http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Oregon-Hostels/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Oregon Hostels en-us Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:14:58 +0000 Sat, 02 Jan 2010 08:14:58 +0000 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 HIOregon Council and anyall 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 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-353077.html The Portland Hostel has recently completed its Rainwater Demonstration project. Rainwater that runs off the hostel's roof flows into two 4000 gallon cisterns. Water stored in the cisterns is used for the hostel's toilets a process estimated to save as much as 42000 gallons of water annually. Already home to an Ecoroof the Portland Hostel also added a new 100 recycled deck this year. The rain http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-353072.html Greatest Budget Travel TipsHey all you experienced budget travelersWe are compiling an ongoing list of travelers alltime favorite budgettravel 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 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-302851.html HIWe 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 HIGet Happy datetimelocation TBA. http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-300580.html We have completed our second Community Walls projectThis 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 an http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/blog-295378.html These two travel stories come from travelers connected to the Hostelling International Florida Council. Safari as Easy as 123J. 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 http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/South-Africa/blog-294654.html 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 enjoyAfter 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 http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Austria/Salzburg-State/blog-295346.html In 2002 HIUSA launched the Opening Doors Opening Minds initiative. The purpose of this initiative isTo 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 an http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-294657.html We have picked a date for our July meeting Please join us for our next HIGet 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 http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-294566.html Please join us for our next HIGet 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.I http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-286514.html On May 6th Karin led a Women Traveling Solo presentation at Portland State University.Women Traveling Solo is a travel workshop that promotes dialogue awareness and recommendations for women in many travelrelated areas including Why Travel SoloCultural Awareness and SensitivitySafety and Health ConcernsDocumentation and VaccinationsSkills for Solo TravelHostels and LodgingPacking W http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-275938.html Last night we had our first gettogether for HI Get HappyThis was our first one and we plan to continue to meet up again every month. HIGet Happy is a way to connect with other local members of the Hostelling International community during happy hour for a travel discussion group. Part of HI's mission is to gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling and HIG http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-275910.html Cultural Kitchens is a national program of Hostelling International and in Portland the program takes place at the NW Hostel on 18th and Glisan. Thus far our Cultural Kitchen participants have been Girl Scout troops located in the greater Portland region. First the scouts choose a country to study do research and prepare a presentation with their troop leaders. The troops are then invited to http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-271987.html Community Walls in Cornelius Oregon Although this blog is dedicated to travel and hostelling I would like to let you know about a special educational program that HI Oregon Council has just started Community Walls. Community Walls is a fun and educational component of Hostelling International USArsquos Opening Doors Opening Minds program that asks youth ldquoWhat is it like to live in http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-269037.html World Travel 101 This week we had two World Travel 101 presentations World Travel 101 is a workshop geared toward the firsttime traveler planning a trip abroad. This workshop is a signature Hostelling International USA program and has been offered to a variety of groups and individuals across the country. The World Travel 101 WT101 workshop is presented by an experienced traveler and it http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-267756.html Welcome to the HIUSA Oregon Council's Travel Blog This our first posting is an introduction to the travel blog and is intended to offer a taste of things to come in this forum. This blog is developed and will be maintained by the volunteer efforts of members of the HIOregon community. As such it will offer a window into activities in the Portland area the Pacific Northwest and the worl http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Oregon/Portland/blog-267501.html