Timeline Travel on 25 DE's* a night

©1997 Stephen Voss

Hostels

The first thing you must get for cheap stays is a ITHA (Inter-Timeline Hostel Association) Card. Its available on most ITA worlds. Though its not strictly necessary (if you know about the ITHA discount you probably are a member anyway). Some of the interesting Hostels:

Bob's (Amsterdam)

While not an ITHA member nor even aware of ITHA, Bob's hostel exists on many Amsterdams in alternate worlds with a smoking bar across the street depending on the timeline. Always a good breakfast.

Kiel,Hanse Youth Hostel (ITHA)

This youth hostel is great in Hanseatic league worlds. Hanseatic league once was rather backward but as they smelled profit they became and are some of the best ITA vendors. Good quality Scando-German equipment that's puts Swiss Watches to shame. The Kiel youth hostel is spartan but clean and comfortable and within 10 km distance of the Voss Haus restaurant (my counterpart (a cousin sort of) in the Hanseatic timeline gives ITHA card holders good (ok its decent house beer but its only $5 DEs for all you can drink) and the dinner is tasty.

York ITHA hostel

Celtic Federation In Roman Republic timeline (Where the republic and the Celtic state survived) York (or the area in OTL** known as York) is a great place to be picked up by women, that's right, in the Celtic areas the women are as aggressive as the men, although the nice ones are more playful about it. It is funny to watch a 5 foot 3 inch chestnut hair girl put the moves on some 6 foot 4 inch guy.

In the rural areas,"sensitive" men are advised to steer clear of the women to avoid being harassed (butts pinched,lewd remarks,etc.). It is worse in the cites where you have older aggressive women (40's) in positions of power go trolling for men in their 20's and they have difficulty taking no for an answer.

Note: Getting into bed with a male to keep warm is not a Celtic custom***. The best answer is to usually to find someone nice quickly or hire a guide/bodyguard. But the hostel is only $10 DEs a night,and the Celtic hostels have a mean breakfast, being the best farmers in this world. Its often frequented by Romans

Rome in this timeline survived as a republic, the social reformers actually succeeded. The Romans did pick up restraints on government based on Celtic models.

Publica Hospitium

Rome's sort of hostel for travelers, where youth groups stay when having audiences with the Senate. Reasonably clean but Bacchus revelers get a little scary sometimes, but there's always a centurion nearby. Romans don't like visitors being harmed and will severely punish anyone does harm a visitor (it hurts the image of the city). $5 de's a day

Athens (ITHA Special Mention)

Apparently in this timeline the Academy still stands and many of the traditions are still the same. Even with many conquerors no one was stupid enough to destroy a center of knowledge. The Academy lodgings often host visiting scholars and will take anyone who knows at least a little geometry or at least some math. The Bards school has evolved into one of the great story writing schools of the multiverse. It's heard that ITHA may build a long term facility to allow students to attend school here.

Nieu Amsterdam (ITHA)

This city is everything about Holland and everything about America combined to a power of 10! The Dutch FEBO chain surpassed McDonalds here and is opening stores in several United States cities. Of course the McDonalds responded by making McKroket which is surprisingly good but FEBO is still better. Everything you can find in Holland you can find here,except cheesier,tackier,and bigger(including the blunts). The youth hostel in this town is located on New Damrak square, close to the central station but far enough way from the seedier parts of town so that everyone can feel safe here. The ITHA office in the hostel is large and very helpful, and everyone rents bicycles around here. The breakfast is huge, but afternoon snacks aren't always what they seem. Make sure you know which brownies you are eating(and want to eat!)

You can ride over to the Stadt house where the Dutch crown family resided during World War II. You can also ride over to the North American brewery of our favorite Dutch brewer for the tour (yawn) with FREE SAMPLES(reserve a spot a few days ahead).

Unlike many of the former Dutch colonies in Asia and the Caribbean, Nieu Amsterdam remains a proud self-governing colony that is gradually becoming wealthier than its mother country due to its lower taxes and recently elected Libertarian stadt government (It should be noted the Dutch libertarians are more mainstreamed than their American counterparts who remain a small party with only 40 to 50 congressmen). There was some desire in the Early 80s to abolish the monarchy but the Libertarians defeated it with the slogan "Id rather have 1 toothless tiger 5000 kilometers away than 5000 tyrants not a kilometer away"

Havana Fidel's (ITHA)

The youth hostel here is right across the street from the beach. The youth hostel would not be extraordinary except that it is named "Fidel's" after the owner Fidel Castro. The lobby is covered with pictures from his baseball days (which he will wildly exaggerate for anyone who will listen). After his baseball days he opened a hostel for Cuban youth baseball players which he now lets his daughter mostly run. He owns a a small stake in the Havana Sun baseball team and never misses a game. The hostel has a room named after every baseball team and others named after famous players.

