So many things can happen in a week. Or you can hang out in a hostel common room meeting fellow travelers.;) I typically stay in hostels when I travel, and every one is different. Even the same hostel will be different on any given day of the year. You never know what you're going to get, and you make the most out of it. This trip is a bit odd because I'm working and not available to go with the flow. The flow has to stop so I can go to work, or meet the boss for dinner. I feel this as a disadvantage, but I wouldn't be here if it weren't because I'm working too.
By the way, it is an amazing city. I hope to actually see more of it soon. Meaning, I really haven't seen much of the touristy bits. Often on vacation because I'm doing so much every day the time seems so much longer. So far, this isn't the case. I feel a bit lazy, first it was the jet lag, then the work schedule, but I really haven't gone out to see much. Not to say I'm not soaking in the culture, I do that every day. And it is an amazing city. The people in my hostel are great. Some of them teach English in China and they are here on a visa run. Funny thing is they are stuck here longer because they didn't anticipate the holiday. Everything has been closed for Good Friday and Easter Monday in addition to the holiday last Wednesday. But they're making the best of it. Most of the people passing through are traveling though, and some of them for months. Its great that people can do it, I'm jealous and I admire them for it. But anyway, the people in general. As I've said in the past, everyone speaks English. I feel guilty for having it so easy- not to have to speak a foreign language, but love that it is convenient.
George and Mhairi have been the hosts of the hostel. I think they arrived the same day I did, but traveled up from Thailand. They are 18 and 19, and are a bit lot of fun. They are Scottish and lately I've been using Britishisms. It just happens it seems. Six nights of partying have finally caught up to them :) I arrived Sunday night but didn't really talk to many folks until Monday night when folks were chatting in the common room (a room with a dining table with a few chairs, a sofa, medium sized fridge and a couple cabinets). I think we were up until 3:30 that night. Tuesday night they were planning on hanging out but I headed into work to check if I could access my system. I got back to the hostel around 1:30 and one bottle of rum was already gone. Now to be fair, it wasn't just the Scots. There was also Sweden, Germany and New York. George and Mhairi had figured out this would be easier to remember people if they had nicknames. New York also became T-pain, cocoa pops, and Michelle. I am Dora (the Explorer) and Ti Ti. At any rate, they had finished off the rum, and Henrik headed to the store for another. We have the happy luck that there is a 24 hour store Wellcome around the corner. I knew I needed to be in the habit of staying up late so I joined in the fun. We were up until 5:15.
The next night I went to work for the duration. I arrived home around 7 am and people were awake still- Sweden was packing to leave and someone was sleeping on the couch. Apparently they had gone 'out' and just gotten back an hour earlier. T-pain who works for a small bank in NY is used to no sleep (20 hour workdays) and she seems always ready early in the day to get going.
Also George (baby doll) feels like if it's someone's last night in the hostel there should be a celebration. But in a hostel, every night is someone's last night.
This has been going on every night. Friday night they tried to talk me into calling in sick. To be fair, I hadn't been able to sleep well and had only 3 hours of sleep that day. At any rate, I finally did get to join in the fun on Saturday, and had 2 thoughts on it all. Wouldn't have missed it for the world, but also I'm kinda glad I had to be at work all those other nights as it was well after 6 before we even thought about leaving the bar.
We've seen many new travelers and swapped out Swedes, Germans and French. Had Wales, added Denmark and Toronto. Every trip, every city, every hostel is different. Love it all.
By the way, it is an amazing city. I hope to actually see more of it soon. Meaning, I really haven't seen much of the touristy bits. Often on vacation because I'm doing so much every day the time seems so much longer. So far, this isn't the case. I feel a bit lazy, first it was the jet lag, then the work schedule, but I really haven't gone out to see much. Not to say I'm not soaking in the culture, I do that every day. And it is an amazing city. The people in my hostel are great. Some of them teach English in China and they are here on a visa run. Funny thing is they are stuck here longer because they didn't anticipate the holiday. Everything has been closed for Good Friday and Easter Monday in addition to the holiday last Wednesday. But they're making the best of it. Most of the people passing through are traveling though, and some of them for months. Its great that people can do it, I'm jealous and I admire them for it. But anyway, the people in general. As I've said in the past, everyone speaks English. I feel guilty for having it so easy- not to have to speak a foreign language, but love that it is convenient.
George and Mhairi have been the hosts of the hostel. I think they arrived the same day I did, but traveled up from Thailand. They are 18 and 19, and are a bit lot of fun. They are Scottish and lately I've been using Britishisms. It just happens it seems. Six nights of partying have finally caught up to them :) I arrived Sunday night but didn't really talk to many folks until Monday night when folks were chatting in the common room (a room with a dining table with a few chairs, a sofa, medium sized fridge and a couple cabinets). I think we were up until 3:30 that night. Tuesday night they were planning on hanging out but I headed into work to check if I could access my system. I got back to the hostel around 1:30 and one bottle of rum was already gone. Now to be fair, it wasn't just the Scots. There was also Sweden, Germany and New York. George and Mhairi had figured out this would be easier to remember people if they had nicknames. New York also became T-pain, cocoa pops, and Michelle. I am Dora (the Explorer) and Ti Ti. At any rate, they had finished off the rum, and Henrik headed to the store for another. We have the happy luck that there is a 24 hour store Wellcome around the corner. I knew I needed to be in the habit of staying up late so I joined in the fun. We were up until 5:15.
The next night I went to work for the duration. I arrived home around 7 am and people were awake still- Sweden was packing to leave and someone was sleeping on the couch. Apparently they had gone 'out' and just gotten back an hour earlier. T-pain who works for a small bank in NY is used to no sleep (20 hour workdays) and she seems always ready early in the day to get going.
Also George (baby doll) feels like if it's someone's last night in the hostel there should be a celebration. But in a hostel, every night is someone's last night.
This has been going on every night. Friday night they tried to talk me into calling in sick. To be fair, I hadn't been able to sleep well and had only 3 hours of sleep that day. At any rate, I finally did get to join in the fun on Saturday, and had 2 thoughts on it all. Wouldn't have missed it for the world, but also I'm kinda glad I had to be at work all those other nights as it was well after 6 before we even thought about leaving the bar.
We've seen many new travelers and swapped out Swedes, Germans and French. Had Wales, added Denmark and Toronto. Every trip, every city, every hostel is different. Love it all.
I thought you were going to stay with someone while you were there. Either way, a hostel sounds more "fun," depending on your interests.
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