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Lastminute’s £1 sale: on tomorrow 12 noon sharp

Suffering through the UK winter and looking for a way to live it up a little, without murdering your budget?

Well, you’re in luck: LastMinute.com (UK) is having a lightning fast sale on selected concerts, theatre tickets, days out and ‘experiences’. The price? £1 a pop – something even a cash-strapped backpacker might just be able to afford.

But, the offer is limited, and once the allocated specials have been snapped up, that’s it.

So, if you’re keen for a little fun, warm up those fingers and be online at the strike of 12 noon tomorrow (Monday 1 December), local UK time… Fastest fingers first!

Travel resources backpackers might find useful:
Book hostels – book a hostel at thousands of locations around the world.
RTW flights – book your round-the-world flights at backpacking prices!
Travel Insurance – instant, cheap travel insurance for backpackers

Posted in Destinations, Travel Deals | No Comments »

New Zealand’s Pohutukawa Festival launches summer down south

Coromandel is a beautiful seaside town on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

It’s beautiful white beaches and spectacular coastal scenery already mean it’s a rather popular summer holiday destination… and at this time of year, the area’s indigenous Pohutukawa trees, indigenous burst into riotous crimson bloom, signalling the start of summer.

In celebration thereof, Coromandel holds its annual Pohutukawa Festival, a feast of live music, good food and other summer entertainments.

This year’s festival is already underway (started 21 November) and will run until the 7th of December 2008.

So, if you fancy a few days out under summer skies, listening to live bands, and possibly getting in some diving, head on south to crimson-flower-filled Coromandel!

Useful links:
Hostels in Coromandel
Pohutukawa Festival website
Coromandel Tourism
Photos of Coromandel on Flickr

Posted in Destinations, Festivals | No Comments »

Coming soon: South Africa’s biggest street festival - Obz Fest

If you’re lucky enough to be in Cape Town this summer, you’re gonna wanna know about Obz Festival.

It’s South Africa’s biggest street festival, attracting in the region of 20,000 people over three days… and it’s coming soon.

This year, the festival will run over 5, 6 and 7 December and feature a wealth of local music talent, host a creative craft market, showcase some great out-of-the-mainstream films and documentaries and generally keep you entertained all the way to Sunday.

“A world class outdoor festival on your doorstep in the shadow of the mountain, professionally run- the OBZfestival has come of age. With comparisons to other world famous street festivals it will be the kick start to Cape Town’s summer.

Bands and DJ’s over three days with three stages across all genres from rock, electronica, pop, hip hop ska and acoustic to soul, it promises a local musical smorgasbord that will tempt even the most discerning of palates. And that is just the music; the OBZfestival is about so much more”

If you can, get yourself a spot in a local backpackers in Observatory – the shorter the distance you have to travel, the harder you can party, right? Right.

Check out the festival website for more info.

Useful (related) resources for backpackers:
Hostels in Cape Town – find and book your Cape Town hostel online.
Cape Town Backpacking Guide – guide to backpacking in Cape Town
AboutCapeTown.com – backpacking advice for Cape Town

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Register now for Glastonbury 2009 (or you won’t get in)

Gone are the days when you could just rock up at festivals like the great, the incomparable, the very-often-very-muddy Glastonbury Festival…

Nor can you just buy tickets, either… nowadays, you have to pre-register before you so much as clap eyes on a pair of them beauties.

And with half of the tickets already snapped up since they went on sale in October, you’d best be getting ready to do that pre-registering because June 2009 really isn’t that far away in Glastonbury terms.

So, find a decent mugshot (they’re a bit particular on this one), fill in all the bits and bobs on the registration page and then sort yourself out with some tickets (£175 each outright or £50 deposit, pay the rest later).

Then, sit back, relax, and wait for June 2009 to roll around. Sorted.

Travel resources backpackers might find useful:
Book hostels – book a hostel at thousands of locations around the world.
RTW flights – book your round-the-world flights at backpacking prices!
Travel Insurance – instant, cheap travel insurance for backpackers

Posted in Destinations, Festivals | No Comments »

Cash in on National Express’s 2for1 London offer

For any traveller, London isn’t cheap. For a backpacker, it can be murderous on the budget. But there are always ways of getting your pound to stretch that bit further.

To make it that bit easier on all travellers, coach service National Express has teamed up with a whole host of the English capital’s major attractions – and is offering 2-for-1 tickets to a variety of attractions, restaurants and shows in the city.

Pay for one ticket, get the other free. Pay for one dinner, get the other free. You get the picture?

Visit National Express to find out more.

(How long the offer lasts, we know not, so get in there whilst the going is good).

Posted in Destinations, Travel Deals | 1 Comment »

Book your flights now for summer ‘09 (chances are, they’ll cost less)

Planning on heading to Europe next year?

If so, you’ll be wanting to find every possible way to pinch those pennies whilst on your travels – as is the way of the seasoned traveller.

