Happy Birthday Travel CUTS and Hostelling International

I want a ride in this cake hot air balloon for my birthday. (Skychariot.com)

Looks like this is a big year in travel birthdays, or anniversaries if you think that’s a little classier. (Birthday cake is usually better though, so I’ll stick with that.)

Travel CUTS turns 40 this year, and doesn’t have a single grey hair. They’ve probably managed to stay young and cool through their 50 locations near colleges and universities in Canada and the US.

Do you know what the CUTS stands for? Because they’re not just shouting at you. It’s the Canadian University Travel Services.

Travel CUTS is co-owned by the Canadian Federation of Students and
the Canadian Student Horizons Group. Student ownership means that
the money CUTS earns helps to fund new and innovative student products
and services.

Celebrate the big 4-0 with one of CUTS’ deals on a Contiki tour, rail pass or other student travel discounts. 

Hostelling International is doing lots to celebrate their 100th birthday, including a contest to offer you 100 Days Down Under. The winner will get a trip to Australia, including 100 free nights in YHAs across the country.

And yes, Australia has really good birthday cake, too.

 

Let Hostelling International Inspire You

Where to go? What to do? Some people know exactly where they want their next trip, or their next ten trips, to take them. But sometimes there’s so much to choose from that it’s hard to focus in on just one destination.

If you’re ready to go, but you aren’t sure where, start with Hostelling International’s Inspire Me feature. This page can help you narrow down your choices based on the kind of activity or climate you’re looking for. They also let you know about all the hostels that will fit your criteria. Once you have a destination and a place to stay, all you need is transportation and you’re almost done!

Before you book a hostel, be sure to get your Hostelling International membership card. You’ll save a few dollars every night that you stay and you can also get discounts on tours, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment with your card. That’s more cash you can spend on postcards, sunscreen, pub food, or whatever you want.

Your friendly local Travel CUTS agent can help you out with all of these details and more.

Make Your 2008 Travel Resolutions

How many days did you spend traveling this year? Whether it was five or 50, you probably wish it had been more. Make it easier to get where you want to go in 2008 by being prepared to hit the road at a moment’s notice. Think of these things as a traveler’s kit of necessities:

Passport – Without it, you’re facing some serious delays in trip planning. The law requiring a passport to travel to Canada and Mexico went into effect last year, then was relaxed, but only some places, depending on where and how you entered and who was on duty that day. Don’t let a lack of identification keep you from joining friends on a last-minute run across the border, or from passing up an unbeatble airfare to Paris or London or Tokyo. Passports are good for 10 years, so once you have it in hand you won’t have to think about it again for a whole decade. Visit the U.S. State Department’s website for the forms. You should be able to file them at a Post Office near you.

ISIC, IYTC, or ITIC – Whether you’re a full-time student, a teacher, or a youth under the age of 26, there are thousands of different types of identification out there. Only one is internationally recognized as proof of your student, teacher or youth status. Get this card at a Travel CUTS store or order online and start saving money on museums, bus, airline, and train tickets, restaurants, and activities in more than 90 countries (and in your home town).

Hostelling International Card – This card can also be ordered online and will get you:

Discounts at more than 4, 000 hostels worldwide, including 11 in the USA

Savings of up to 85% on international phone calls, free email access, voicemail and travel info through eKit

Discounts at restaurants, stores, and attractions

Discounts on Greyhound transportation and tours

Discounts on Alamo and Hertz car rentals

Worldwide, commission-free currency exchange

Free seminars on traveling abroad

Luggage that won’t cause you pain – find yourself a few different pieces that you can afford, that you won’t be devestated if they get lost or damaged, and that are comfortable to pack and carry. A good backpack is essential and one that has the ability to expand or shrink will work for weekends away or longer backpacking trips. You don’t have to spend a fortune on luggage. In fact, garage sales, thrift stores, and discount shops have great deals.

A library card – Great travels require great planning. You don’t have to put together a daily itinerary, but a basic understanding of the region you’re visiting, the languages you’re going to encounter, and the major sights you want to see will help a lot. Rather than spending your money on heavy books to lug with you, do your reading before you go for free, photocopy any maps or helpful language charts, and then buy a small pocket-sized guide to go with you. If you’re an AAA member, take advantage of their free roadmaps and books.

With all of these things ready, 2008 could be your best travel year yet. Get out there!

