Tuesday, July 21, 2009
I was sleeping on the bottom bunk when my friend on the top decided she wanted to get some water in the middle of the night. She slipped on the metal rail above me, causing the bed to shake a little. I apparently mistook the shake for a murderer trying to kill me in my sleep and woke up yelling “WHAT THE F***!”
This would normally be fine, except for the six total strangers who had been fast asleep before my outburst. Thus concludes my first night staying in a hostel.
The looks I got from the sleeping strangers the next morning (and rest of my time in Galway City Hostel) reminded me of the ‘I’ll pretend I’m not upset, but really what’s your problem?’ But I didn’t let a few bad looks ruin my hostel experience. Instead, I learned from the issues my friends had to make my experience better.
For example, a girl traveling with me was put in a separate room because we didn’t book our stay together. Her new roommate turned out to be a 50-something year-old man traveling alone named Eddie. Eddie was sort of reliving his younger years by visiting as many places as possible, or at least that’s what he told her while he relaxed in his boxers. Being a good person, Eddie felt it was his mission to share the tricks he’d learned from his travels with everyone he met. Sleeping in cemeteries, Eddie told our friend, was the best money saving trick for travel.
Eddie was probably the highlight of my hostel stay. Although I appreciated his mildly insane pieces of advice more than any practical knowledge he offered, I figured someone might find his logical bits of wisdom helpful. So, in true Eddie fashion, here are 10 tips for staying in a hostel.
1. Friends who book together stay together.
If you’re going with friends and want to sleep in the same room, make reservations on the same bill.
2. Make sure it’s not going to turn into that Hostel movie.
Check reviews of hostels before you book a bed on sites such as hostelworld.com.
3. Pack light and live freely.
Bring only what you need and don’t pack anything that you wouldn’t want to lose.
4. Sleep easy.
If you’re nervous about the bed, bring a bed bag and a spare pillow case. Light sleepers should consider earplugs or an eye mask.
5. Make it your home.
Bring a power adapter, shower shoes and other practical items you wouldn’t normally bring if staying in a hotel.
6. Find a sense of humor!
Be prepared for mixed gender bedrooms and bathrooms so you’re not horrified when you see more of someone than you wanted to.
7. Don’t be a victim.
Bring your own padlock for the things you can’t carry with you.
8. Pay no expenses.
Check for optional fees for things such as towels and pack accordingly.
9. Make yourself comfortable.
Pack according to your own level of modesty.
10. Hostels are for sleeping.
Don’t expect a great meal service or to comfortably lounge in your room all day. Hostels provide a place to stay — nothing else.
— — Edited by Kristen Liszewski
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