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Hostel Survival Tips
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Budget travel would not be complete without
the budget accommodation that we require to keep us in the lifestyle to
which we have become accustomed. The places we either love or hate,
where we meet our new travelling mates, old friends from back home,
clubbing buddies, future partners, flatmates and in some cases our
future spouse. By spending less on our beds we hope to spend more on
experiencing the local culture. In the following paragraphs there are a
few suggestions to make that budget bed all the more bearable.
The quality of a youth hostel is not necessarily measured by the
creature comforts it provides, such as high pressure hot showers or
cable TV, but more by the people, the staff and fellow travellers that
make your time there, however short, more memorable. Anyone who has
spent an extended amount of time living in close quarters with other
human beings will understand the physical and mental adjustments that
come with it. You find out just how tolerant you really are and work
out new ways to make it survivable.
You may have shared a bedroom with a sibling as a child but that does
not really compare to sharing with possibly, for the first time, the
opposite sex and from two or three people up to 20 or more. Most
travellers just beginning their travels would be shocked and horrified
at the thought of dressing and undressing in front of an audience let
alone putting up with all the assorted habits of a diverse range of
roommates. But after a few months on the road however it all becomes
second nature.
Now, there has been a real renaissance in the European hostel industry
recently with owners realising there is no longer a benefit in
providing substandard type accommodation. The backpackers will vote
with their feet and now thanks to the internet with their fingers to
inform the rest of the world to avoid the place like the plague.
Occasionally though you will find a bunch of individuals willing to
tough it out in cramped rooms, less than sanitary bathrooms, and
downright scary kitchens purely for the social atmosphere. They like
who they are sharing with.
A single sex dorm is usually the first choice for many first timers,
but don’t be fooled. Even those you would consider to maintain a
reasonable standard of communal etiquette can turn out practically
feral, girls included.
Tip one, keep an open mind on sharing. Small dorms are preferable over
large ones even if they are more expensive. You get to know who you are
sharing with pretty quickly and roommates are potential gold mines for
additional travel information. Sharing with guys can also be a bonus.
They usually know where all the fun is going on.
Here’s tip two. For those trying to maintain any kind of privacy
hanging a sarong or large towel from the bunk above as a curtain is one
option, provided you are on the bottom. The sarong is definitely
preferable as it is light to carry. And if you only take a tiny travel
towel that sprint to the bathroom for a shower is made a little easier
if you can wear the sarong as a wraparound. It also doubles as shower
curtain in some places. It is a very versatile piece of material.
Wearing flip-flops in the shower is another prime tip. Most places will
ensure the showers are cleaned at least once a day but when you
consider the high numbers of people using them as well coming from all
over the world there is a risk eventually of coming into contact with a
foot fungus. Not particularly fun nor easy to get rid of. The
flip-flops keep your feet off the floor and hopefully further away from
any risk of catching some fungal nasty.
Tip four is for those who are light sleepers or become homicidal axe
wielding maniacs at the sound of ear drum splitting snorers- ear plugs.
Brilliant on long haul flights as well these things may just save your
sanity if the guy in the bunk above sounds like a chainsaw on full
throttle at 4 in the morning.
Tip five is to carry some kind of a pocket knife. In this age of
tightened airport security this may sound like the wrong advice but if
it stored in your pack that is checked into the hold it should be ok.
Some hostels have kitchen facilities but may lack in some vital
utensils. Tin openers invariably never work, sharp knives aren’t, and
sometimes even something as simple as a teaspoon may be non existent. A
pocket knife with a decent blade length and can opener is invaluable.
Tip six is to make use of the safety deposit boxes where you are
staying. Ok, not every roommate is a thief. We would like to believe
all our fellow travellers are just like us, out to see the world, make
new friends, experience new cultures and customs, find new horizons and
for the majority that is correct. Nearly everyone you will come into
contact with will have a similar attitude to travel as you and would
never cheat a fellow backpacker. However there is a minority out there
that can make it unpleasant for the rest of us. If you are staying
somewhere with a pretty transient clientele, people arriving and
leaving every five minutes put all the important stuff behind reception
for peace of mind. It also makes sense when going out. Only take what
you’re going to spend. Most places have safety boxes for free or a
small fee.
Tip seven is to take your own padlock. Some places have lockers but
rent out the padlocks. You may also want to consider some kind of
backpack chain to secure the pack to the bunk if there is no locker and
you don’t trust where you are staying. There are some fishing-net like
chains specifically designed for packs available, fairly lightweight
and they fit over your entire pack or case. Just don’t lose the keys.
Tip eight sounds strange but take a bungee cord. This is an elastic
rope that can extend out to make a clothesline or curtain rail. Great
if you have to do hand washing and can’t get to a dryer. It only needs
to be about 1 metre long and preferably with clips or hooks at either
end.
Tip nine is to take a sleep sheet and a pillow case. Most places
provide linen now for an additional charge or even included in the
price but where this isn’t available it is handy to have a sleep sheet.
Some stores sell sleep sheets already made that are treated to prevent
bed bugs or you can easily make your own by stitching a double sheet
down one side. Smaller and lighter than carrying a sleeping bag and
easier to wash, it is ideal for travel in the summer through hot
destinations. A pillow case can be useful for making a pillow by
stuffing it with clothes if there isn’t one and can even make do as an
emergency towel.
Tip ten is to accept those differences. Hostels come in all shapes,
sizes and styles. There can be good and bad hostels in large and small
destinations. A large and popular hostel in the city may have less
atmosphere than a tiny pension in a remote village. You may find the
bar, party crowd and DJ downstairs impossible to leave after a week.
You could also discover the cool Aussie, South African and Canadian
guys you’ve been sharing a room with for a month want to go see the
pyramids in September when you want to go and they have transport. You
may even learn your roommate has more questionable personal habits than
your own. All of these experience serve to teach us more about
ourselves.
My last point is not a tip but the eleventh commandment, thou shalt not
have any noisy plastic shopping bag of any sort in your backpack. Even
the most mild mannered, easy going and placid individual will be
itching to heave a meat cleaver between the ears of someone rummaging
inside their plastic bags, especially if it is at 5am in the morning
and all they can hear is the demented rustling of the plastic. If you
must insist on having the damn thing at least drag the pack into the
hallway to find what you are looking for and leave your roommates to
sleep in peace. They will thank you for it.
Keep these tips in mind and whatever you discover through your
hostelling experiences, about yourself and the rest of your fellow
travellers, the good and the not so good, they will all remain an
unforgettable part of your travelling adventures.
Katy Hyslop is a women of action keeping Plus Villages and their staff
under control. Her experience as teacher, backpacker and tour guide in
Europe for the past six years enables her to have a unique view on the
world of travel.
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