Always willing to put ourselves in the line of fire, HostelBloggers went along to report on the Great British Beer Festival held at Earls Court last weekend. Here’s some footage of what we found…
The festival is held every year, and really is a great day out. While some may baulk at the idea of going to a heaving convention centre to quaff some ale (after all, it’s a drink to be savored in a nice country pub, right?), we found the atmosphere both friendly and enjoyable.
The emphasis is on the testing and relaxed enjoyment of each individual ale - as opposed to the obliteration of its existence through committed consumption.
Admittedly some do get a little worse for wear. It goes without saying, though, that HostelBloggers weren’t amongst them, given that we were there on official duty.
Following this story that surfaced on the BBC a couple of days ago about an adventurous garden gnome, HostelBloggers have come across more tales of traveling toys.
Tilly, Tom and Tiny are three lucky rag dolls about to embark on an adhoc tour of the world. Each has a polite notice attached to it asking the ‘owner’ (i.e. whoever picks it up at any one time) to take the doll with them on one leg of their travels, and send in a few pics of the results.
You can follow their progress here. Good luck to the three of them, we say. And remember, if you happen to see a slightly haggard looking doll flagging a ride during your travels, be sure to stop and give it a lift!
With all eyes currently turned to the Olympics in Beijing, it’s easy to see how much China loves its sport. And when you consider the activities available at the famous Macau Sky Tower, it seems that they’re also fans of the extreme stuff.
The Macau tower is the 10th tallest in the world and, along with its conference center and cafe with great views over the city (for more sedate visitors only of course), it offers high adrenalin adventures incluing the new craze - ‘Skywalk X.’
This involves strolling (!) around the edge of a narrow rim near the top of the 1,109 ft tall tower… Without a handrail.
If that doesn’t sound quite hardcore enough, you could always do a quick sky jump off the tower. Or have a bash at the world’s tallest bungee…
Taking our cue from Chris, who’s just posted a list of the Top 5 Travel Movies to Give you Goose Bumps over at Nomad4ever, HostelBloggers have been banging our heads together over a similar subject - the 5 funniest travel movies ever made.
We’ve made a start below but it’s a work in progress - all suggestions are welcome!
1) Airplane! - This wild parody of an everything-that-can-go-wrong-will-go-wrong blockbuster was probably the first of its kind. With every second of every shot packed with gags, Airplane! paved the way for such comedy greats as Naked Gun, Police Squad and Hot Shots.
What’s the plot? Well, it’s got something to do with a bunch of crazed and (at times) depraved passengers who become stricken by a mystery illness while in the air. But it’s not really the plot that matters; it’s more the visual puns, the quick-fire wordplay, and the lead character’s drinking problem that ensure the movie’s place in our top 5.
Standout Quote: (Air Stewardess, over the loudspeaker): There’s no reason to become alarmed, and we hope you’ll enjoy the rest of your flight. By the way, is there anyone on board who knows how to fly a plane?
2) Eurotrip - Eurotrip has got itself a bit of a cult following, bless its sweaty preppy socks. Ok, so it didn’t get a great reception on release, but (just between us) there’s actually quite a few people out there who think it’s rather good.
The laughs come from watching four all-American high-school friends bluff and blag their way round mainland Europe. With sexual encounters in Amsterdam, British football hooligans in Paris, and a meeting with the Pope in the Vatican, what’s not to like?
Standout Moment: The entire Amsterdam segment. Perfectly predictable!
3) Sullivan’s Travels - Mixing slapstick humor with quick-witted banter, Sullivan’s Travels has its protagonist cartwheel through America on the back of a railroad car, searching for the meaning of life and finding the importance of humor.
Of course, there’s a great tradition of American road movies (from Thelma and Louise to Badlands), and some of them have also been amusing (Roadtrip springs to mind) but Sullivan’s Travels was one of the originals, and they just don’t make ‘em like this any more.
Standout Tagline: Veronica Lake’s on the Take!
4) Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Like Sullivan’s Travels, this 80’s comedy is basically an American road movie - but with all the fun and disaster of Steve Martin at his best thrown into the mix.
Neal Page (Martin) is trying to get home in time for Thanksgiving but when bad weather grounds his flight the adventure begins… What follows is a good old family movie with more travel related catastrophes than you can dream of, with even more added comedy by John Candy’s irritating ‘Curtain Ring Salesman’.
Standout Moment: Getting charged for speeding after the speedometer is melted in a ‘minor’ car fire…
5) Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure - Well, it’s travel of sorts! We just couldn’t ignore the film that made every adolescent, young adult, and (lets be honest) aging statesman cry with laughter.
Bill S. Preston (Esq.) and Ted Theodore Logan run riot through the annals of history, traveling (we emphasize the word to persuade ourselves as much as anything else) from one famous historical moment to the next in order to complete a school project. The result: Carnage, hilarity, and a lot of dodgy guitar playing.
Once upon a time (aka the middle of July) not so far away, the sun was shining and Hostelbloggers skipped their way down to Brighton for a spot of sun, sea and sand (well, pebbles).
With its lively, arty atmosphere and proximity to the capital (London to Brighton is just an hour on the train), the town has long been a popular seaside resort with both Brits and travelers alike. Having suffered somewhat recently thanks to cheap flights jetting holidaymakers off to hotter climes, it’s now making a bit of a comeback.
This south coast town has all the ingredients for a great budget weekend - a decent stretch of (albeit pebbly) beach, vibrant nightlife and a handful of cheap Brighton hostels near the coast.
As soon as the sun comes out, the main beach near the center of town fills up quick but we lucked on to a quiet sunbathing spot in the rather eerie shadow of the old pier. We admit we only managed a quick dip in the water, though - it may have been refreshing but the temperature left a lot to be desired for mid-July…
Food and drink is pretty good value (especially when compared with London) and there are plenty of great eateries to fill up in after a long day lazing by the sea. Pints average at £2.80 and a pub meal will set you back about £6.
Along Western Road (and all the side streets leading down to the beach from here), there’s an excellent range of international restaurants, from Mexican to Lebanese.
They’re all mostly affordable, although our takeway picnic on the beach came in even cheaper - we plumped for the obligatory British seaside meal of fish and chips which was surprisingly tasty considering the town’s large tourist trade.
Brighton is also renowned for its lively nightlife and in summer the town buzzes with an eclectic crowd drinking al fresco along New Street and around the Pavilion.
There’s a host of clubs and late night bars in the center of Brighton but the best atmosphere is arguably along the seafront, where venues line the edge of the beach and music and revelers spill out for a quick breath of sea air.
If the sun comes out to play again this year, we thoroughly recommend the town for a great cheap break from the hubbub of London.
HostelBloggers recently recommended the East End Thrift Store down in Stepney Green, but it’s really just one in a series of exciting retail possibilities. When it comes to cheap shopping in London, East is very much where it’s at!
Every Sunday between 8am and 2pm, Columbia Road (an otherwise unremarkable street in Hackney) is transformed into the colorful, bustling sight of market traders and flowers.
Back in the day (from 1869 to be precise), all kinds of traditional East End goods were sold here, from food (pie and mash, naturally, with perhaps a jellied eel or two…) to clothes, but now it’s just seasonal plants, herbs, bulbs and fresh-cut flowers.
It’s a narrow street so it fills up quickly with the crowds, creating an enjoyable buzz. Even if your fingers aren’t particularly green, it’s a fun spot just to roam about.
There’s a good bit of people watching, too - especially the traders. We always have a (slightly immature) giggle at the sight of these big guys loudly extolling the virtues of their choice blooms in broad cockney…
Situated in the heart of Shoreditch, the nearest tube (Old Street or Bethnal Green) is a bit of a walk away but the streets surrounding the market are also good for a stroll. Nearby Ezra Street and Ravenscroft Street have some more random stalls to browse, along with a sprinkling of cafes and shops.