And if you have an inkling of where you want to go, or don’t really care too much about where you end up – as long as you get there without denting the food ‘n’ entertainment budget – it can sometimes pay to book flights way in advance.

Why? Because they’re generally cheaper, and unless you detest any form of planning it can be handy to have at least one or two legs of your trip sorted before you even step foot on the continent (less to think about once on the road).

Well, if that sounds like a good plan, UK-based airline bmibaby is offering backpackers summer season flights on European routes from only £18.99 one way including taxes and charges.

That’s a pretty good deal, and will only last until midnight tomorrow night (Tuesday), so head on over there pronto and start getting ready for summer 2009!

Travel resources backpackers might find useful:
Book hostels – book a hostel at thousands of locations around the world.
RTW flights – book your round-the-world flights at backpacking prices!
Travel Insurance – instant, cheap travel insurance for backpackers

Posted in Destinations, Transport, Travel Deals | 1 Comment »

Eurolines Seat Sale: £12 Fares to Europe

Looking to escape grey grey England and head for pastures European?

Who wouldn’t, and now there’s no blaming the budget for being stuck in the muck – not with the latest funfare sale on the go at Eurolines right now!

Eurolines UK coaches connect not so sunny England with a variety of possibly sunnier European destinations. Hell, even if they ain’t sunnier – at least they’re likely to be a different shade of grey, right?

From now until the 10th of December, backpackers can find special ‘funfares’ from as little as £12 one way (including free luggage allowance and check-in) to selected European destinations (such as Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam).

Not a bad way to get bums on seats…

Travel resources backpackers might find useful:
Book hostels – book a hostel at thousands of locations around the world.
RTW flights – book your round-the-world flights at backpacking prices!
Travel Insurance – instant, cheap travel insurance for backpackers

Posted in Destinations, Transport, Travel Deals | No Comments »

£5 European airfares, going, going…

Today is the last day of Ryan Air’s crazy £5-a-seat sale.

Until midnight tonight (Thursday 13 November 2008), backpackers can still find and snap up European airfares for as little as £5 one way.

The offer is for selected dates and flights during December 2008 and January 2009 – and the price includes taxes and charges (though you’re like to pay for extras like cabin luggage, credit card surcharges et al).

Visit RyanAir.com for more info.

Travel resources backpackers might find useful:
Book hostels – book a hostel at thousands of locations around the world.
RTW flights – book your round-the-world flights at backpacking prices!
Travel Insurance – instant, cheap travel insurance for backpackers

Posted in Destinations, Transport, Travel Deals | No Comments »

Rhythm & Vines Festival: Be the first to see the first sunrise of 2009

Fancy being one of the first people to see the very first sunrise of the New Year that will be 2009?

Well, if that sounds like something that would float your proverbial boat, you’ll be wanting to head south to the small coastal town of Gisborne, New Zealand, where the sun rises first each day, before gracing the rest of the world with its lifegiving rays.

And if partying all night to reach that particular dawn sounds like fun (hyeah!), then it’s to the Rhythm & Vines Festival you’ll be wanting to go.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of the Waiohika Estate vineyards, Rhythm & Vines is the ultimate New Year celebration. Taking place from 29th December to 1st January, the best local talent will play alongside a host of top international artists, with over 120 performances across 4 stages.

Acts confirmed (so far) for the 3 day festival include; Franz Ferdinand, Shihad, The Kooks, Public Enemy, Santogold, Ladyhawke, Carl Cox, Digitalism, The Mystery Jets, Jamie Liddell, Adam Freeland, A Trak and Busy P with more to be announced.

Tickets for the festival currently range from NZ$65 for a day ticket, to NZ$185 for the entire event (29 Dec ’08 – 1 Jan ’09).

Posted in Destinations, Festivals | No Comments »

Cross some literary borders at the Crossing Border Festival this month

Coming up, in just over a week’s time, is the annual Crossing Border Festival in the Netherlands.

It’s a smorgasbord of literature, music, film and the visual arts, all taking place in various locations in and around the Toneelkwartier Den Haag (The Hague Theatre District).

Delve into this year’s programme or wander into the Crossing Border Cafe:

“On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, festival tent Teatro Cuatro or festival tent De Eenhoorn will be open for artists, authors, crew and audience, and transform into our amiable crossing border café. The bar is open, there will be performances and it is the place where you can meet everyone. So feel free to come in.”

Cost of tickets varies from show to show, but ‘passport tickets‘ are available (at a slight discount) to those who want to see it all and catch up on sleep later.

This year’s festival runs from Tuesday the 18th to Saturday the 22nd of November.

Related travel resources for backpackers:
Hostels in the Netherlands – find and book a cheap hostel in the Netherlands
Holland.com – travel and tourism info for Holland
Netherlands Destination Guide – budget travel info for the Netherlands

Posted in Destinations, Festivals | No Comments »