The Joys of Hostelling

Now I know that there are lots of advantages to staying in a hostel - well, actually, at the moment I can only think of one. The price. But recently, despite this dangly little carrot, I've begun to question what a 35+ something year old is doing in one.

The Sleep-In Hell, where we are currently staying, has been the starting point for this rumination. This is probably because it is the longest I've ever stayed in any one particular hostel (by the end it will have been 8 nights) and therefore I have had opportunity firsthand to experience over and over the disadvantages to the hostelling concept.

First of all, the dormitory. Now, in YHA hostels, or HI hostels, normally you get single sex dormitories. And normally I'm travelling with other girls, so that's not a problem. But in some privately owned places, like the Sleep-In Hell, the dormitories are mixed. And huge. We're fortunately in the small one (2 cubicles with 4 beds in each cubicle - but no door so you can hear everything they say in the next door cubicle), but tomorrow we have to move to the large one (20 beds, same layout with regards to the cubicles!). The disadvantages of mixed dorms are as follows:

1. Boys. They smell.

2. Boys. They snore very loudly.

3. Boy Australians. Especially early 20-something ones. They have no consideration for others.

This was highlighted all too clearly for me the night before last. You see, unfortunately on that night, three of the four beds in cubicle one were occupied by young Australian male 20-something year olds, so their sense of hygiene is, shall we say, not very well developed, and in our cubicle, there were 3 boys plus me. So the smell of boy was very potent and woofy. One poor bloke actually noticed it himself and thought it was his thongs, so he went and put them outside - but trust me, it wasn't just his thongs! Now add to this mix the fact that poor Art has a little bit of a sinus problem at the moment which causes him to snore a bit. That's ok, I have my ear plugs, and my Zen, so I can block it out. And actually, the other night it wasn't Art snoring at all, but some other bloke in the next cubicle. But last night, the stupid young Australians in cubicle one just could not cope. First of all, when they got back, very late, poor Art was already off with the fairies, and these blokes were just being soooo loud, carrying on about their travel plans to Berlin because Denmark is soooo expensive (I have news for you boys, Germany isn't much better). Then when they finally settled down, and everything quieted down, Art's sinus problem kicks in a little. I get out my earplugs and I'm happy - but the Aussie blokes aren't. Their solution? To reach across between the cubicles (there's a little gap where you can touch the bed next door just near the window) and VIOLENTLY shake the bed in an effort to wake Art up. Now let me just point out, Art is a very deep sleeper - so they didn't succeed - but I'm in the bottom bunk, and they WOKE ME UP!!!! The inconsiderate so and so's! And then I couldn't get back to sleep!

So to make up for it, the next morning, when we had to leave the hostel at 7.30am for the conference, oh boy did I let them have it. I rustled all the plastic bags in my bag, unzipped and rezipped my bag several times just for the fun of it, coughed loudly and short of running my hair dryer made sure they knew in no uncertain terms that I was up and at 'em, getting ready for the day... and as I was leaving the room, I could hear one of them tossing and turning in his bed... serves the blighters right!