Canadiana Backpackers Blog

Does anyone understand the teen generation of today? Teachers perhaps do. But precious few others, that’s for sure.

Even most descriptions of them are contradictions of terms and, thus, confusing. For instance many aver that today’s teens are much more sophistocated than other post-war generations. That’s a given. No arguments here.

Generation Z (a.k.a. The Wired Generation) has been shaped by the Internet and has access to information unavailable to generations past.

It can be argued that educators today have a more diffucult time than teachers of generations past. The youth of today are far less complient and have a measure of freedom unthinkable in school age children in the past.

We’ve just had a visit from LaSalle H.S. Sudbury, Ontario. It was a group of 25 music students who came to attend the Toronto Symphony and take in a stage musical (The Lion King).

We often host School Groups from communities in Northern Ontario who come to Toronto to experience the cultural diversity of the city.

But perhaps the most remarkable about these groups of “A” students is the way they conduct themselves on these “field trips”.

The are always a pleasure to have as guests and we’ve never had a hint of a problem with them whatsoever.

Daniel Pexx is a truck driver in his native Germany. He arrived in Toronto in the summer of 2010 and immediately started searching for hostels for accomodation.

Daniel settled on our hostel and immediately began to check out truck driving jobs in Canada. A lot of Europeans want truck driving jobs here. Thousands of miles of open roads (and the success of TV shows like “Ice Road Truckers”) are like siren calls for  many adventurous loners.

Daniel immediately applied for an Ontario Driver’s Licence  and enrolled in requisite training programs to qualify for an AZ Licence that would allow him to drive “heavy rigs” (18 wheels) here in North America.

He also purchased a car and headed west to see the country. He took quite a circuitous route: Montreal – Boston – NYC – Miami – D.C. – Chicago – Thunder Bay – Winnipeg – Regina – Calgary – Edmonton…).

He found it difficult to obtain a trucking job due to his lack of experience on North American Roads; so he decided to winter in Edmonton. He found well paying work there but truck driving jobs eluded him.

In Edmonton, he experienced Canada’s full winter fury and endured temperatures of -40C (which is coincidently the same as -40F).

In the spring, he drove on to Vancouver, Victoria, Tofino (on Vancouver Island) then down the U.S. coast highway to California, Las Vegas then back north to Canada.

The following comment was copied directly from his Facebook Page and pasted here:

Daniel Pexx

I am back where everything started. It feel like coming home Yeah!!!!

17 hours ago · LikeUnlike ·

• Sigrid Maier, Clara Peng and 9 others like this.
• • 

    Yuka Ulalaxx welcome home, glad to have you back here:))) talk to you soon

    17 hours ago · LikeUnlike
  • 

    Jakob Von Schenck ?*feels

    17 hours ago · LikeUnlike
  • 

    Daniel Pexx right!

    17 hours ago · LikeUnlike
  • 

    Roberto Incarbone jealous, very jealous

    12 hours ago · LikeUnlike
  • 

    Wilma Paned Legaspi finally,u’r home ….get well rested in a few days and u take care…..^_^

    7 hours ago · LikeUnlike

• Write a comment…
• So you see? “It Feels Like Home” is not just an empty slogan. Exactly as this unsolicited comment says! You can join us an become part of the “family”.

A lot of people who stay in hostels are young, adventurous and green. By “green” we mean “friends of the earth” types.

So a lot of them want to tour our town by bicycle; however, renting a bicycle was never a very easy proposition in Toronto.

Four years ago a “bicycle share” program was started in Toronto. It was a low tech approach to providing urban trransport and the ambitious initiative soon fizzled and disappeared.

The good news is that Bicycle Sharing is back in the city. The new program called BIXI operates from 80 bike “stations” located in the downtown core of the city. This program is a decidedly high-tech solution to urban transport.

The “stations” are all located in the area bounded by Bloor St., in the north; Spadina Ave., on the west; Jarvis Street in the east and Harbourfront to the south. These stations are never located more than 300 meters apart.

You’ll need to purchase a membership (daily $5; monthly $40; or yearly $95). Members can then rent a bike for $5 for 30 minutes of use. Further charges are incurred past the half-hour limit.

Details of their rates, locations terms and conditions can be found here:

http://www.wikito.org/Bixi_-_Toronto_Bike_Sharing

To see the city, you might consider picking up a biks and enjoy the summer weather as you explore.

Due to our location in the virtual centre of BIXI’s area of operation, there is a bike “station” one block north and another one block south of our hostel’s front door.

One thing about Canadians (actually, all residents of Northern regions) is we really appreciate the arrival of spring.

It signals the end of another long, cold (seemingly interminable) winter. Spring is the coming of double digit temperatures above zero.

Although it is a time for a lot of work it is the most welcome season of all. Spring cleaning is a major chore; but, undertaken with pleasure.

The entire zeitgeist of the hostel changes as the warmer, sunnier weather and longer days raise everyone’s spirits.

Activities that were forced indoors by winter’s chill now have the parks and the promise of beaches to enjoy unencumbered by winter boots and heavy clothing.

The staff of our Toronto Hostel is busy with preparations for the coming summer with tasks of repainting, window cleaning and the reinstallation of air conditioning units to combat Toronto’s muggy, humid summers.

We expect to be operating at capacity for the spring and summer. Hostels in Toronto are blessed with being  located in a popular destination.

And none of the hostels in Toronto has a more desireable, central location than Canadiana Backpacker’s Inn.

So join us this spring and summer.

When Marcelo, a surfer/chef/sommelier from Chile was here this spring, he prepared a few “special dinners” for sale to hostel guests. All the proceeds went to support the Canadian Red Cross’ relief efforts in Japan.

Almost a thousand dollars was raised from a mere two dinners. Chilean Rib-Eye  Steak and a second meal of Empanadas.

Both meals were a real hit with hostel guests. Few could believe that a Rib-Eye Steak could be had for a mere $7.

Before he left for home, Marcelo gave his recipie to Ollie (a chef from Ireland) so the meal/tradition would be carried on.

The “event” to raise money for charity, was a huge success so we have decided to make it a regular feature of hostel life.

We can provide tasty, nutritious, low-cost dinners to backpackers and raise money for charity at the same time.

This month, efforts will support the Centre for Northern Families, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. A social service support organization chosen by staff member Miriam (a.k.a.”Muffin”).

Watch our walls for posters announcing future dinners. Then join us on the patio for a delicious meal in support of a worthy cause.