Do You Need A Backpack To Be A Backpacker?

by Jessica Festa on

Backpacking. We call traveling from city to city for a long period of time “backpacking” because we usually carry very few possessions with us in – wait for it – a backpack. But, what about the travelers who are doing the same exact thing, staying in hostels, eating street food, wearing the same clothes everyday and trying desperately to get off the beaten path, but with a suitcase? Are they not backpackers?

I remember my first solo backpacking trip. I was 21 and going to Europe. To my mother, I agonized over and over again about needing the perfect backpack.

“Wouldn’t a small rolling suitcase be easier to manuever?” she asked, eyeing my tiny 5’2″ frame.

I scowled. “No, it must be a backpack.”

“But, why?”

To this question I never quite knew what to say. “Well, you know, because it’s called backpacking, not suitcase-ing.”

In reality, I actually did want to use a small suitcase. It wasn’t the amount of stuff I could take that was bothering me – after testing it out, the backpack fit way more than the small roll-on – but more the thought of actually having to carry a giant bag on my back in the hot European summer sun.Once in Europe, I still agonized over my decision. Having the backpack did make me feel like I had a certain “backpacker status,” however, I wasn’t convinced it was actually more practical. It was annoying having to unpack all my things when I needed something from the bottom of my bag, and walking uphill with the pack on was extremely draining. Moreover, because it was summer I constantly felt overheated wearing it.

Now, after numerous backpacking trips around the world, I’ve learned a few things. For one, getting the right backpack can make or break a trip. For example, in Ireland I found a small hiking shop and tried on one of their smaller packs just for fun. Instantly, I was amazed at how much more comfortable it was than the one I had. I ended up buying it and ditching my old one, wasting a lot of money but gaining much happiness. Additionally, there are many features that vary from pack to pack. If you don’t want to unload your things every time you need something from the bottom, consider a front-loading pack instead of one that is top-loading. Moreover, a cooling system on the back of the pack can keep you from sweating, and multiple adjustable straps with padding can be helpful. I also think backpacks with many different pockets and compartments are helpful, as it can help you stay organized.

I’m still not sure where I stand on the “needing a backpack to be a backpacker issue,” and I’ve heard very mixed opinions on the subject. While a backpack is definitely easier to store while in a crowded hostel dorm and carry around when you’re in a hurry, I don’t think I would discount a person with the same travel style just for using a suitcase.

What are your thoughts on needing a backpack to be a backpacker?

[Wikimedia image via LHOON]

Mother’s Day Hotel Deals Around The United States

by Jessica Festa on

Want to do something special for Mom this Mother’s Day? Check out these U.S. hotels offering promotions, packages and programming for the holiday, to help plan a special weekend getaway.

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort
Dahlonega, Georgia

Located about one hour north of Atlanta, Forrest Hills Mountain Resort is a relaxing accommodation surrounded by the North Georgia Mountains. This Mother’s Day the property is offering a “Taking Care of Mom” package, which includes:

  • Champagne or sparking cider upon arrival
  • Half-dozen long-stemmed roses in the room upon arrival
  • Gourmet sampler basket with chocolates, tea and hot cocoa mix
  • One-hour massage for both Mom and her guest
  • Candlelight dinner in the Secret Garden Dining Room (when booked online)
  • Mother’s Day Feast in the Rose Garden Dining Room
  • Breakfast daily

Package rates start at $457 for two nights (Saturday and Sunday). Call 706-864-6456 or click here to book. The New York Palace
New York, NY

The New York Palace, a world-class hotel located in Midtown, is celebrating the special occasion with not one, but two packages. First there is the “Mother’s Day Morning Glory” package, which begins the day with a special chef’s breakfast in bed with a Mimosa or Bellini, coffee or tea, a seasonal fruit plate, pastry, Greek yogurt parfait, Brioche bread pudding and an egg white frittata with heirloom tomatoes, asparagus, artichokes and herbs. The deal also includes luxury accommodations, red wine and chocolate upon arrival, a gift basket from New York Palace Spa and a 20% off discount on a spa treatment or service.

The other package is a “Mother’s Night Out” package, which includes luxury accommodations, two cocktails and an appetizer in GILT Bar, red wine and chocolate upon arrival, a gift basket from New York Palace Spa and a 20% off offer for a spa treatment or service.

Packages are available through June 3, 2012. Rates start at $428 for both packages. Call 212-888-7000 or click here to book.