Monterrey (ITHA) - Republic of California

This hostel is right on the ocean, on the Monterrey Island. After the 9.8 quake in 1989 what was left of Calfornia was not expected to recover but not only has it recovered it has thrived. Under the leadership of President Sonny Bono, the Islands of California have rebuilt and reconnected to the outside world , and underwater thermal vents have actually made Monterrey into a warm water paradise . The hostel in this town is actually on a houseboat at the floating dock on the Monterrey atoll.

NOTE: GET A MAP FROM ITA FIRST, you dont want to arrive on a "wet spot". Decent breakfast but you should like seafood if your going to stay here. The hostel has a ocean side view to west,east,and North and a view of the Volcanic Mount Carmel in the distance. $20 de's a night for a Covered bed and $10 de's for a cot on the hardtop.

Libertyville,Cherokee Nation (Inside Georgia)(ITHA)

Libertyville is a suburban youth hostel in the midst of the wealth and academia of the Cherokee republic. After the Supreme Court ruling affirming their right to remain. The cherokees continued developing their advanced culture. During the civil war , the Cherokees won their independence by refusing to join the Confederacy. Although the Confederates did seize their lands, the United States restored them as a reward for their loyalty. In 1946 after the 2nd world war , the Cherokee nation acheived commonwealth status in the United States. Not being subject to the income tax (before it was abolished last year) has attracted a lot of corporations. CNN center in Libertyville is 2 blocks from the hostel. The hostel is on the 53rd floor of the Coca Cola building in the Youth center.

NOTE: Book in advance. Also note that an ITA office will be coming soon, down the hall from the hostel.

ALSO NOTE: The Cherokee currency is gold backed ,so exchange your currency with pleasure

Back to Europe

Visit Wolfe Tone's Landing Place in Mayo/Donegal, in 1998!

©1998 Dan J.J. Kahn

Just a brief word here about a cracking little place which I came across when researching essential material for 'Hail The Liberty Tree': The true story of Wolfe Tone's French-backed invasion of Ireland and the World War which followed. The budget youth Hostel, 'La Pied a Terre' is located near the inlet of Ardara Creek, in the South of Dun-na-Gaul Departement (Donegal), Ireland. It is an excellent base from which to explore some of the many local sights which holiday-taking 'Croisieres' may wish to see, and which are listed below. Located at the farm near where it was believed that Wolfe Tone, 'The Liberator' as he is known in Amerenglish, the hostel proper consists of a modern building in the latest style clad with decorative iridescent azure steel panels, and a 'humpback' roof, which replaces the old 1860's steel and Hessian/Resinite clad structure which had begun to rot and become a fire risk and had to be demolished.

The Kitchenhouse for Alfresco eating is, however, a remaining part of the early 1800's buildings which remain on the site, and incorporated a spacious winecellar. The Hostel grounds, planted with an impressive Francais-Moderne formal arboretum, back on to The Champs-Wolfe-Tone square, which has become the focal point of New Ardara. Opposite, on the other side of the square is an exquisite aluminyum Catholic/Protestant sharechurch of ease of the 1870's, so characteristic of the area.

Many of these buildings, including some apartment towers in the region, were prefabricated at New Sheffield, Maigh Eo, some 80 km to the the South, from reject quality metals from the original ballistic 'cannonshell' space programme. The Hostel proprietor, one A. Ui Niall, says visitors will be welcome anytime, particularly in Decade Zero of the Third Millenium (After 2000), when the renewal work will be finished. He also has the very special privelige of being able to offer to Sliders a 'Squidger' entrance (Through the cellar of the old Kitchen)to sideways travel grids (Access to the Gridney in Baile Átha Cliath/Dublin can be arranged), as part of an experiment planned by the SNCRI (Societe Nationale de Chemins Roulant Irlandais), but this will have to be first cleared by the ITA.

