Backpackerz BUZZ: Issue 63

Spotlight: HI-Edmonton
Cool urban accommodation in one of Canada’s most vibrant and historic neighbourhoods—Old Strathcona. Great nightlife and live theatre on Whyte Avenue is just a block away, and the University of Alberta is eight blocks away. The hostel is located just far enough from downtown to get away from it all, but convenient to the attractions and right off Whyte Avenue—home of the best pubs and clubs in Edmonton.

HI-Edmonton offers shared and private accommodation starting at $24 per night. Relax in the newly refurbished common room, spend the long evenings of summer outside in the private courtyard and enjoy the many activities the staff arrange for guests. Fringe packages and West Edmonton Mall attraction passes are available at great rates from the front desk.
HI-Edmonton
10647-81 Ave.
Edmonton, AB
Reservations: 1-877-467-8336
www.hihostels.ca/edmonton
edmonton@hihostels.ca

INSPIRE Photo Contest 2008
Got some great photos? The Hostelling International Travel Shop, Travel CUTS and Mountain Equipment Co-op in Edmonton are once again sponsoring the INSPIRE Photo Contest. Travellers are asked to submit photographs from their travels. The theme this year is “engage.” The grand-prize winner will be awarded a travel gear package valued at more than $300.

The entry deadline is May 16, 2008.
Please send an email requesting an entry form to marketing.na@hihostels.ca.

Top 5 hostel Health Tips
1. Be insured, for sure
Nothing illustrates the concept of “better safe than sorry” like insurance. Your provincial health insurance likely won’t cover you in the event of an accident, emergency or illness in another country, especially not if you’ve been gone for awhile. Even your extended medical insurance might not be as comprehensive as you’d think. Additional travel health insurance is one of the most important things you can pack along. Think first about where you’re going and what you’ll be doing before you buy. Check out a few plans to see what suits you best. See if you can package it up with trip cancellation and baggage insurance.

2. Get vaccinated
Vaccinations are a lot like insurance, except they involve a jab to the arm rather than your wallet. Some countries require vaccinations for all visitors, others just recommend a few. Your best bet is to check with the Public Health Agency of Canada (travelhealth.gc.ca) for the specifics that pertain to you and your travel plans. Start this process as early as possible—some vaccines require the first shot up to a year before you travel. Even if you’re within the ideal timeline, visit a travel clinic to see what your options are. Carry copies of your vaccination records, in case you need to prove your immunity when entering a country.

3. Carry medications carefully
If you need to take daily medications—prescription or not—make sure whatever you bring along is in clearly marked containers. If they’re prescription medications, bring copies of the prescriptions. Depending on where you’re travelling to, think about how much you need to pack in your luggage—you may need enough medication to last your entire trip if you’re travelling to remote areas where access to a pharmacy is limited.

4. Bring a first-aid kit (and don’t be afraid to use it)
This should be small but you want it to pack a punch. You can get a pre-made first-aid kit at most drug stores or you can rig up a tailor-made one yourself. Include the basics—adhesive bandages (various shapes and sizes), antibiotic cream, tweezers, gauze, waterproof tape, small scissors, moleskin, and the most important (but oft-misplaced) travel accessory in the world—safety pins. Replace items as you use them, and don’t leave your kit at the bottom of your backpack in the hostel while you and your daypack are out for a hike.

5. Listen to your body and then listen to it again
Above all, your health and safety rely on one of the most valuable tools you’ve got—you. Know your body and listen to it. If it suddenly wants to expel everything you just put into it, pay attention (it’ll be hard not to). Are you drinking enough water? Have you slept in the past four days? Did you really need to eat that? Most importantly—don’t be afraid to seek medical help when you don’t know the answer. Travel is best enjoyed with a healthy mind and body. The better you know how to read your body’s signs and symptoms, the better equipped you are to travel more and for longer.

Where Can I Buy a Membership?
Getting an HI-Canada membership is easy—choose one of these four options:

1. Buy online—go to www.hihostels.ca/membership to get a regular adult, life, junior or group membership. The membership will be mailed to you and you’ll receive it in about a week.
2. Call your regional office and order one with a credit card over the phone—dial 1-800-663-5777 to be connected to the office nearest you.
3. Go to one of Canada’s more than 60 hostels or regional offices and pick one up at the front desk. For more info on locations, check 
www.hihostels.ca.
4. Visit one of the more than 300 Membership Sales Agents across the country. These are travel agents or stores that sell HI memberships. Many locations stock the memberships so you’ll get it in your hand right away, and you’ll save the shipping cost charged through online and phone purchases.

Across Canada, you’ll find HI memberships for sale at:
Travel CUTS
Mountain Equipment Co-op
Flight Centre
Find listings of other sales agents by province at 
www.hihostels.ca/msa

Membership Types:
All memberships get you the member rate on accommodation at all of the 4,000 hostels in 80 countries around the world (usually about 20% off per night). They’re also your ticket to other discounts on attractions, activities, dining and more.
Adult: Valid until March 2010—$35+tax
Life: Valid forever—$175+tax
Junior: Valid until cardholder’s 18th birthday—FREE
Group: Valid for one year for groups of 10 or more—FREE
If you’re looking for a life, junior or group membership, your best bet is to order online or by phone. Not a Canadian resident? You can get a one-year membership by visiting a regional office or a hostel.

About Backpacker Buzz
The Backpacker Buzz is brought to you by Hostelling International–Canada (Pacific Mountain)/ HI is a not-for-profit association whose mission is to help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of people, places and cultures through hostelling. With 4,000 hostels in 80 countries, HI is the world’s largest budget accommodation network.
Visit us online at www.hihostels.ca.

Want more?
Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter for more information about hostel happenings in Canada and around the world, as well as special member deals and contests.
E-mail info.pm@hihostels.ca to sign up.

Have Your Say
If you’ve got a great hostelling story, we want to hear it. Send your backpacking and hostelling tales to outpost@hihostels.ca. Selected stories will appear in a future issue of Outpost, or our e-newsletter.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 12:29 pm and is filed under Hostelling International. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site. Add to del.icio.us.