Mirbeau Inn & Spa
Skaneateles, New York

Located in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York, Mirbeau Inn & Spa is celebrating Mother’s Day all month long with a lavish “Love Your Mom” overnight package. Moms will get:

  • Two nights of accommodation
  • Daily breakfast
  • Five-course wine pairing dinner for two
  • Limo wine tour for two
  • 100-minute FarmHouse Fresh Mother Glow’s Best treatment, with a sweet cream salt body scrub, hot body wrap of honey, aloe and live papaya fruit cells and a massage using floral shea butter with blood orange oil and live fruit cells
  • 100-minute treatment of choice
  • Two micro-fiber robes
  • Two-dozen roses
  • Chocolate covered strawberries
  • $200 Skaneateles Chamber Certificate for downtown shopping

Package is valid through the month of May, with rates beginning at $2,720 mid-week and $3,035 on weekends, based on double-occupancy, including taxes and gratuities. Call 877-647-2328 or click here to book.

Country Inn Bed and Breakfast
Fort Bragg, California

A charming B&B on the Mendocino Coast, the Country Inn Bed and Breakfast is offering two great packages for Mom this holiday. First there is the “Ultimate Wine Tour” package, with two nights accommodation, a full-day wine tour with gourmet lunch, sparkling wine, a cheese platter, bottled water, special winery discounts and dinner for two at the Mendo Bistro. There is also a “Mother’s Day Massage” offer, which gives Mom a 50-minute massage, two nights of accommodation and dinner for two at Mendo Bistro.

Rates for the “Ultimate Wine Tour” package begin at $606, and $347 for the “Mother’s Day Massage” offer. Call 707-964-3737 or click here to book.

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa
Lost Pines, Texas

Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort and Spa, a secluded 405-acre property on the Colorado River, is hosting an array of offers and programming in honor of Mother’s Day. For those looking to indulge at the spa, Mommy and Me pedicures are available for $125. Moreover, mothers golf free at Wolfdancer Golf Club. On the special day, the accommodation will host a Mother’s Day Brunch, including breakfast favorites and unique creations like smoked pork loin with house made Shiner Bock Mustard as well as a lavish dessert buffet. Additionally, many recreational activities for mom will be offered, like Mother’s Day card making, button making and mom-themed movies under the stars.

The buffet is $49 for adults, $24 for children 4-12 and free for children three and under. Call 512-308-4851 or click here to book.

Delamar Greenwich Harbor
Greenwich, Connecticut

This Mother’s Day, Delamar Greenwich Harbor, a luxury waterfront property, is helping mothers and daughters spend quality time together. The one-day package is offered every weekend in May, and features:

  • One night in a double room or two-bedroom suite
  • Complimentary breakfast
  • Welcome gift from Saks 5th Avenue
  • Early check-in at 2:00 p.m. and late check out at 2:00 p.m.
  • Lunch for two in the onsite l’escale
  • Two 60-minute massages in the hotel’s Spa Suite
  • Two pedicures
  • Personal shopping session at Saks 5th Avenue with car service

Package available Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday through May, and start at $635. Call 866-335-2627 or click here to book.

The Shores Resort & Spa
Daytona, Florida

For mothers and daughters who want to have some fun in the sun this Mother’s Day, The Shores Resort & Spa is hosting a “Mother/Daughter Surf Camp” package. The offer includes two nights of accommodation, a private surf lesson for two, a 50-minute mother/daughter salt scrub and a 50-minute massage for two.

Packages start at $578 per room, based on double occupancy. Call 866-396-2217 or click here to book.

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa
Oahu, Hawaii

On May 13, JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa will host a celebratory event for Mother’s Day. Beginning at 11:00 a.m., there is a special champagne lunch buffet. Additionally, a concert by Na Hoku Hanohano award-winner Willie K, and a fashion show hosted by Hawaiian designer Mamo Howell will be part of the programming.

Tickets for the celebration are $85 for adults, $50 for children ages 4 to 12 and free for children under four. Room rates start at $299 per night. Call 808-679-0079 or click here to book.

Meadowmere Resort
Ogunquit, Maine

Meadowmere Resort, a popular hotel for gourmet vacations on Maine’s southern coast, is featuring an array of Mother’s Day packages this holiday. First there is the “Mother’s Day Weekend Dining” package, which includes accommodations, wine and cheese, Mom’s choice of dinner at one of the hotel’s three onsite restaurants and a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday morning. There’s also the “Mother’s Day Weekend Spa” package, featuring accommodations, a Swedish massage, mini-facial, holistic yoga session and wellness consultation.

Packages start at $179.95 for the “Mother’s Day Weekend Dining” package, and $199.95 for the “Mother’s Day Weekend Spa” package. Call 800-633-8718 or click here to book.