For more conventional travel in the area, at the E. end of the Champs-Wolfetone there is a station-rank for electric cabros; the nearest Beltway, outside the Porte- Est of New Ardara (Ard ara Nua/ Adair Nouveau) is sporadic at best, due to ongoing improvement works.

Places to visit: Sites of many of the 1798 Battles in the region: Old Ardara/Adair Vieux, Killybegga, Port Nouveau, Port L'Ouest/Cathair Na Mairt, Castelbar, etc. can easily be visited by omiporte, cabro, electric vapscoot or vapeurette. Other battle sites, such as Blacksod, Achill, and Inis Killen, across the rugged countryside further to the west, can can be visited via the Beltway which goes as far as Achill Pont via New Sheffield, or by person'l trans, or for those who can spare the guineas, by helicopter -there is a launching path long enough at Achill-Ile and Inis Killen long enough to take the latest 2-machine Helis.

New Sheffield is of particular interest to those seeking out Hardware-Histr'y, because it is here, close to the moderne Alu-foundry on Lough Furnace/Lac Four, that a manufactory for steel metalworks was set up by the original 'Men of 99' Rebel exiles from Sheffield in England, when they fled the martial crackdown throughout England, against United Englishmen throughout the war years and the Wellington Coup. Using metal and coal, mostly imported from America, combined with local water energy, the works turned out hundreds of ironclad 'Black Ships' and 4-wheeler ships for the War Effort.

A brief note on sports and Leisure Activities. The best locations for freestyle or Official Airkiting or kiteboarding include the Moyen slopes of Croagh Phadraig (NOT the top, as guys will be foxed out by the Pilgrimage Authorities), the mountains on Mainland Sligo, and most of the non-bergered mountains of Mayo, as well as the truly spectacular cliffs of Achill-Isle itself.

Water sports, carrack-racing, etc: Anywhere along the coast as long as it is not an area indicated by onboard nav-unit as a Restricted or 'Dangereux' zone.

Ball sports: The nearest Airball court to the Hostel is just 40M. away, Nr. 34 Rue Bompard; Most 'villes' have airball-courts, as well as Petanque, Tennais, and Sport-Gael grounds. Long Football: There are facilities in Port L'Ouest/Westport, Ardara, and a particularly fine run-of-2km. ground at Inis Killen, where there is also a soc. union F.C. ground.

As stated above, all the details are assumed to be correct but I will bear no responsibility for ommissions or errors, however caused.

Back to Europe

Chicago, United States of America, MarketPlace World (ITHA)

Main text and Author's notes ©1998 Stephen Voss
Editor's notes ©1998 John H. Reiher Jr.

Sleep-Mart: A great place to crash when you get home from a bum ride on the Gridney, when you don't have much in the way of funds. Sleep-mart is for exactly what it says, sleeping. In this world of the free market, accomodations at all price ranges are available. However, thanks to the relative wealth of this world, even the dirt cheap accomodations are clean and safe. The Sleep-Mart is what a 19th century Flop House would be if it were safe, clean, and had TV lounges, smoking bars, and in house brothels.

The locations are generally cheap. Folks this makes Motel 6 look luxurious by comparison. However, say what you will, it is safe and clean (well most of the time). It's right near the Confed Savings midtown branch. Also the branch of ITtemps will hire "travelers" for temporary work going to other worlds and ordinary labor if there's nothing available offworld. Also note that Sleepmart is a 1/2 mile away from "The Prime Cut", home of the best Porterhouse on ANY ITA world. It is also 5 miles away from the University of Chicago, in this world, the largest, best funded, and most respected University on this Planet, with Economists from a dozen worlds who get paid up to $2 million a year.

Bed in Triple bunks , 150 to a room $5 a night
Pillow $2
Sheets $3
Cold Breakfast $2
Cold showers-free
Hot showers $1 (The management has told me to boost customer morale the first 2 minutes of hot water will be free)

Note from a Traveller: "The Sleep-mart accomodations are not bad but they nickel and dime all the time. I got charged a $1 for hot water for my shower...Marketplace Earth Chicago is also the place to go when you want to get the lowest possible customs rates. Their rates are almost nothing. But NEVER, NEVER, NEVER try to cheat these people they will catch you (unlike Earth Prime where you might sneak by.)"

Editor's note: Much as I hate to comment on an entry in the ITHA, I have to make one on the Sleep-mart franchise in Chicago, Marketplace Earth. My major disagreement is with the assertion that a Sleep-mart is clean and safe.

