Hosteling Around the World

"Youth hostels are not just for the young" remarks Ruby Cooper, a solo traveler. “I’m a traveler. I may be young at heart, but I’m anything but years young. My AARP card is wrinkled and worn. My current passport has six pages and three years left. So far, I’ve visited thirty countries, Not that I’m counting, but it’s my frequently asked question.”  

Back around circa 2000BT ( before texting ), my friend who works for United Airlines gave me a buddy pass for Christmas. ” You can go anywhere in the world you want.” Anywhere? Whoa! I chose Thailand. It was my first time in Asia, but definitely not the last. 

Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, it was Chinese New Year.  Apparently, the Chinese don’t celebrate their New Year for a long weekend, regardless if it’s a dog, rooster, ox, or sheep year, they keep up the festivities for weeks.  Bangkok must be on their celebration route. While i was trying to figure out were to go, a Canadian couple I’d met walking off the plane said they were going to Singapore. As it turns out, I, too, could go there if I wanted. “No, problem, Singapore, Miss, seats available,” said the sweet, Japanese desk clerk.

It was one or two o’clock in the morning when we landed, but Ellen went to a pay phone. Using her budget travel guide-book, and advice on how to use the phone, from a friendly guy passing by, she found us a hostel, the first of many for me. The hostel consisted of several rooms above an Indian restaurant in the Hindu part of town. My small room had two twin beds, but I was the only occupant at the time, a door, and a balcony that looked over the main street. The well-worn sheets had a Mickey and Minnie Mouse pattern. The pillow was a hard lump; the mattress slightly fluffier than the floor. The shared bath was huge. Several toilet stalls sans doors, or seats lined the wall. Each had a bucket of water in the corner with a large spoon or ladle. The trick was to dip it into the water to wash oneself after.well, you know.

On a small table near the balcony door in my room was a wicker basket with a sheet of paper, pencil, and a small bell. A wooden chair sat next to it. Upon further inspection I realized the paper was a menu. All I needed to do was check off the stuff I wanted and drop the basket down from the balcony and the food would be sent up to me. I love room service! The problem was I didn’t recognize the food. I would learn soon enough. For the moment , I sat on the little chair and watched the street vendors set up for the day. I was happy. The room cost about 6.00 US dollars a day.

Since then I have stayed in many hostels around the world. They vary wildly according to culture, price, and comfort, but compared to hotels, for independent travelers, they are inexpensive and much more interesting. In a hostel you get the latest skinny from backpackers on places to eat, buses, routes, sights on and off the beaten path, and nightlife. If you are traveling alone you usually can find someone to share expenses on local day tours and taxis. It’s likely you will find friends for traveling and even life.

Many hostels have private rooms and bath, but most people sleep dormitory style in bunk beds. Breakfast may or not be included, but usually there is kitchen where guests can store and cook food, and a common room with one or two computers, a TV, video games or movies, a bar, and maybe a pool table. There might be bikes to rent, and tours at reasonable prices, city maps, and local advice. The Hospedaje Golondrinos in Iquitos, Peru had lovely, warm water pool.

Through the years I have adopted a few methods for convenience and privacy. I pack a few sarongs, a couple of 8-10 foot cords, and a package of plastic and metal clips designed for paper, but the triangle inside allows me to slide the clip along the cord. I tie the cord from end to end along the top of my bunk, and hang the sarongs as curtains. I also carry an extension cord. It’s invaluable for charging phones and laptops where there is only one outlet across the room or on busses. On some busses the outlet is up above the seats in the back of the luggage rack. I run the cord along the top and down the side, hooking it with the clips on the curtain line.

As there are everywhere, there are thieves in hostels. I never leave my small pack with iphone, pad, money & passport out of my sight. On busses, these things go under the seat ahead of me or under my  feet-NEVER above, out of sight. On my last trip one of my favorite sarongs was stolen. It was irritating, but not crucial to the trip.

