Newsletter - February 2007

Top Features

Top 10 Ways to See More in Less Time

This month we’re looking into the Top 10 Ways to See More in Less Time. We’re going to show you how to have the holiday of a lifetime, one mini-break at a time.

Ethical Travel: Carbon Footsteps

St. Christopher's guide to taking nothing but photos and leaving nothing but footprints. It's travel with a conscience.

Monthly Features

Travel Story

Backpacker's Stories from around the globe.
Ethical Travel

St. Christopher's guide to taking nothing but photos and leaving nothing but footprints. It's travel with a conscience.
Travel Tips

Backpacking is a tough business. We give you the tricks of the trade you need for a smooth journey.
Backpacker Bites

Tips on fitness, diet and exercise while on the road.
Sports Report

A preview of all the upcoming action, to be shown on Belushi's big screens.
Female Backpackers

Travelling tips for the solo-female traveller. From keeping safe to having fun, from meeting people to stories from the road.
Beds n' Bars

Find out what's the word at our hostels and bars each month.
Travel Book

A chapter from our featured travel book.
Hot Hostels

The best St Christopher's Hostel this month.
Music Mashup

Introducing you to the European music scene.

From the Editor

February & fresh starts

Welcome to February 2007. Can you believe it’s here already? Wasn’t it just Christmas yesterday? Or was that a million years ago? Either way here is the shortest month of the year, the month of love and the month of the groundhog. February is also home to Waitangi Day, New Zealand’s annual celebration of Kiwi-ness. Or more accurately, a celebration of the signing of their founding documents on February 06, 1840. It’s also an excellent opportunity to see a mass rendition of the traditional Maori dance, the Haka, at Westminster in London.

Also in February we’re going to relentlessly push the New Year detox. Most people forget their resolutions with the turning of the calendar page, but with our easy to follow guide, we’re going to help you maintain your goals for 2007. We’re also going to get you reading again with our top picks of old favourites and must reads in this month’s Female Traveller’s Tips. Just in case that’s not enough we’re forging ahead with our campaign to make the world a cleaner and greener place. Check out this months Ethical Travel section where we discuss climate change. There’s a lot of good stuff packed into this issue and I wish you happy reading.

And by the time you read this I’ll have said my tearful goodbyes, swallowed my last shots (and suffered the consequences), checked ‘watch International Hockey in Sweden,’ off my list of things to do, packed my bags and left town. After more than a year with Interpub and more than a year of writing the Live Your Life newsletter, I’m moving on. I love all the people I’ve met and the places I’ve seen during my time here. It’s been an experience I won’t ever forget. I’ve got a lot of memories to look back on fondly and for that I’m grateful. Unfortunately for you however, my replacement isn’t a hockey-crazed super-patriot Canadian. I’m sure you’ll all get along just fine though.

- Elissa Jordan.

I’m sure we will. I’m Rob Savage and I’ll be trying to fill Elissa’s crazy Canadian shoes. It’s true that I’m not mad about hockey but I am a patriotic Yorkshire man and I’ve got some good stuff lined up for you. New features coming up in the newsletter for March will include an insight into the world of Truman Capote and his take on world travel. We’ll be delving into the world of travellers’ charities, posting your reviews of our hostels, show casing some of the best photos from your travel albums and much much more. I’m always keen to hear what you want to see more of and what’s not hot, so if you want something more from your newsletter, feel free to drop me an e-mail.

- Rob Savage

Write around the world: Travel story

Flash-Packing - Uk & Ireland

Hitch-hiking across franceEver wondered how much of the UK and Ireland you could cram into 8 days? Join me as I sacrifice sleep and embark on a ram packed tour of London, Belfast, Dublin and Edinburgh. Check out my tips for getting the best for less as I walk you through Borough market, the Guinness factory, St Patrick’s Cathedral and Edinburgh Castle.

