legal sex industry on price, making it harder for the state’s 23 legal brothels to make a profit’

“They can charge less because they are not paying GST (goods and services tax), staff costs for managers and receptionists”

(Iafrica Travel)

Each to his or her own, I suppose. The rest of us will probably stick to more traditional holiday jobs like waiting tables and or manning the bar.

Useful resources for backpackers:
Hostels in Australia – book cheap hostels online.
Backpackers Travel Forums – find travel buddies and share travel advice with other travellers.
Tourism Queensland – Tourism and travel info for Queensland.

(Photo: Jenny Rollo)

Posted in General Travel, Travel News | No Comments »

This Is The Life: The World’s Greatest Experiences?

Life is short, so you may as well fill it up with all the good stuff, right?

ThisIsTheLife is a website dedicated to recording all of the world’s very best experiences.

You can browse through the existing experiences, rate and review them, and add your own (if you like sharing, that is). You can sign in, or just have a look around.

All the experiences are marked on maps, so you can quite quickly see where exactly they are to be found. Each one also has a link to the ‘nearest experience’ – another fun thing to do somewhere nearby (why stop at the Colosseum, for example, when you can also sip on espresso in the Piazza Navona?)

Apart browsing by location, experiences are also cunningly arranged into interests like adrenaline thrills, top city views and unique travel experiences.

There’s also an upcoming events calendar, with festivals like the Cadiz Carnival or the Delray Beach Garlic Festival.

Oh, and if you’ve ever wanted to know what zorbing is, ThisIsTheLife is the place to find out (I know I wouldn’t mind becoming a Zorbonaut).

Useful resources for backpackers:
International Hostels – find and book cheap hostels online

Backpackers Travel Forums – find travel buddies and share travel advice with other travellers.

Posted in Backpackers Bookmarks, General Travel | No Comments »

Win Tickets to Splashy Fen 2007: South Africa’s Longest Running Music Festival

Splashy Fen, South Africa’s longest-running music festival, is coming up this April, and we’re giving away tickets!

Featuring a great selection of the country’s top artists, such as The Parlotones, Bed On Bricks, Chris Chameleon, Rory Eliot and Sitter (the list goes on), the popular weekend festival kicks off on Thursday 5 April, rolling all the way through the Easter Weekend to Monday 9 April.

And the music is only part of the ‘Ultimate Outdoor Experience’:

Other attractions range from river rafting, hiking, horseback trails and paintball to drumming circles and workshops, an extensive arts and crafts market, a wide assortment of food stalls and the ever-popular African Rainbow Village with its complementary therapists.

The popular festival is held on the Splashy Fen Farm, about 2 hours drive from Durban, in Kwa Zulu Natal.

Tickets normally cost R350 at the gate, but you could strike it lucky right here on Backpackers.com because we are giving away two double-passes this year!

All you have to do to enter our giveaway is answer the two questions that follow:

1. How many people attended the very first Splashy Fen Festival, way back in 1990? (hint)
2. Name one of the facilities available at the festival (hint)

Use our contact form and send your answers, along with your details (please include a contact number), to the ‘Splashy Fen Giveaway’ before the 26th of February 2007.

We’ll hold the draw, pick the two lucky winners, and call you up to give you the good news.

Good luck!

Competition closes 26 February 2007. Each prize is for two tickets only – transport and accommodation not included.

Useful resources for backpackers:
Hostels in Durban – find and book cheap hostels online

Festival Forums – find fellow festival-goers or get festival tips
eThekwini Tourism – travel and tourism info for Durban.

Posted in Competitions & Giveaways, Festivals | No Comments »

Just Announced: A New Addition To Britain’s Summer Festival Calendar - The Knowsley Hall Music Festival

Hot off the press comes the announcement of a brand-spanking-new festival for all you party animals out there!

Called the Knowsley Hall Music Festival, the two-day rock festival, to be held on a beautiful Liverpool country estate, is the newest addition to an already impressive British summer festival lineup.

Here’s what organisers had to say:

Set in 2500 acres of stunning, landscaped parkland and as ancestral home to the Earls of Derby since 1385 the stage is most definitely set for the first ever KNOWSLEY HALL MUSIC FESTIVAL and one of the most breathtakingly beautiful events ever to hit the North West of England.

Created and developed by the award winning team behind Creamfields and Rockness and the production team behind Bestival and Freedom Rocks, this two day, premier event is destined a phenomenal addition to the festival circuit.

Rock legends The Who and stadium sell-outs Keane will be headlining the festival, which takes place on the 23rd and 24th of June 2007.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Monday 12th February (that’s next week). Weekend ticket price: £70+BF. This is not a camping festival, so you’ll need to find accommodation nearby.

Related stories:
‘The Who and Keane to headline new festival’ (VirtualFestivals.com)
‘The Who and Keane set for new festival’ (NME.com)

Useful resources for backpackers:
Hostels in Liverpool – find and book cheap hostels online

Visit Liverpool – travel and accommodation info for Liverpool.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Sweden Goes Virtual

A while back, we wrote about a virtual online travel agency called SynthTravels.

Their claim to fame is that they exist solely in the virtual world, offering virtual tours of several cyber worlds, including Second Life and Guild Wars.

And now Sweden has jumped aboard the virtual tourism bandwagon by setting up its own ‘virtual presence’ in the online world of Second Life.

According to IOL Travel, the Scandinavian country will be setting up a ‘government-sanctioned “embassy” (that) will provide curious visitors with information about Swedish culture and history, as well as tips about places to visit and visa rules for tourists’.

Who needs the real world – soon it’ll all be in cyberspace!

Related stories:
Virtual Tours In A Virtual World: Exploring Cyberspace With The ‘Locals’ (Backpackers.com)
Sweden to set up virtual presence online (IOL Travel)

Useful resources for backpackers:
Hostel Booking – find and book cheap (non-virtual) hostels online

(Photo: kitkatcph/Flickr)

Posted in General Travel, Travel News | No Comments »

Travel Photo Of The Week - ‘Ganga is the Lifeline of Indian Culture’

Tiểu Ngoan Ä?ồng is a member of our travel photo pool on Flickr. He took this interesting shot during a visit to India.

At first glance I thought the words on the wall referred to something more along the lines of some local variety of wacky tabacky, pot, mary jane, or whatever you happen to call it.

It had a nice ring to it, and I was just settling into imagining how on earth the great ‘giggle twig’ could be considered a ‘lifeline of Indian culture’ – let alone how anyone indulging in the stuff would ever summon up enough conviction to plaster a statement like that up on a wall.

I was preparing to wax lyrical on the subject – get some feedback from travellers who’ve been to India, debate the pros and cons of the seemingly controversial proclamation.

Then it hit me: it’s ‘Ganga’ not ‘Ganja’ (silly fool!). Ganga is another name for Ganges, as in the Ganges River, probably the most famous river in India.

Brushing that extended blonde moment aside, I finally realised what the message was really about. Good thing I didn’t embarrass myself, hey? Ahem.

We love your photos! If you have your own images of beautiful places, serene spaces, festivals, beaches, your favourite city scenes, whatever could be classified as travel-related, join our Flickr pool now and start showing us your stuff.

Related (useful) resources for backpackers:
Hostels in India – find and book cheap hostels online

Backpackers travel photo pool – join our travel photo pool on Flickr.

Posted in Destinations, Travel Photos | 1 Comment »