- Current Age?
24
- Nationality
Australia
- Where do you live now?
Perth, Australia
- Occupation
Postgrad student
- 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, Europe, Pacific Islands, USA
- Would you stay in a hostel again on future trips?
Yes
- Why or why not?
Especially good if you're travelling alone, cheap and also great way of finding the best places to travel to, and avoid, and meet people to hang out with (if that's what you want). However you could also end up with horrendous snorers!
- Out of all your experiences hosteling, what was your:
- Best Moment
Meeting great people whilst travelling alone in Samoa and went travelling to other islands with them.
- Worst Moment
Extreme sexual harrassment by deluded hostel worker!
- Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
Snorer one foot away that kept everyone in the room awake. Couldn't sleep through the day either cause I was attending a conference from 7am til 11pm every day (Spanish hours!)
- Biggest surprise?
Triple homicide in Las Vegas within view of the hostel on Hollywood Boulevard! Nothing beats the experiences of hostelling!
- Do you ever book any of your hostel accommodation in advance?
Sometimes
- Why or why not?
I walked a long way with a very heavy pack through the drizzle in London when I was bloody tired, to a hostel I had stayed at before – and they were full. Not fun!
- Who is the most memorable person you met in a hostel and why?
2 Danish guys: great fun, carefree; we had a ball.
- Why do you stay in hostels, as opposed to other types of accommodation?
Cheap! Also like-minded people and if you're travelling alone you can go out with the people in your dorm etc, and people will look out for you too.
- Is there a hostel you'd recommend to other travelers? If so, what is it and where?
The Outrigger, Apia, Samoa. Small dorms with breakfast and very friendly people, not expensive but nicer than the other youth hostels and quieter.
- What is the biggest myth people have about hostels and hosteling?
Every hostel is really different from the last. Some people live in them for weeks like in LA; in some the people try and rip you off and charge you extra than what is advertised (Barcelona!), while other owners will go out of their way to be helpful. Some places are luxurious compared to others as well. There are no rules when it comes to hostels, only if you don't get a good vibe within the first 2 nights I'd move – and therefore I wouldn't book a long stay in any one hostel, particularly if you have to pay up front.
- Why do you like to travel?
Experience new cultures and food mainly. Also meet other travellers from different countries and learn about them.
- What is your advice for other travelers wanting to stay in hostels?
In expensive cities it is the only way to go unless you're really rich and don't mind wasting money on accommodation. You can always book a cheap hotel room to treat yourself if you need a long uninterrupted night's sleep, but if you're travelling alone (which is the best way to travel if you ask me!) nothing beats hostelling to meet other people.
