Adventures With Nachel

Have we told you guys about hostel life?

When traveling on a budget and moving frequently, hostels tend to be the primary type of accomodation that one utilizes. AirBnB is a nice option, but with service and cleaning fees it often is out of our range unless we are staying somewhere for a week (to spread out the financial burden of these fees) or staying with a third person (Hi Amanda when in Japan and David when in Spain!). Here in London, the AirBnBs outside the city center but not too far out are the same price as what we paid for three nights in this hostel (that's two dorm beds, not just per person). So, in London at least, there was really no debate: dorm beds in a hostel were what we would be getting. For £15 per person per night, it's a steal in London. That being said, it is roughly the equivalent of what we paid per night for a private room AirBnB in Sao Paolo and three times what we paid in Nepal for either a dorm bed or a private hostel room. Just to put London costs in perspective.

Anyway, we've experienced a wide range of hostels, in both private rooms and dorm rooms. Some where we've had en suite bathrooms and toiletries provided. Some where there is only one working toilet among four floors of rooms, and no actual shower heads (just a spigot). Sometimes, everyone at the hostel is eager to make friends and it's extremely easy to talk to anyone (we wouldn't trade all of our new friends for anything - even sleep!). Other times, it's as silent as a mouse in the common room save for the typing of a computer or a movie playing in a corner. You never know quite what you're getting yourself into until you arrive. Even then, once you lay your head down to sleep, there can be a host of other surprises. Pieces of foam that try to pass for mattresses. Lack of air conditioning near the Equator. Strangers snoring. What can only be described as musty smells. Drunken yelling or garbage trucks or [insert other noisy thing here] right outside the window. One ladder to share between four bunk beds (Hiiiiiiii Mendoza).

On the flipside, these can be great surprises, too. Mattresses that you read online are bad enough to warrant renting a second mattress, only to discover they are the best of the whole trip (Singapore, you do mattresses right). Extremely respectful bunkmates who are up and out in the morning without even stirring their neighbors. White noise of some sort that is subtle but creates a nice sleep setting. Personal reading lamps and outlets at each bed so you can charge your electronics overnight and maximize your adventure time during the day. Light blocking curtains. And these are all just pertaining to sleep, not even mentioning the highs and lows in bathrooms, food, friends, and staff.

In London, our lovely sleeping surprises have been not so positive. A door that slams every. single. time. it is closed. "Mattresses" covered in noisy plastic that make a racket every time anyone turns over (at least they're probably easy to clean?). Sunrise through the window that faces our pillows. Noisy bunkmates who start talking at 6:30 AM. Today, a chorus of bangs that went on for what felt like 30 minutes (but was probably just 5) at 5:30, as someone ... I dont know what? Banged through the halls repeatedly in protest of anyone getting to rest? It was honestly like waking up to the banging you hear in a movie right before, "Police, open up!" But here, it's apparently just normal. The M.O. of this hostel seems to be people are really loud from 5:30-6:30 everyday, and then it gets quiet again, so hopefully you can fall back asleep. Why different hostels have different patterns could be a Ph.D. research topic where we examine average plane departure times, local culture, physical standards of the hostel, breakfast times (if it's included), quality and range of wifi, and the typical traveler to each part of the world.

But on today, our last full day abroad, none of that matters. We'll be running on multiple days of inadequate sleep, and who knows how long and challenging tomorrow's transit will be when flying across an ocean and trying to re-enter the USA after more than 6 months gone. But today is the last day of this crazy, wonderful adventure, and we're going to make the most of it.

That all being said, all the banging and yelling this morning is definitely going to make the transition home an easier one to swallow.Les mer