Hostelling International, Oregon Council
Oregon Hostels
This is a travel blog for travelers connected with or interested in Hostelling International USA, Oregon Council.
The blog is for travelers, and by travelers. Whether you are a current member, a past member, future member, or just interested in the hostelling mission - we would like to hear from you.How has hostelling impacted your life, changed your outlook, or broadened your horizons? We encourage you to send in stories about backpacking or hostel travel, but welcome any tales of your adventures, suggestions, surprises and ideas related to HI’s mission of gaining a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling. Include photos to add to your posting! If you would like to contribute, send us a "private message" through the link on this page or, if you would like to include pictures, email your submission to: sean_files@oregonhostels.org and we'll post it.
HI-USA's vision is for hostellers to become caring world citizens who are catalysts for intercultural exchange and understanding, and who are stewards of the earth.
This travel blog is a forum to realize this vision through traveler submissions.
While the moderators have taken care to provide readers with the most accurate information and honest analysis, please use your discretion before making any decisions based on information in this blog, and we do not make any warranty regarding the accuracy of information contained within it.
The contents of this travel blog are provided by individual travelers and do not necessarily reflect any position, opinion, or value of HI USA.
Additional information on the Oregon Council of HI
We also encourage you to find out more about our hostels at:
HI - Portland, NW Hostel
HI - Portland, Hawthorne Hostel
Travel Blog Posts
Thinking warm thoughts in Portland
Published: December 10th 2008North America » United States » Oregon » Portland
December 10th 2008
With snow and lows in the teens forecasted this weekend, a rare occurrence for Portlanders, it is a great time to think warm thoughts of warm places. This blog serves as a travel & cultural forum for the HI-Oregon Council and any/all travelers we've crossed paths with, and we are seeking any stories, pictures, or mere synopses of travels you've had to warmer areas. The week ahead is expected to be a chilly one, but a few tropical tales may cool the coldspell, so to speak. As a start, I'll share one destination from my trip to Central America this summer. We traveled in Guatemala and Belize for 30 days, seeing much of each country with a surprisingly relaxed itinerary. We spent the final week or so at Caye Caulker, a little island about 45 minutes ... read more
Portland Hostel Rainwater Project complete!
Published: December 10th 2008North America » United States » Oregon » Portland
December 10th 2008
The Portland Hostel has recently completed its Rainwater Demonstration project. Rainwater that runs off the hostel's roof flows into two 4,000 gallon cisterns. Water stored in the cisterns is used for the hostel's toilets, a process estimated to save as much as 42,000 gallons of water annually. Already home to an Ecoroof, the Portland Hostel also added a new, 100% recycled deck this year. The rainwater project was funded by the City of Portland Watershed Investment Fund. As noted on Oregonlive, "A meter on the signboard in front of the project keeps track of how many gallons of water have been harvested. There is also a green raindrop on the board that lights up whenever the water gathered in the tanks is b... read more
Greatest Budget Travel Tips
Published: July 21st 2008North America » United States » Oregon » Portland
July 21st 2008
Greatest Budget Travel Tips Hey all you experienced budget travelers: We are compiling an ongoing list of travelers all-time favorite budget-travel tips- we need YOU to submit yours! Simply click on the "Add Public Comment" link at the bottom of this page to submit. And thank you!... read more
July 16th 2008
HI-We Got Happy Eight of us Got Happy on Monday at the NW Lucky Lab. Grover, perhaps, got the happiest of all as he pushed chairs around the big space and charmed he Lab's staff. Discussions revolved around programs for next fall, trips to Vienna, and an upcoming 2 yr teaching exchange in Dakar. Stay tuned for August's HI-Get Happy: date/time/location TBA. ... read more
July 4th 2008
We have completed our second Community Walls project! This Community Walls was with a group at Poder. For more information on Hostelling International's Community Walls program, click here. A big, deserved, Thank You goes out to the volunteers who made this project possible, especially Dhabie and Sean from PSU!!! The benefit of involvement in Community Walls is evident in the following pictures and in the stories that its participants will tell.... read more
July 4th 2008
Lee Ann from the Oregon Council shares about her 2006 travels in Europe, including destinations in Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. This is merely a glimpse into her trip, but enjoy: "After Innsbruck, we drove to Salzburg, home of Mozart, but more relevantly the home of the 2006 UCI Road Cycling World Championship race. We stayed in a very small town outside of Salzburg (in Germany, actually) where the owners wore Bavarian garb. We didn't have the guts to ask them if they did it for tourism purposes or if they really wore that stuff on a daily basis, so we gave them the benefit of the doubt and assumed the latter. They were really kind to us - we had a very hard time finding their inn, because the town was so small ... read more
July 4th 2008
These two travel stories come from travelers connected to the Hostelling International, Florida Council. Safari as Easy as 1-2-3 J. Scott Simmons offers a travel story on his Safari in South Africa. "Does an African safari sound like the adventure of a lifetime? For me it was! It was also safe and inexpensive. Last fall I spent a week in Africa and the 3 days I spent on safari in Kruger National Park, South African’s largest game preserve, were the highlight of my trip. For as little as $50 per person a day, you and a friend can go on your own safari in South Africa. It’s as easy as 1-2-3. Step one: Shop online for an inexpensive flight into Johannesburg, South Africa. This will be the most expensive part of your trip. Step two: Call ... read more
July 3rd 2008
In 2002, HI-USA launched the Opening Doors, Opening Minds initiative. The purpose of this initiative is: To build a new generation of global citizens, unburdened by stereotypes, emboldened by open minds, appreciative of their own heritage and understanding of others, through the dialogue and education that comes through hostelling. This initiative seeks to accomplish its mission through dialogue and education that comes through hostelling. Similar to the Community Walls program, this Hostelling Oregon travel blog thus far has offered a glimpse into what it is like in our community. We've primarily reported and described activities that the hostel council has done in and around the Portland area. This blog is also about dialogue and a global comm... read more
July 2nd 2008
We have picked a date for our July meeting! Please join us for our next HI-Get Happy event, on July 14th at the Lucky Lab Brewery in Northwest Portland. Our May and June meetings were well attended and folks involved had a good time meeting new people, catching up on recent happenings, and talking about upcoming trips. We will meet at 530pm at the Lucky Lab Brew Hall, 1945 NW Quimby. This was the site of our June meeting and, because of its large indoor and outdoor seating, good food and beer, we look forward to meeting there again this month. If you aren't familiar with HI-Get Happy, it is an opportunity to connect with others who are involved in hostelling and interested in travel and a global community. This is a chance to talk about ... read more
June 12th 2008
Please join us for our next HI-Get Happy event, this coming Monday (June 16th) at the Lucky Lab brewery in Northwest Portland. Our May meeting was fun for all that attended and I hope to have even more people join in for this month's. We will meet at 530pm at the Lucky Lab Brew Hall, 1945 NW Quimby. Afterwards, we can walk down to the Northwest Portland hostel for a tour if you are interested. If you aren't familiar with HI-Get Happy, it is an opportunity to connect with others who are involved in hostelling and interested in travel and a global community. This is a chance to talk about past trips, future plans, and upcoming opportunities to get involved in hostelling activities. Best of all, it is a way to get together with others passionate ... read more
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