Your backpacking travel planner

Beez Kneez Bakpakers

"Beez Kneez is an affordable and relaxed hostelling experience. We offer much comfort and lots of laughs. Don't bee surprised if you stay a few extra days ... and make some lifelong friends!

We are close to shopping, all the great Whitehorse attractions, adventures and night life. Rates for dorm beds are $30.00 + GST. We also have private rooms available at great prices as well.

Visit us in Whitehorse. Come as a Stranger. Stay as a friend!"

Hostel of the Week, September 14th to 20th, 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Don Gould's Polar Bear B and B

"Welcome to our quiet, clean and non smoking accommodation. We invite independent travelers, backpackers, families, and travel groups. Explore beautiful Churchill on our free to use bicycles! We also provide free Wireless Internet access.

We are looking forward to meeting a lot of people from all over the world!"

Hostel of the Week September 8th to 13th 2009
Submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Another postscript to my posts of a couple of weeks ago on blogging and Blogspot in Syria (see my last post and the postscript before it): after uploading the posts below, I received loads of emails and tweets from around the world, from Syrians asking everything from why I couldn't go to an internet cafe where it's often possible to access Blogspot (sorry, we were working 16-hour days so the only time I had to email was early morning or late at night at our hotels) to foreign and local censorship/IT experts wanting me to provide them with a list of every hotel we stayed at and the hotel's proxy info (apologies again, but one of the things we were doing in Syria was reviewing hotels, so we were moving hotels every second day, and I had enough to do as it was). Based on my recent experience ('recent', because I've never had time to blog on previous trips to Syria), my advice to you is if you're planning to travel to Syria and blog regularly, do your research first but research widely: there are plenty of experts eager to share their opinions (indeed, some rather aggressively) and there is a lot of contradictory advice around (even among the self-proclaimed "experts") about blogging and Blogspot in Syria, from people both outside and within Syria. I found that rarely did opinions align and every expert was able to cite a wealth of research on the subject. Once again, I apologise for not having time to test out your theories and suggestions, but I'm a travel writer who also blogs, rather than a travel blogger who also publishes - and that's likely to stay that way until someone pays me as much to blog as I earn writing. The paid work - which one charming "expert" referred to as "travel fluff" (rest assured, I took her as seriously as she took me) has to take priority, I'm afraid. So, back to work... or writing nonsense?

Mo's at Five Islands

"A hostel, art gallery, used bookstore, community center and a café with a wood-fired pizza oven, Mo's is a place with an identity issue.

Mo’s is set in the small rural community of Five Islands on the shore of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia. The Bay of Fundy is home of the highest tides in the world, rising up to 50 feet in some areas The area is calmly beautiful and offers hiking trails, waterfalls, crystals, fossils, rare stones, blueberry fields and abundant wildlife. Check out www.notsincemoses.com and www.fiveislandsretreat.com for information and pictures of the islands.

Mo’s is a historic general store refurbished now a place for the community to gather. Mo’s will host live music, art openings, open mics, yoga, softball games, workshops and discussion groups.

Five Islands Provincial Park is just down the road from Mo’s. The park has hiking trails and beautiful scenery overlooking the Five Islands. Sunsets are stunning. Ask about hiking the beach at low tide. Nearby Parrsboro offers local theatre, paragliding lessons, tai chi, a geology museum, music, sea kayaking in Advocate harbour and more.

Driving from Truro you must make a stop at the Masstown market to stock up on supplies.

We look forward to meeting you!"

Hostel of the Week, August 30th to September 5th 2009
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada

Ocean Island Backpackers

Ocean Island is located in beautiful Victoria, British Columbia and provides a wide variety of accommodation to travelers with a variety of needs and budgets at our two heritage properties. Our Backpackers Inn (built in 1893) is located in the downtown core and offers everything from budget dorm rooms and mini-private rooms to hotel-style rooms. Our second location, Ocean Island Suites (built in 1907) in quiet nearby James Bay offers deluxe apartment suites and vacation rentals. Both properties are within walking distance to restaurants, Chinatown, clubs, theaters, museums and the inner harbour.

Our colourful historic buildings are clean, comfortable, secure and offer modern facilities including a licensed cafe & lounge/live music venue, extensive free/cheap internet and tech services, modern fully equipped kitchen, comfortable lounge and dining rooms, inexpensive laundry facilities, parking and secure bike and baggage storage. We also offer sign up for Day Trips to beautiful nature spots and great travel info on our website and from our 24 hour Front Desk staff.

For Reservations call 1-888-888-4180 or book online.

Hostel of the week, August 25th to August 31st
submitted by Kennedy Jones
Backpackers Hostels Canada