Brush up on backpacking basics with travel workshops in San Francisco
Posted by Sherezada on Oct 20, 2009
Congratulations! You’re finally going to live your dream of traveling abroad. But, after the initial thrill of buying your tickets wears off, a flood of questions will surely come to mind. How can I save money? What papers do I need? How will I stay safe? How will I get around once I’m there? How can I get the most out of my trip? That’s where Hostelling International can help.
This autumn, HI-USA Golden Gate Council offers two free travel workshops in San Francisco: our flagship "World Travel 101" program and the popular "Women Traveling Solo" workshop. These discussions give beginning travelers a place to ask their pressing questions and learn the ins and outs of budget travel.
Though these programs are tailored to those starting out on their globetrotting adventures, seasoned travelers are welcome to join in and share their own tips and experiences.
World Travel 101
November 5
Roam if you want to, but don’t leave home before you learn some of the basics of budget travel.
Larry Dahm, an experienced traveler, shares firsthand knowledge on how to travel safely and responsibly abroad on a shoestring budget. This 90-minute workshop, aimed at college-age and adult trippers, covers topics such as documents, budgeting, transportation, accommodations, safety, itinerary planning, travel resources, packing, and more.
Larry Dahm is an avid hosteller who has lived in San Francisco for more than a decade. Over the past 25 years, Dahm has traveled to Europe eight times, worked with missionaries in Mexico and Central America, spent a month in Australia, and traveled frequently within North America. He has been volunteering for HI-St. Louis and HI-San Francisco since 1996, including co-facilitating World Travel 101 workshops, leading guided bike rides for the three San Francisco HI hostels, and covered the Information Desk at the San Francisco Downtown Hostel for a couple of years.
Women Traveling Solo
December 3
These days, sisters are traveling for themselves, and you too can join the ranks of proud, solo female travelers.
Join us for a 90-minute workshop, tailored towards women of all ages who are planning to travel by themselves for the first time. Even if you’ve already taken your first solo trip, stop in to gain some smart tips on how to add more value and independence to your adventures.
With special reference to women’s needs, the workshop highlights basic travel preparedness, street smarts and safety, transit options, accommodations, cultural savvy, travel resources, health issues, and more.
Led by Megan Seelie (an experienced solo traveler), the workshop includes a slide show and presentation, a Q&A session, and take-away tip sheets.
Megan Seelie is a native Ohioan who learned the awesome power of her passport at the age of 15. Since then she has lived on sailboats in the Bahamian Islands, traversed the Australian coast in her Volvo, lived the high life in Thailand (a few times), spent some time in Central America, and seen most of the United States. She has also traveled overland through China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Her solo journeys include moving to China, backpacking across Japan and Europe, and trekking through New Zealand. She recently hitchhiked from Anchorage, Alaska, back to San Francisco, and looks forward to sharing helpful hints, swapping stories, and getting people out into this magnificent world!