There are many sites on the internet for hostels. I use Hostelworld.com most of the time, but Tripadviser.com and hostelbooking.com are popular. This allows you to read the reviews of travelers-and we are an honest lot. The main gripe these days is wifi & water, and cleanliness. The last few years we’ve seen an out break of bedbugs in motels in America and Europe, and although I’ve heard of them in hostels, I haven’t had the experience. Ask. Don’t be shy. Are water and wifi reliable and available 24/7? Wifi might just be available in one room, or not at night. The same with water. I personally hate cold showers so the water will make or break the deal for me no matter how cheap the bed is.

Ruby

All this aside, what makes a hostel exceptional is the staff and the people you meet. Many young folks ignore me. I understand. Who wants to hang out with someone who could be your grandmother. Fortunately there are those who appreciate having a person with a different perspective and stories to tell. I’ve taught yoga in hostels and cooked big pots of delicious soup, but mostly I’ve learned from the youth. A few weeks ago I was joined in my morning yoga routine by a Martial Arts Master/Teacher from France. We each learned some new moves. The photos are from some of my favorite hostels during the past two years in Brazil and Peru.

I can’t wait to visit some of the folks I met on my trip: Ireland, Italy (Tuscany), South Korea, England, and of course, back to Peru.

To see Ruby's fabulous pictures of her recent trip to Peru and read other articles, go to www.rubycooper.com

25 Must See Places for Travelers

There are many places I still want to see and things I want to do in my lifetime. My earlier bucket list included overcoming my fear of heights.  I managed that by reaching the peak of Picacho Peak in southern Arizona.  It took 2 or 3 years of attempting it but I finally did it.  I also climbed a wall on a cruise ship and went up in a glider plane.

Everyone’s bucket list looks different.  I was in Mexico recently and spoke to two women in their early 60s who were having their hair corn-rowed.  That is when the hair is finely braided and beads are intertwined.  The interesting part was they both had short hair and I was fascinated as I watched them have the hair extensions put in as part of the procedure. They both remarked that having the corn-rows done was something they had on their bucket lists and they also managed to do other things on their list.  One had gone parasailing for the first time and the other one had done a jungle zip line trip.  The night before they had both danced on a bar top. They realized how short life was when a close friend their age died suddenly after a very brief battle with cancer. 

It used to be that people dreamed about seeing the Seven Wonders of the World in their lifetime.  With the world being so much easier to get around now and people have more free time the dreams are being realized.

In 2001 there was a new list for The Seven Wonders of the World.  These included:
The Great Wall of China
Petra - Jordan
Christ the Redeemer – Brazil
Machul Picchu - Peru
Chichen Itza – Mexico
Coliseum – Rome
Taj Mahal – India

There is only one remaining wonder of the ancient world left which is the Great Pyramid in Egypt.  I’ve climbed the Great Wall and Chichen Itza and seen the Coliseum in Rome. I definitely want to see Machul Picchu and the Great Pyamid.  If I don’t visit India or Jordan or Brazil, that’s okay.  I still have a number of other things I want to accomplish.

25 Other Top Items on My Travel Bucket List:
Visit Buckingham Palace   

Hear Big Ben in London strike

Visit Stonehenge   

Hear the Pipers in Scotland  

See the Alaskan Icebergs  

Go through the Panama Canal Locks
Look into a Hawaiian Volcano

Snorkel in Hawaii

Snorkel the Great Barrier Reef

See the sunrise from Ayers Rock
Ride in a Hot Air Balloon  

Do a safari to the Serengeti

Overlook Victoria Falls

Take a romantic Canal Boat Ride in Venice

Ride the Orient Express
Buy a carpet in Turkey
Have a drink in Casablanca  

Visit the White House

Watch Old Faithful blow in Yellowstone

Stand on Four Corners (USA)
Visit Havana, Cuba   

Lie on 7 Mile Beach – again!
Swim with turtles, dolphins, and sting-rays

Swim with the Manatee  

Go Barefoot Sailing in the Caribbean

Even though I am already a Baby Boomer in my 60s, I will accomplish what is still left on my travel bucket list!