Comments! A Senior Hosteller Speaks Out!

Hi, fellow travelers,

I really appreciate the comments readers make on my blog. Thank you, those of you who have taken the time to comment!

But since this blog doesn't automatically show the comments people make on my posts, you may not have seen this one unless you clicked on it. Since it's a great testimony to the concept of seniors hostelling, I'm posting it here because I think all my senior readers may benefit from this person's experience and advice.

Thanks Waiata, for your words!

waiata dawn davies said...

I am a life member of the Youth Hostel Association and have watched the movement develop from stark dormitories where guests helped with the cleaning before checking out each morning.

I grew up during World War 11. Only servicemen could travel overseas and have adventures, so sixteen years ago, on retiring from a lifetime of teaching and raising boys, I decided to travel before I grew too old to enjoy the experience. With the help of the IYH book 'The Great O.E.' I planned my itinerary and bought a round the world ticket. My stay at home friends prophesied all sorts of disasters and they were very, very wrong.

In Melbourne I booked a bed in the Youth Hostel at Perth.Both Hostels were clean comfortable and friendly. In Britain I stayed in Stratford upon Avon in a beautiful old house with rabbits on its lawn, then I spent several days in Edinburgh,before going on to Loch Lomond, Bristol,and Llandudno. I was able to get off the tour bus wherever I felt like stopping and find a Youth Hostel. It was easy.

In Europe I toured through Belgium, Germany, Italy and France. Only in Germany was I too old to stay in a Youth Hostel.

The nicest thing about it all was the kindness young hostellers showed to me. In San Gimignano, Italy (magical place)I tramped around with two Australian and a Canadian girl, exploring far more than I would have alone.The attitude to us oldies seemed to be 'we're going sightseeing, or out for a meal, would you like to come along?'These young folk have become good friends.

It was a magical journey and there were often people my own age travelling about and enjoying the informailty of hostel life.

Over the next fifteen years I had opportunities to join guided tours to Turkey and Greece, Russia and Scandinavia and Northern Italy. These tours were well organised and good value, but now I have reached my 82nd year and am slowing down, I can't trudge throungh miles of museums and cathedrals, I need to go at a slower pace. So later on this year I am planning another trip. To Crete, to Liverpool, then across to the States, ending with a month long stay in San Francisco. I find YHA and other services for elderly people wonderfully helpful.

Any 'oldies' out there who are doubtful about touring on their own should not hesitate.

Planning a trip begins sometimes a year before. To get the most out of touring you need to be fit. Get your blood pressure checked and lose weight! When I am at my normal weight I feel better, have more energy, and I don't need to make as many toilet stops as when I am fat! And I don't snore as loudly which makes sharing a dormitory more pleasant for the others. Pack non iron clothes and invest in a good pair of trainers. Study 'The Great O.E.' for it's wealth of practical information, and buy the wonderful little books which tell you about Youth Hostels in the countries you plan to visit.

Travelling is more fun than vegetating in a rest home, and it's probably cheaper.

Great post, Waiata! All you other senior hostellers out there. Tell us your experiences!

Happy traveling,

Kristi

technorati tags: senior+travel, search+hostels, hostels

Want a Beach, Mountains or City Vacation? Find Three-In-One!

Hi, fellow travelers,

It's been a while since I updated this page. But ah! summer is upon us and it's time to find some interesting hostels to visit. Where do you want to go? The beach? The mountains? Some never-visited city?

Let's see what we can dig up today that will whet your travel appetite.

The beach is always a summer favorite. So how about a cool Canadian beach? I've discovered HI-Vancouver Jericho Beach Hostel in British Columbia. It's a summer-only hostel and only 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver. So you can combine the beach vacation with seeing an exciting and fun city.

Since this is a Hostelling International hostel, it is a little cheaper if you're a member. And it's a great idea to join HI anyway, as they have a lot of great hostels around the world. That'll cost you only $18/year if you're over 55 and join in the US. For US membership click here and for other nationalities click here.

Here's a little of what the hostel folks say about their facility:

We have a great licensed cafe on site, open for breakfast and dinner and run by a congenial host. We also have a large guest kitchen, TV room, on-site Internet access, laundry facilities, sports equipment and bike rentals. We provide all linens and towels (and a duvet), and lockers in a very safe and secure environment. With almost unlimited parking, Jericho remains the place to be for those who don't need to be in the thick of things to have a good time.

They also offer sports and activities like Erik's Lynn Forest and Canyon Tour: Mentioned in "Lonely Planet" as one of Vancouver's best, this classic walking tour includes:

• sightseeing in the downtown core including Chinatown and Gastown
• the beautiful Lynn Canyon-with its waterfalls and suspension bridge
• serenely wooded trails
• lunch at the edge of a beautiful crystal clear river
• water lots of water (rivers, fountains, waterfalls and the ocean!)

This full day tour is only $11.99 CAD, which includes all public bus transportation, the ferry boat and our professional guide. A better bargain will be hard to find anywhere!

Private rooms for 2 at Jericho Beach are $63/night for members and $71 for non-members. That's Canadian dollars, so works out a little less in US dollars (59/66).

And Vancouver! What a fabulous city! Surrounded on three sides by water and the Coast Mountain Range on the fourth, it's a scenic wonderland. You'll find ocean kayaking or boat cruises for the less-adventurous, garden and city tours, even a rain forest.

The third largest city in Canada, it has museums and world-class shopping and dining. Visit the following link for great discounts:
100 Days of Summer

Whether you're dreaming about beaches, exciting cities or peaceful, cool mountains, you can't beat Vancouver at Jericho Beach Hostel. Book it from the search window on this page.

Happy traveling!

Kristi

technorati tags: senior+travel, Canadian+travel, search+hostels, hostels