Hit the Hay in Germany

I thought I was a pretty seasoned budget traveler, until I heard about German Haylofts. The idea was introduced to me in a podcast by Rick Steves when he interviewed a guy known for Vagabonding. The idea was pretty foreign to me (no pun intended), but certainly intriguing. Fortunately, the NYTimes recently had an article about these Heuhotels. It doesn't take much to provide overnight lodging to the extremely cost-conscious traveler, so a farm with an empty barn and some bales of hay can provide a few dozen accomodations. I don't particularly like the smell of hay or barnyard animals, so I think I would be hesitant to swap a hostel for these. However, if they they had a great location, I would check it out. They seem to usually run about 10-20 Euros for adults, and possibly less for children. Two Hayloft listing sites mentioned by the Times are www.heuhotels.de, www.heuhotelferien.de

Globe Trekker TV

Globe Trekker TV is the first main stream travel show I have seen where they really capture the back packer lifestyle. The show's host stays in hostels, meets the locals, and travels the world. The host is Australian, an appropriate choice since they are known for taking long trips around the world. The show is shown in Boston on the PBS channel, WGBH (44). This episode chronicles the hosts trip around Australia, and includes a visit to an Opal mine, herding camels in the desert, and a visit to the Indian Ocean. Upcoming shows next month include Tibet and New Zealand, two places I would love to visit. The Pilot Guides channel on Youtube also has some great videos.