- Current Age?
22
- Nationality
Canada
- Where do you live now?
Kyle, Canada
- Occupation
Freelance Journalist/Waitress
- When it comes to travel accommodation (but leaving out crashing with friends, family or people you meet on the road), how often do you stay in hostels?
pretty much all the time
- Where have you hosteled?
Australia, Canada, Central America
- Would you stay in a hostel again on future trips?
Yes
- Why or why not?
Hostels are cheap, allow you to cook your own cheap food, and are full of people who are as broke and travel-obsessed as you are. You're going to have a lot more interesting stories (and a lot more money left) when you come home after hostelling than if you coop yourself up in a hotel.
- Out of all your experiences hosteling, what was your:
- Best Moment
Meeting an American woman at a hostel in Toronto. She was over 70 years old and still loved to travel, still stayed in hostels. It was encouraging.
- Worst Moment
Dropping my toothbrush, facedown, on the floor of a $4/night Central American hostel. I bought a new one immediately.
- Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
Booking a hostel on the internet before departing. BootsnAll made it a lot easier.
- Do you ever book any of your hostel accommodation in advance?
Sometimes
- Why or why not?
I flew into San Jose Costa Rica by myself, in the middle of the night, so I wanted to have accomodation booked ahead of time so I wouldn't be stranded and alone. Otherwise I find accomodation on a whim, whenever I arrive in a new town.
- Who is the most memorable person you met in a hostel and why?
Marc; a British teacher who was taking a break from teaching math in Vietnam to visit Northern Australia.
- Why do you stay in hostels, as opposed to other types of accommodation?
Cheap, interesting people, backpacker-friendly.
- Is there a hostel you'd recommend to other travelers? If so, what is it and where?
Traveller's Oasis, Cairns, Australia
- What is the biggest myth people have about hostels and hosteling?
That they're unsafe, that people staying in hostels are shady and will steal your stuff. My experiences have all shown me that hostels are safe and friendly places, as long as you use common sense.
- Why do you like to travel?
Endless reasons. I feel that seeing the world is my raison d'etre, I love meeting people, seeing how people live in different parts of the world, hearing international opinions about North America, seeing breathtaking sights, that killer airplane food, getting cool stamps in my passport, gaining invaluable life experience.
- What is your advice for other travelers wanting to stay in hostels?
Use your common sense, be open-minded, and use your experience to meet as many people as you can.