Sanitary and mostly crime free would be a better appellation, as most rooms smell of disinfectant and, while clean, are not spotless. Second, all the amenities are not in the room itself, but in a communal bathing room/lavatory.

I was visiting Chicago with my alternate world Namesake and his partner Cosgrove. I found that you can get all the hot water you want if you slip the desk clerk a 2 pound ITA note, don't bother with Confed script or other federal banks notes, as the exchange rate on Marketplace Earth currency changes daily, by as much as 20%. Pounds ITA are hard currency on this world and the fiver I gave the desk clerk guaranteed that I got a new pillow, (well relatively new), sheets that had not only been cleaned, but bleached, a hot breakfast, and was shown "The Tub". Nice and big, it holds up to 30 gallons of water before you get in, and can take up to 22 stone of displacement.

All that Confed dollar will get you is 10 minutes of hot water, even with this new policy of 2 minutes free, it's still 10 minutes.

The other thing is to go armed. Visibly armed. Especially if you plan to go off the beaten trail, especially if you go outside the tourist areas. Seeing where the workers live is an eye opener and not for the faint of heart. Expect an expose on this sometime in the future.

Author's Reply: You did realize that 5 confed dollars = 1 ITA pound , didn't you? I'm not suprised that for a fiver you got the tub, I'm suprised for a fiver you didn't get a personal room with a buffet? On marketplace Earth, wages are about half as much as on Earth Prime but prices are 1/5 to 1/6 the ITA home price. Why do you think this world is so popular? You can also go down the street to the bathhouses and pay a chinese girl 2 pound 6 pence to bathe you (no funny stuff).

You have to be careful with Confed Script (which is not the same as Confed currency which is gold backed) and if I had a Confed dollar for every "federal reserve" bank, I'd buy the ITA homeworld. You also have to realize that confed script, unlike the currency, is a zero coupon bond that is usually discounted at the exchange desks and usually given out as bonuses for Confed workers to save until they come due.

I will agree to go armed off the beaten trail, especially if your an Edwardian, regardless of the world, this is still Chicago! Special note about the condition of the workers housing, a lot of the housing is pre-fab which is done to minimize cost to the worker, an ITA rep will want to compare Pre-fabs that are owned by the workers (which are well taken care of) versus pre-fabs that are rented by temp to short term workers from other worlds (which usually have to be torn down and rebuilt after they leave because of the mess they choose to live in). I will say some workers do get substandard housing,but its also extremely cheap. I would like to note the ITA houses its own employees on this world in pre-fabs, and cheap pre-fabs to boot.

Editor's Reply: Nice thing about being the editor, is that you always get the last word.

I did realize that 5 Confed Dollars equaled one ITA Pound. I was tempted to bribe the man behind the desk with some Confed Dollars I had converted some of my pounds to. Cosgrove put me off that, having been here before and knew the ins and outs of Marketplace under-the-table commerce. "The confed dollar is a joke here," he said out of ear shot of the front desk, "the only reason the people here don't go fully to the ITA Pound, is that money can be made trading ITA pounds. That fellow will take your pound notes and trade them on an open market, where he'll net himself a right piece of change, better than what he'd get if he just converted to confed currency. I'd do him five pounds or seven if you wants the tub."

Later on, I talked with the night manager, a chap named Ted Kennedy, old fellow, well into his cups if you know what I mean, what he does with his ITA pounds. In a confidential tone of voice he told me he had been saving them, and that the market was looking good for him to dump his £245 on the currency exchange and be able to make about $2000 in confed currency. Only on the Marketplace.

As for the substandard temporary housing supposedly used by the ITA. You must be confusing the barracks housing prefered by private business when engaged in temporary projects. Some of these businesses come from the Marketplace, and exploit housing regulations to their own end. ITemps doesn't seem to lift a finger on these poor conditions.

ITA temporary housing, however, ranges from prefab domiciles for long term temporary work, to prefab modular housing for short term stay. This can be put into place at a moments' notice. All it needs is a solid foundation and it's ready in a day. None of this can be called "cheap prefabs", many have won awards for their style and ease of maintaining.

 

 

* Dollar Equivalents


** Our TimeLine


*** Ok it's not usually bad, but it's not a formal custom, she just likes you. But also note it doesn't necessarily mean she wants to sleep with you. Its more of a bonding/trust thing.