Arizona Biltmore
Phoenix, Arizona

The Arizona Biltmore, with its vibrant gardens and historic ambiance, is a great place for Mom to spend her special day. This holiday, the property is hosting numerous offers, from free-night offers to spa specials and Champagne brunches. First there is the 2-For-1 Mother’s Day offer, which gives guests who book a room during the week of Mother’s Day a second night free. Additionally, their “Like Mother Like Daughter” package includes an hour-long manicure and pedicure for two for $175. If Mom would like to spend more time in the spa, select treatments are 30% off, like the Dreamcatcher Aromatherapy Massage and the Restorative Anti-Aging Facial. Moreover, a Mother’s Day champagne brunch will be hosted in the McArthur Ballroom, with breakfast favorites, salads, carving stations, hot entrees and a rose for every mother. Reservations are required, and prices are $75 for adults, $35 for children 12 and under and free for infants. Another Mother’s Day champagne brunch with a different menu will be held in Wright’s at the Biltmore. Reservations are required, and prices are $95 for adults, $40 for children 12 and under and free for infants. At night, an array of Mother’s Day dinner specials will be offered throughout the hotel, with pre-fixed menus, drink specials and unique menu additions.

Two-for-one offer valid May 10 to 17, with room rates starting at $229. Use promo code “MOM” when booking. Call 800-950-0086 or click here to book.

The Meaning Of Mate In Argentina

by Jessica Festa on

While upon first glance many people believe the locals in Argentina are drinking tea, but the concoction is actually a blend of herbs. Mate, an infusion prepared with yerba mate leaves called “Ílex paraguariensis,” contains caffeine, herbs and proteins as well as hot water. It has been drunk since Pre-Colombian times by the Guaraníes, a local group in South America. Argentina is the world’s number one producer of yerba mate, making this a great cultural experience to have while traveling in the country.

During my visit to Argentina, I saw people everywhere carrying thermoses of hot water and mates, metal cup-like things with bombillas, which are the long metal straws poking out. In every shop and market you will also be able to find ornate mates for purchase. Luckily, I got to try mine with a local friend and learn more about what mate means to locals in Argentina.

“It’s merely an infusion, but it has a huge meaning of sharing,” explained my local friend Javier Viñuela, whose mother had prepared some mate for a group of us in her home. “As it usually happens with food, drinking mate is a way or excuse to share with friends and family.”How it works is like this: the person who “ceba el mate,” or prepares it, is the first one to take a taste. After that, this person begins passing the mate to those next to him or her, who give it back to that main person to prepare again for those next in the circle. When you say “thanks” after sipping, it means you don’t want to drink anymore. For this reason, it’s important not to thank everyone each time you take a sip, but only once you’ve had enough.

Mate can either be taken bitter or sweet. For first-timers, I would recommend adding some sugar or honey, as the herbs can be quite pungent if you’re not used to it. Moreover, being one of the last to sip it can also help to take out some of the bitterness, as by then the hot water has taken away some of the flavor’s intensity.

During my first time trying it, I added sugar to help ease the bitterness. While the first few tastes were hard to swallow, once you get used to it the flavor is actually quite nice. Aside from sharing, there are other reasons people enjoy drinking mate. For one, many locals in Argentina find the drink delicious. Additionally, it’s a cheap way of “having a drink” for a long period of time with friends. And for those on a diet or having digestion issues, mate is said to be a diuretic. For the best mate, I’ve heard from many locals that Rosamonte (pictured above) is the best brand.

10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Tahiti

by Jessica Festa on

Located in the South Pacific, Tahiti is thought of by many as a prime vacation destination. But what do you actually know about these islands? To test your Tahitian knowledge, here are 10 things you probably didn’t know.

1. The official languages of the country are both Tahitian and French. However, English is also widely spoken on most of the islands.

2. What is commonly known as “Tahiti” or “The Islands of Tahiti” is officially categorized as an Overseas Country of France, with its own government overseeing all international decisions on behalf of French Polynesia.

3. There are 118 islands and atolls spread out over five archipelagos.

4. Most Polynesians believe the mythical island of Hawaiki, today known as Raiatea, rose from the bottom of the ocean and was the beginning of all life on Earth.

5. The over-water bungalow was invented in the islands of Tahiti 45 years ago.

6. On Fakarava, there is a church called Jean de la Croix made completely of coral.

7. The Islands of Tahiti is the only country in the world to have a winery, Vin du Tahiti, on a coral atoll.

8. The word “tattoo” originated in French Polynesia. The legend of Tohu, the god of tattoo, talks about painting all the fish in the ocean and showing their vibrant colors and designs. In Polynesian culture, tattoos are thought to be signs of beauty, and were ceremoniously applied to the body as a celebration of adolescence in earlier times.

9. Mount Temehani on the island of Raiatea is home to the Tiare Apetahi flower. This flower will not grow anywhere else in the world, despite botanists having tried to replant it for centuries.

10. The Tahitian alphabet contains only 13 letters.

For a more visual idea of Tahiti’s lesser-known side, check out the gallery below.

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Vagabond Tales: Salar De Uyuni, The Weirdest Place On Earth

by Kyle Ellison on

Right now, as you read this, there are pink flamingos and wild llamas running amok on the shores of a red lake in Bolivia. In a land far, far away, people are watching the sunrise amidst steaming geysers while dodging puddles of boiling mud. There are hot springs where you can bathe nude at 15,000 ft, hotels made entirely of salt, and rocks that look exactly like trees.