Lining Columbia Road itself are a number of trendy galleries, design stores and boutiques (we are in Shoreditch after all…) which all add to the eclectic crowd and atmosphere at the market.
The community’s Jewish roots are also evident, with filled bagels nestling in the window of Cafe Columbia that make a tasty, inexpensive brunch.
All in all, in HostelBloggers’ humble opinion, a pretty cool way to pass a Sunday in the big city!
When HostelBloggers read Oddee’s fascinating collection of ‘Ghost Towns’ around the world, it sent a bit of a shiver down our (utterly cowardly) spine.
From the tower blocks on the deserted Japanese island of Gunkanjima, to Kolmanskop, the old diamond mining town that has eerily been reclaimed by the Namibian desert, there are few things more unsettling than a town that’s been deserted and left at the mercy of the elements.
Whether abandoned when the nearby resources dried up or in the wake of a disaster (natural or otherwise), ghost towns are spooky for their emptiness. It’s not a natural emptiness, either, but the pronounced sense of absence - and the ‘ghostly’ vestiges of past lives - that really resonate as you creep around the crumbling buildings…
This Thursday, Friday (12.00 - 22.30) and Saturday (11.00 - 19.00) down at Earls Court, London will be getting down to what London does best: drinking itself into oblivion by sinking pint after pint of beer.
And it’s not just beer, either: alongside the hundreds of real ales there are countless ciders, lagers and perries waiting to be tasted, in what’s a veritable alcoholic’s paradise.
On top of all that, there’s live music, pub snacks and the chance to try your hand at some traditonal games, including the infamous English pub quiz.
Whether you’re an ale connoisseur or just a fan of the odd cold beer or three, it’ll be well worth popping down for a jolly spiffing British time in this giant London pub!
Ever fancied living out those childhood dreams and playing Tarzan of the Jungle for real?
Ok, so we can’t really help with the upbringing amongst apes, or supply a modern day Jane Porter, for that matter… But there are a fair few treehouse hostels out there that we can draw to your attention!
Take HavaSu Village in Antalya, Turkey. (Weirdly, one of a number of treehouse hostels in Turkey.) Here you can hide away the treetops looking out on the lush Turkish countryside by day, before gazing upwards at a brilliant blanket of stars by night.
As for swinging from the vines: let’s not get ahead of ourselves. And besides, even Tarzan had to take it easy sometimes…
The question of where to head for cheap shopping in London has been on (some of) our minds a lot recently. Especially as the association of ‘vintage’ with cool has led to a jump in the price of second-hand clothes in fashionable London.
So we were pleased as punch to come across a hidden budget gem where boys and girls alike can get their hands on some bargains - the East End Thrift Store on Assembly Passage.
It’s a a bit out of the way (the nearest tube is Stepney Green) but that just has a positive effect on both the quality and cost. And unlike other, better known shops such as Beyond Retro near trendy Brick Lane, it isn’t over-priced or over-crowded.
Basically, it’s just a large, unglamorous warehouse with a ton of muddled up vintage clothes. Open every day from 11am-6pm, it’s still newish and quiet enough that you can always sift through the rails in peace. Or rather, to the sound of the loud, groovy background music.
The cracking collection includes cowboy boots, tea dresses, ultra-cool 80s sportswear, leather jackets, posh shirts… and the list goes on!
And, best of all, it’s rarely more than £10 an item.
There’s a rumor that the owners are opening another store just off Brick Lane. Let’s just hope it stays as cool and cheap!
1) Airplane! - 
2) Eurotrip - Eurotrip has got itself a bit of a cult following, b
3) Sullivan’s Travels - Mixing slapstick humor with quick-witted banter, Sullivan’s Travels has its protagonist cartwheel through America on the back of a railroad car, searching for the meaning of life and finding the importance of humor.
4) Planes, Trains and Automobiles - 
5) Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure - 
