Budget travel on Amtrak on the east coast 30 day pass
By indigo1976, Section North America Posted on Mon Jan 05, 2004 at 04:50:25 AM PST
I travelled around the east coast of the usa on the amtrak 30 day pass and there are a few things that i found out that I thought other people might like to know. Firstly we started in Boston, MA and this is where I must stress BOOK AHEAD FOR A HOSTEL. We didn't and arrived in Boston one friday night in September to find EVERY hostel booked out... (1 comment, 654 words in story) Full Story

The Positives and Negatives of Solo Backpacking
By Paul Neville, Section Viewpoints Posted on Fri Nov 21, 2003 at 03:52:01 PM PST
I had been the only foreigner during the entire trip from Banaue to Borocay, Philippines. There were even fewer travelers in the Philippines than Indonesia or Myanmar. Indonesia had a reputation for dangerous activity. Myanmar had difficult access. The Philippines had both. In addition to these detractors, it was supposedly tourist "low-season" due to the unpredictable weather. What this meant was that I would spend less time with other Western backpackers and have more opportunities to get better acquainted with the local population. Indeed I had a few precious encounters with Filipinos that will forever make for endearing memories. (852 words in story) Full Story

Welcome to the Re-launch of WiseNomad.com
By wisenomad, Section Viewpoints Posted on Sat Aug 30, 2003 at 12:46:54 PM PST
Welcome to the Scoop section of WiseNomad.com, a collaborative community of backpackers and world travelers. Travelers just like you can submit stories and opinion pieces, and the community votes on what content gets posted. Anyone interested in backpacking travel can join. Think of it as open source content for backpackers, with a democratic twist. (310 words in story) Full Story

Backpackin' Scene in Europe
By wisenomad, Section Western Europe Posted on Tue Aug 05, 2003 at 08:35:07 PM PST
Today, Europe's backpacker scene dwarfs that of the rest of the world. They created the hostel concept after all. More than 2000 hostels can be found throughout Europe. More doesn't necessarily mean better. Of these 2000 hostels, only a few hundred are modern hostels that backpackers should even consider visiting. (1057 words in story) Full Story

Australian Ambiance
By wisenomad, Section Australia and New Zealand Posted on Thu Jul 24, 2003 at 09:36:47 PM PST
The most endearing attribute of Australia is the enlightened attitude of it's people. Australia doesn't exactly have a rich cultural heritage outside of the indigenous Aboriginal peoples, but the country does have a unique and genuine feel to it. It's a feeling of contentment, happiness, and genuine humility. The people have a zest for celebrating life. Work is seen only as a means to sustain the celebration of life, not a reward in itself. Life in Australia is about living and wealth is measured in terms of social currency, not material possessions. (1 comment, 448 words in story) Full Story