Newsletter - November 2006
Top Features
Top 10 Reasons to Visit Bruges
Coined the Venice of the North, Bruges is one of the best preserved medieval cities, with tiny winding streets and Middle Ages architecture still intact. This stunningly beautiful city of canals and monk-made beers is just waiting for you.
Berlin: New Hostel
The waiting is over. The countdown is no more. The anticipation is about to be realized. St. Christopher's is now open for business in Berlin.
Backpacker Bites
Tips on fitness, diet and exercise while on the road. What to eat and why!
Monthly Features
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Travel Story
Backpacker's Stories from around the globe.
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Travel Book
A chapter from our featured travel book.
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Hot Hostels
The best St Christopher's Hostel this month.
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Music Mashup
Introducing you to the European music scene.
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Female Backpackers
Travelling tips for the solo-female traveller. From keeping safe to having fun, from meeting people to stories from the road.
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Beds n' Bars
Find out what's the word at our hostels and bars each month.
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Travel Tips
Backpacking is a tough business. We give you the tricks of the trade you need for a smooth journey.
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Carry on Tours
Events, activities, surprises and fun with one of the UK's premiere tour companies. Carry On Tours are prepared to show you Britain like no one else.
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Ethical Travel
St. Christopher's guide to taking nothing but photos and leaving nothing but footprints. It's travel with a conscience.
From the Editor
Berlin, Brighton, Bruges and Beyond.
The new St. Christopher's has finally opened its doors in the fantastic city that is Berlin. Unfortunately for most of us, we're too busy being chained to our desks to be able to get away. And due to my boss repeatedly ignoring my pleas to be sent to Berlin on a 'training mission,' I am among those desk-chained individuals.
But with travel in your heart and travel in your mind, dear backpacker, you are free to take advantage of this amazing new site. A city like Berlin has so much to teach, to entertain and to amaze that if you don't, right now, spend the energy necessary to book a ticket and get yourself there, you're doing us both a huge favour. For at least now I can live vicariously through someone.
Other news on the St. Christopher's front includes another new section added to our newsletter as we're out to make eco-warriors out of you all. You'll also find out about all the goodies going on in Brighton with our newest Belushi's open and in full swing. We're travelling over the ocean for adventures in New Zealand and Australia with this months feature travel writer. We've got tips on surviving the upcoming holiday madness, like strapping on your skates and taking a swing around the new BA Outdoor ice-skating rink in London. We've also got 10 reasons to escape to beautiful, medieval Bruges this November - including a spectacular ice sculpture competition, which takes over the town centre later in the month. So much fun to be had just waiting for you to go out there and live your life. ENJOY!
It costs more to buy a car today than it cost Columbus to equip and undertake three voyages of the New World.
Write around the world: Travel story
Australia: Nudity on the Reef / New Zealand: And Your Name Was?
Australia and New Zealand We're heading far over the ocean for this month's travel stories. We usually keep it local. Places you can get to with little more than a hop, skip and a jump. But when these two short stories came across my desk, I just had to share them. So be sure your seatbelts are tightly fastened, you're carry-on luggage is stowed and your chair backs and tray tables are in their full upright position, we're off to Australia and a short stay in New Zealand.
Try your hand at travel writing, send us your submission and if we publish it you get two free nights in a St. Christopher's hostel. E-mail travelwriters@st-christophers.co.uk
News
Berlin opens its doors
Come and stay with St. Christopher's Berlin with beds starting at just €17. Stay for cheap and get your linens and breakfast included in the price. And this is not a price reserved for on or two beds on a Sunday night, this is a 7-days a week offer. We've even got some fabulous apartments available for those looking to stay a little longer, or looking to stay in complete style.
There are no stupid questions, except the ones you don't ask. Especially when you're traveling. Try us at submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.
Travel Tips for Women
Staying sane in the air
Flying is a stress for even the most seasoned backpacker. The cramped space, lack of movement, dehydration, interrupted sleep patterns - sometimes you got to wonder just what we do it all for. Right. The destination. Well, so it's unavoidable. But flying doesn't need to be altogether unpleasant. What follows are tips and tricks for arriving ready to take on the world.
We've been getting tons of info from Solo-Female travellers and we're loving it! If you've got any questions or comments you'd like to pass our way send them to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.
Hitler really did only have one ball. As did Napoleon.
It has been calculated that in the last 3500 years there have only been 230 years of peace in the civilized world
Ethical travel
What does it mean to you?
What's this all about? What can you do? Why should you care? Do you need to buy into a big expensive travel package to do this right? All your questions answered here.
There are no stupid questions, except the ones you don't ask. Especially when you're traveling. Try us at submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.
Backpacking Travel Tips
Seasonal Travel
The holiday season is upon us. Many are heading home in the coming weeks to be surrounded by family and friends. But there are still plenty more who are going to be celebrating the season on foreign soil without anyone to share their time with. Sounds sad, doesn't it? But there's no reason that it has to be. You've just stumbled upon a completely new adventure. It's completely up to you how you tackle it. We've got a few suggestions for survival.