Winter Specials at a Hostel Near You

The holidays are about over and you’ve had more than enough quality time with your family, but school doesn’t start up for a few more weeks. What to do? How about a mini-holiday?

Hostels around the country offer good deals and excellent sights and adventures that you can enjoy without going more than a day’s drive away. Winter is the perfect time to take advantage of special rates and smaller crowds, and Hostelling International can take you to some very cool locations.

From November 4, 2007, through February 28, 2008, overnight guests at either the Point Montara Lighthouse or Point Reyes hostels in California can stay one night and get the second night at half price, for stays falling Sunday through Thursday nights, excluding holidays. Have you ever stayed in a lighthouse overlooking the Pacific Ocean? No? Then yuo can hardly pass up the chance to do it now.

Visit the Snowboarding House in Maine for just $19 a night, or warm up with a weekend hitting the blues clubs and mountain parks in Phoenix for just $18 a night. Spend a night in New York, Chicago, Austin, or even Boise just as cheap, so you’ll have plenty of cash left for food and entertainment.

Get spontaneous and book a bed today.

While you’re surfing around, go sign the petition to support a “Centennial of Hostelling” Postage Stamp.

Competitive? Wordy? This Essay Contest’s for You

Feelin’ lucky?

Hostelling International-USA and Earthchild Productions, producers of the award-winning documentary film “A Map for Saturday”, are sponsoring an essay contest for student travelers. The rules say:

“To enter, explain in 400 words or less why you deserve this ticket to the adventure of a lifetime. Why do you want to travel? Why is now the right time for you to go on such a trip and why haven’t you done it until now?

We’re looking for someone who will make the most of this opportunity and help articulate to others (through a travelblog, podcast, photos or video) the joys and challenges of long-term travel as they experience them.”

The deadline is November 30, 2007. That gives you less than a month, but the prize begins with a free round-the-world ticket, so it could be worth an hour of your time.

Read the official rules and entry details at www.amapforsaturday.com

Hostel Life Lets You Travel Cheap

If you’re headed abroad for a short-term stay, say two weeks or less, a hostel is an ideal place to crash. There are plenty of other travelers to socialize with, generally clean restrooms, a kitchen for preparing your own cheap meals, and sometimes they offer perks like television, free Internet access, laundry, or sightseeing discounts.

In a large city you’ll likely have a dozen or more hostels to choose from, ranging from huge hotel-like structures with their own bars and restaurants, to the smaller, mom-and-pop places that may not offer as many amenities, or even hot water. In smaller locations, say deep in the Australian outback or in out-of-the-way South American villages, your choices will be more limited, but not necessarily less comfortable. One of the nicest I came across was the Prarie Hotel in Parachilna, South Australia, population: 7.

Your best bet for finding a good hostel is to ask other backpackers for recommendations. If you don’t have time though, go through Hostelling International, as they only give their seal of approval to places that meet their standards. (Although those standards do seem to vary here and there.)

You need to have a HI card to get a discounted price, but if you’re going to be traveling for more than three weeks during a year, it will pay for itself in discounts. You can pick one up at any Travel CUTS shop, or online. The HI website has a list of hostels by city, so you can get addresses and plan ahead.

When packing for your hostel stay, there are a few essentials:

• Plastic bags, both big and small, are perfect for packing any shower items that might drip or leak, as well as dirty clothes, muddy shoes, or snacks.
• Flip flops make great shower shoes (as in going to and from, or during, if the floor’s too creepy).
• Most hostels give you bed linens, or let you rent them for a few dollars, but it can’t hurt to bring along a simple sheet. Check your local thrift store and get something you won’t mind throwing out before you return home. You can sew the sides of the sheet together to make a sleeping bag out of it, or leave it in tact to use at the beach, out camping, or on a bus or train ride.
• A small flashlight is ideal for late-night trips to the bathroom. Try to find one of those small things that attaches to a keychain and lights up when you squeeze it.
• Finally, a clothesline is compact and can be hung just about anywhere so that you can handwash and dry clothes.

When choosing a place to stay, also remember that you have the right to look a hostel over and see a room before you hand over any money. If you walk into a place that feels sketchy or makes you uncomfortable, walk back out and look for something else.

The hostel culture is perfect for travelers who can eat, sleep, and shower anywhere. But even if you’re not sure that sounds like you, give it a try for a few nights. It’s laid-back, friendly, and you’ll meet people and have experiences that you’ll remember forever. You’ll probably get some great stories out of it too, so share the best, and worst, of what you find.