Cinematical blogged about the new Hostel being filmed. Hostel part two will be just as gruesome as the first, but is expected to have more twisted turns in it. The story will be about three American girls being led to Slovakia.

The movie will once again be directed by Eli Roth, and will be shot in the Czech Republic, Rome, and maybe Slovakia (if the country allows it.) I think it will be doubtful that any shooting will go on in Slovakia because of Hostel’s negative portrayal of it. I even feel for the people in Slovakia, because it seems like a charming country, but some people will undoubtedly decide not to go to Slovakia just because of the movie.

Personally, I’m a big fan of scary movies, but I could not watch Hostel. I watched the first hour, then had to shut it off. I like twisted story lines, but not disgusting torture. So I will not be watching Hostel II when it comes out in early next year.

[tags] hostel 2, hostel [/tags]

With the recent Middle East conflict between Israel and Lebanon, it’s starting to look like Lebanon will no longer be an attractive budget travel destination.

Just when it started to seem like Lebanon was starting to revitalize after their past conflicts with Israel, they started to get involved again. Economically, I do not see the point in being a nationalist in Lebanon because of the impact this will have on tourism.

Lebanon’s travel website boasts

Lebanon tourism prospects strong for 2006
Up to 1.6 million visitors projected this year

However, now those prospects are not looking too strong, atleast while they still detain two Israeli soldiers. If you couldn’t tell, I’m not a big fan of any conflicts in the Middle East, because most military action there just gets messy [see US/Iraq war]
Lebanon was a very cheap destination for travelers. Dorm style Beirut hotel rooms could be had for $6 a night, and double or triple rooms would never be more than $20. Full meals at the typical restaurant are usually around $2 or $3.
Popular ancient Roman ruins at Baalbeck, Lebanon

The most popular things to do in Lebanon include visiting the ancient Roman ruins at Baalbeck, walking along the Beirut corniche, which is a promenade along the Mediterranean Sea, and visiting the National Museum in Beirut. There are plenty of other things to explore in Beirut and in the rest of Lebanon also.

If you are still interested in traveling to Lebanon while Israel is slinging missles at Beirut’s airport, airbases, and the southern part of the country, I’m sure there are many great deals available since most of the Western world will be avoiding the area for awhile.

[tags]Lebanon, travel, [/tags]

WWOOF’ing is a new travel idea that I just ran across recently. It allows travelers to obtain free accommodations, and also food sometimes, in thousands of destinations accross the world. No, this isn’t a scam, because you do pay for your stay in ways other than the local currency.

WWOOF stands for World Wide Oppurtunities on Organic Farms or Willing Workers on Organic Farms. The name is pretty self explanatory, but in a short description, travelers are expected to work in exchange for room and board.

WWOOF.org is the official site online for people who may be interested. They have links to 24 national WWOOFing organizations, and to independent hosts in 50 other countries. The national WWOOFing organizations require its members to pay a membership fee, but the independent hosts do not.

A picture of a WWOOF farm in New Zealand, from WWOOOF New Zealand