Got a travelling query? Want us to help plan your trip? Want to know the best tours, countries, pubs, restaurants, hide-away gems? Just ask: submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.
Employee(s) of the month
Congratulations
A few months ago the managers and directors of St. Christopher's got together to honour and recognize the continued hard work and dedication of one St. Christopher's team member each month. And a few months in, here at Live Your Life we thought it was about time we gave the proper respect to the prestigious Employee of the Month with their name and photo in this here little newsletter. So here goes: The Employee of the Month for October was Kellie Lofts in our Head Office as well as Amy Miller from Shepherds Bush. Sometimes when you're good, you're good and there's just no way to pick only one winner. So congratulations to both of you!
Backpacker Bites
Go Organic
Organic foods are popping up everywhere. To some they're the same foods with a higher price on the sticker. But there's so much more to it and our personal trainer, James, is going to tell you how. This months instalment of Healthy living is dedicate to organic foods, what the difference is from your average everyday food and why you need to consider adding as much organically produced food into your diet as you can.
If there are any topics on nutrition and fitness you'd like to see addressed in this column then please let us know. James McDonald is a St. Christopher's Manager and fully certified personal trainer, he can be reached at healthy.living@st-christophers.co.uk for any questions on Health and Fitness.
St Christopher's Top 10
Top ten reasons to visit Bruges
Medieval Bruges is just about one of the prettiest European cities you'll ever visit. The serenity of the place is like a magic spell that drapes itself around you as soon as you arrive, your whole world slows right down and you fall in love with the little things that make life worthwhile. And so far there are two types of backpackers out there, first the ones who have discovered the secret of Bruges and those that will when they make their way there this November. Find out why
If you've got a Top 10 to fill us in on, pass it our way, the world is full of travellers looking for the next big adventure. Send your submissions to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.
Beds & Bars News
Bars, stars and surf
Newquay has installed a second webcam for another angle out to sea. Keeping you always in the know on the latest surfing conditions in Cornwall. Brighton's new Belushi's bar is taking over the where to see and be seen scene in the city. And Greenwich is still the perfect place for a small town feel in a big city life.
Music Mashup
Christmas Stocking fillers?
Checking out the record stores for November, grabbing a sneak peak at what's going to be out there for you to spend all your hard earned cash on. And as end-of-year deals go, it's no surprise that we're seeing a lot of re-released anniversary discs and compilations or greatest hits. Still there are a few still worth the effort of battling the crowds at the local shop.
Got a question, comment or smart remark? We're here to listen, so send us an email.
The Saguaro Cactus, found in the south-western United States, doesn't grow branches until it's 75 years old.
The word ;"lethologica" describes the state of not remembering the word you wanted to say.
Travel Book Extract
A Sarong in my Backpack
Backpacking is all about surviving on nothing. No money, little food, no vegetable, old ratty clothes, overnight trains to save on accommodation, sleeping in airports and bus stations, washing your clothes in the shower. These things are all pretty standard. But you want to meet someone who really knows how to stretch an adventure for every penny of it's worth, you need to meet Ayun Halliday. This is where 'One persons misery is another's sheer side-splitting entertainment,' comes to mind.
Recommend your favourite travel books to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk.
Eurotrek.net
Travel resource
A few months ago we featured some of the biggest, best and most popular online travel communities available. Seems like we missed one. A reader wrote in to tell us about eurotrek.net, the 'one-stop-shop' for pre- and post-travel information. A user friendly environment, members range from those who are planning their first trip to those who have just returned from a multi-month Silk Road journey. You get all the information you can out of the seasoned backpackers without the apprehension of being the only newbie one out there. To join up or check out another option give these guys a shot, visit www.eurotrek.net.
Hot Hostel: The Top Hostel this Month
Electric Edinburgh
So what is it about Hogmanay that makes it so much better than your average New Years Eve celebration? Well the Scottish do it bigger, better, louder and longer than anyone else. And just like the Festival season in August, New Years makes Edinburgh a very busy place. So even though you've got nearly 2 months to get yourself there, if you don't start thinking of it now, every over-priced bed in town is going to be snatched up. St. Christopher's Edinburgh has put together an enticing little piece on what you're going to be missing out on.
Had a great time at one of our hostels? We want to hear about it. Write to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk to tell us all about your experience with St Christopher's.vailable. Seems like we missed one.
Sneek peak: Whats going on in December
It's going to be all mistletoe and spiked eggnog next month as we come into the biggest holiday season of the year. There's no escaping the Happy Holidays, be it Christmas, Eid ul-Adha or Chanukah, St. Chris'll be celebrating right alongside you. We'll be looking at the top travel people, places and things of 2006. Checking in with our very own personal trainer for was to start the New Year on the right foot and keeping your travels eco-friendly. And in the words of our illustrious new Travel Writer - Happy Travels to You, Happy Travels to Me. See you next month.
"Travel is the frivolous part of serious lives, and the serious part of frivolous ones."
Anne Sophie Swetchine
