Newsletter - February 2006

From the Editor

Welcome to St. Christopher’s first newsletter of 2006; we’ve been really busy with trying out new features, revamping our layout and expanding our newsletter team. We’ve also committed ourselves to a New Years resolution, which is to provide you, the backpacker, with the best travel resource possible. We’re always working hard to enhance your travels by giving you the best deals, the hottest parties and the most exciting time of your life. London’s Camden Hostel has turned February into a tribute to North America with a live broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada every Saturday and a Superbowl Sunday party on the 5th. St. Christopher’s in Bruges is looking to make this your most romantic Valentines Day ever with canal boat rides and picnics beside the Lake of Love. Yolanda, our resident travel writer is off on another adventure, this time she’s taking us along to mysterious Romania. Also check out the latest news on the Olympics, tips for staying a healthy backpacker, how to win some great free swag with Deepdale Backpackers and Newquay’s answer to live music with their brand new ‘No Covers’ night.

Write Around The World: Travel Story

Yolanda’s at it again, everyone’s favourite backpacking party girl sets off to Romania to tackle a mountain and discover Dracula. And along the way she finds herself a main attraction for the culturally isolated locals.

Why not tell your story and if published you’ll also enjoy two nights free at St Christopher’s Inns! Send us your travel story to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.

Catalyst for Adventure: The True Story of Best Friends Travelling Through Europe

Ever feel like you’re having the same conversation with every new backpacker you meet? Then you’ll defiantly relate to Crystal and Summer's adventures in Greece. - “Crystal, mass communications and political science, Keizer, Oregon, track and cheerleading.”

Recommend your favourite travel books to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk

Top 10 Most Romantic Ways To Tell Your Valentine You Love Them. Bruges Style.

Pick a cold, overcast January day and medieval Bruges will still be one of the most romantic spots in Europe. This is a city built on diamonds and chocolate. With the ancient architecture and calming canals, Bruges is your perfect Valentines Day on a platter. Check out our Top 10 ways to spend February 14^th with the one you love.

What’s your Top 10…suggest a topic to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk

A Well Fed Backpacker is a Well Travelled Backpacker

Let St Christopher’s Show You How With Our New Healthy Eating Guide

Every new year calls for some new resolutions and the one all backpackers should strive for is eating healthier when on the road. Not the easiest thing to do when you’re battling impermanence and a diminishing budget but with the help of our newest eating healthy guide you should be back to balanced eating in no time. Caz, our backpacker extraordinaire, has put together a few tips from her trips for making the most of your meal money. Starting next month look forward to James, our resident personal trainer, getting technical and getting you into shape.

Have you got any tips for eating right and staying healthy while travelling? Pass it along to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk

Sports Update

February is dedicated to the sports fanatic, with an abundance of not-to-be-missed action no matter what your sport. For a preview of the hottest contests, the latest team news and an introduction to something new, read on...

Beds & Bars News

Shepherd’s Bush in west London has rolled out a specials list for every day of the week starting in February. Monday to Friday enjoy 241 food from 12-5. And stick around for Happy Hour from 3-8 when coronas and cruisers are 241. Tuesday night is Open mic night, where everyone gets a chance to be a star. Wednesday is Ladies Night with cheap cocktails all night. And cash in on the Australian special with £2 Bundy and coke or £2 Crown Lager’s. Saturday’s through February we’ll be showcasing all the best of the 6 Nations action and the championship league football. And finaly round off the week with Snakebite Sunday’s offering up some live music with Sue-Ann starting at 1800.

Camden Hostel in London

Camden has long been a haven for London's artistic souls, a mass congregation of writers, musicians and visual artists; this is where you will find some of the most colourful people the city has to offer with their pink dreads and day-glow t-shirts. There are more tattoo and piercing studios than anywhere else in the city, a live venue to satisfy every musical palate, a multi-cultural smorgasbord of cuisine and more than enough pubs, clubs, and bars to keep you perpetually entertained. In the centre of all this action you'll find St Christopher's Camden hostel.

During the daylight hours Camden Market is the place to get lost while finding just about anything from anywhere. Comprised of six sprawling markets dotting the high street, Camden Markets will reveal a plethora of fashion, arts, crafts, furniture, international food and drink, antiques, jewellery, music and souvenirs. So many treasures, you'll definitely want to take a full day to explore it all.

Europe's Famous Hostels

15 of Europe's best independent hostels have now been chosen as Europe's Famous Hostels by backpackers and budget travellers as their favourite and most memorable stays on their journeys. Each hostel has been highlighted repeatedly on websites, guidebooks and through word of mouth as must see destinations - as important as the cities themselves!

Villa Saint Exupery in Nice, France

It didn't start out as a hostel. It started as a monastery, to which the Carmelite nuns added a French lycee and, later, a student residence. In 1999 the nuns decided to sell; perhaps they ran out of steam, what with all the new French government security regulations requiring major investment; perhaps they did not have enough young recruits to take over the good work.

Cardiff Backpackers in Cardiff, Wales

Come to a city that is vibrant, bold and cosy! Cardiff is a city of diversity. It buzzes with the vibe of being Europe's youngest capital as well as being steeped in unique welsh traditions and history. Whether you are looking for culture, sport or partying Cardiff offers it all with the added bonus of being the capital of a proud and unique nation with its own language and style.

Deepdale Backpackers Competition

There's a trio of great prize getaways to be won from Deepdale Backpackers this month. All you need to do is collect all five Deepdale Backpackers beermats, where you'll learn great bits of trivia. Once you've got all five, get online, prove your intellectual savvy, and get entered in to win a great mini-break. Prizes include: Two return tickets on National Express to either Fakenham or Kings Lynn from anywhere in the UK plus three nights accommodation in Deepdale Backpackers; A cyclists dream with three day bike rental from On Yer Bike plus 3 nights accommodation to help you get out and see the countryside; or a guided waling tour around Fitchwell Bird Reserve for two people plus two night.
To win you just need to log onto www.deepdalefarm.co.uk/quiz and give it your best go. If you manage to collect some Deepdale Backpackers beermats before hand your job will be made a lot easier as some of these questions are quite the stumpers. Best of all, even if your genius doesn't win you any prizes, just for entering you're eligible for some FREE swag like a Deepdale Backpackers mug or t-shirt.

"The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see."
G.K. Chesterton