No, this isn’t peyote week in the Vagabond Tales office. I’m speaking of a real place, a place where I’ve been. It’s a place I’m officially labeling as the weirdest place on Earth. In addition to all of the other oddities this is also the world’s largest salt desert, and, as you might expect, this is a terrible place for your car to break down.

At 4,633 square miles Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is a vast sea of salt larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined. Traffic is minimal and the roads are always shifting. If you get lost out here or lose your way you don’t simply call AAA or check your GPS. These don’t exist here in the southwestern hinterlands of Bolivia. If you get lost in the Salar de Uyuni, you start hoping that you aren’t going to die.

%Gallery-153780%Having booked a three-day crossing of the Salar with an adventure company out of the town of Uyuni it only took one hour before Juan Carlos, our driver, had donned a pair of faded blue coveralls to replace a flat tire on our trusty white land cruiser.

“Diez minutos” he reassured us with with a slightly embarrassed mumble. “No te preocupes“.

Don’t worry.

Standing just over 5′ 5” and sporting a thin black mustache, Juan Carlos, like so many other men in the Bolivian town of Uyuni, has a job which involves shuttling travelers across this mountainous netherworld.

Even before the flat tire incident our troupe of six travelers had already made a pit stop at a place known only as the “Train Cemetery”. Located only minutes from the outskirts of Uyuni-a windy, dusty, 12,000 ft. outpost where lips chap and heads ache-many of the locomotives which once dominated the Bolivian rail lines now appear as metal phalluses left to rust in the salty mountain air.

Now, with our lone spare tire firmly affixed to a rusty axle we saddled up the mechanical horse and headed straight for the great white unknown.

After bouncing around the back of the Land Cruiser for a couple of hours Juan Carlos eventually brought us to Isla Incahuasi, a cactus-covered dollop of an island floating all alone in the endless sea of salt. Literally, as far as you can see in every direction is a white horizon of nothingness. Here, strangely enough, it’s possible to amble among cacti which have thrived for over 1,000 years in one of the most inhospitable terrains on the planet.

Already awash in an alternate reality, Isla Incahuasi is also a place to tinker with the unique elements of perspective. Utilizing the endless horizon and deft usage of a digital camera it’s suddenly possible to take pictures where you appear to actually surf on a water bottle, sit in the palm of your girlfriend’s hand, or take a casual stroll down the handle of a guitar. The only thing missing is a smoking caterpillar and a smiling Cheshire cat.

As if the day hadn’t been strange enough already, that evening I somehow found myself licking the walls of my hotel room. In an empty basin where building materials are hard to come by, even the buildings are made from blocks of salt. So too are the beds, the windowsills, and the tables and chairs. Unfurling my sleeping bag onto a year’s worth of sodium I silently questioned if this place could get any stranger.

Never could I imagine, however, how strange it was about to get.

Not three hours after waking on a bed made of salt did I find myself chasing flamingos around a lake resembling an oversized peppermint. Fittingly known as “Laguna Colorada” (Colored Lake), the lake has a certain type of sediment which turns the water a blood shade of red. Blended with white islands made of borax deposits, the red and white color wheel almost seems to spin in the thin, 16,500 ft. air. Higher than any mountain peak in the 48 states, the altitude doesn’t seem to bother the flamingos, pink curiosities of nature who still sleep on one leg in spite of the 40 mph winds whipping across the plain.

Wanting nothing more than a restful sleep after a day spent navigating an environment straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, we instead were roused at 4am as part of a plan to watch the frigid sunrise. Though I have seen enough sunrises in my travels to warrant sleeping in through a 4am wakeup, never before had I been presented with the opportunity to watch the sunrise from the steaming caldera of an active volcano.

This is so strange I am going to repeat it.

The opportunity to watch the sunrise from the steaming caldera of an active volcano.

I’m not making this up. This is a place where you can literally jump through steaming geysers of sulfur which springs straight from the Earth. Don’t believe me? Look for the part where I momentarily appear to be on fire.

For as much fun as this might seem, when you are navigating the geysers of an active caldera there are nevertheless dangers intrinsic to such an activity. What dangers might exist inside of an active caldera you ask? What about accidentally stepping in a puddle of boiling mud?

Relaxing in a thermal hot spring after having escaped the confines of the active caldera I got to chatting with an Australian traveler who had also spent the last three days in the salt flats.

“You ever been anywhere like this before?” I casually inquired, the thin mountain air still having an effect on the ability to speak in long sentences.

“Never mate. This place is mental. It’s like I’ve gone to another planet and am afraid to return.”

Well said mate. Well said.

Want more travel stories? Check out the rest of Vagabond Tales here.