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

Ethical travel

The Carbon footprint

What is your travel footprint? Have you ever stopped to think about the impact your world wandering has on our dear Mother Earth? If you have and you’re at a loss about what to do, we’ve got some helpful hints. If you’ve never considered it, we’ve got something for you to think about.

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.

Travellers Bites

Fresh, Healthy & toxin free

Carry on with the detox. If you’ve made it through the month of January eating healthier, taking care of yourself properly and you’re reaping the benefits you really should know that reverting to your indulgent ways can actually be more harmful than continuing on with a life of moderation. Find out what this is all about.

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.

Travel Tips for Women

Female Travel Books

Travel is a wonderful thing. You meet new people, make friends who you can visit all over the globe, experience new cultures where everything is an adventure and best of all, you actually have time to read. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a plane, a train, an automobile, on the beach, recovering from jet lag, nursing a hangover, hanging out in cafes or just watching the world go by. In all these situations, the perfect companion is the perfect book.

Young hearts run free

Last year at this time we celebrated the lovers in the crowd, who were celebrating Valentine’s Day with romantic trips together. This year we’ve picked out something special for the single travellers out there, with a few helpful hints on how to survive this ultimately soppy season.

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 of the month

This month’s Employee of the Month is none other than our multi-tasking, hard-working, initiative-driven Roland Short from St. Christopher’s Village at London Bridge. A big, huge congratulations going out to a well-deserving candidate for the monthly honour.

Sports

Fixtures for The New Year

February promises to bring mouth watering sport to your local Belushi’s, with The Premiership, The FA Cup, The Carling Cup and the eagerly anticipated knockout stages of the Champions league.

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.

"By the time you turn 70, your heart will have beat two-and-a-half billion times (an average of 70 beats per minute.)

St Christopher's Top 10

The Top 10 Ways to See More in Less Time.

This month we’re looking into the Top 10 Ways to See More in Less Time. We’re going to show you how to have the holiday of a lifetime, one mini-break at a time.

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

Check out the film festival from St. Christopher’s in Berlin and funk on down with a monster party at Belushi’s in Fulham.

Valentine's Celebrations

We’re celebrating Valentines Day in beautiful Bruges and creating some romance with loved up surfing in Newquay. For more details...

Travel Book Extract

Bad Karma

Have you ever noticed that when you get on the backpacker’s trail, set out to meet the people of the world and get excited about expanding your horizons you generally only meet people from home? If this sounds familiar, as I’m sure it will, you’ll love our new travel book, Bad Karma by Tamara Sheward.

Buy This Book

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

Music Mashup

Maximise your music IQ

Wanna be a rock genius? Wanna know everything there is to know about the music industry? Wanna know which blogs are worth the read and which ones you can pass on? Read on. We've got all the goods.

Got a question, comment or smart remark? We're here to listen, so send us an email.

Every time you lick a stamp you consume 1/10 of a calorie.

Hot Hostel: February 2007

St Christopher's Inn - Shepherds Bush

This month we head down to Shepherds Bush where they’re in the mood for some serious sporting action. Read on to find out what’s going on, how you can support the Australian Socceroos and have a belter of a night..

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.

sneek peak: What's Up Next Month?

For March, originally called Martius after Mars, the Roman god of war, as your new editor I’m going to fill our next edition with surprises and new information for you to wrap your brains around. We’re going to be checking out the Long Night of Shopping in Berlin, reviewing what’s hot on the Art Scene in London and getting you more involved than ever with a series of scintillating competitions and travel articles. I desperately want to publish more about where you’ve been so if you’re good with a pen or indeed a keyboard, send me your stories and you might just get a free night or two in our hostels.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for our newsletter we want to hear about it, just send them to submissions@st-christophers.co.uk

If you want to become part of the team at St Christopher's Inns, we are currently looking for a Yield and Market Manager. For more details click here.

"I had seen a little and knew a lot. Now I've seen a little more and know a lot less." ~ Micah MacAllen