Hostel Horrors

Those of you who know me will know I like my home comforts. I wouldn’t say I am high maintenance but… I basically need things to be at least hygienic. The Australian heat makes you feel sticky as it is, so I cannot be living somewhere where I constantly feel like I’m not only sticky, but also itchy and unclean. Sand in the bed is one thing; I have accepted this and resigned to the fact that it is possibly, actually, probably my fault for bringing it in from the beach. But a big no-no for me is when other roommates leave mess lying around the dorm. I can deal with sand in my bed because nobody else has to. It’s when food is left out in the dorm (the air con is unenthusiastic at best so can hardly function as a fridge) that I start to twitch. Back home we would say it attracts mice but here it is worse. Cockroaches, spiders, probably even gators given the chance, appear when food is left out. The former became my latest victim after it decided it wanted to bunk with me for the night…

Let’s talk about sex next. As if you could even contemplate getting it on in a 40+ degree room, what’s worse is people think it’s okay and totally acceptable to do it in front of others. Like some budget, backpackers version of Love Island, couples have no shame and will fornicate – loud and proud – on the bottom bunk whilst some poor person above has to go along for the ride. Call me unadventurous but I am now in a private room because I came to Australia not Amsterdam.

Some people do have the decency to take their antics elsewhere… all the way across the hall to the bathrooms. I shared a room with a lovely girl from Liverpool in Bondi Beach and she said she had been kept up the night before by what sounded like someone crying. When she went to look if they were okay she discovered a girl and a guy… and another girl together in the bathroom. Needless to say, she soon realised the cries she heard were not unhappy ones.

Because I have been travelling alone I have been careful to book female only-dorms and after meeting one girl I’m so glad I did. She was staying in a 3 bed mixed dorm in Bondi when a man in his 40s checked in. (Most hostels have a 18-35 policy so he should not have even been allowed to be there). He seemed friendly at first, from England and apparently just doing some travelling. When he found out she was there for a few nights he extended his stay. But not only did he book a bed for himself, he also booked out the remaining bed in the room. Turns out he never actually slept in the room, only used it to hang out, which the girl found strange. She also found it strange how nobody else checked in, especially as the hostel was constantly fully booked. Then, one evening he handed her a note which read ‘I’ve booked a hotel for the night. Come and join me for £1k’ then below, left his number.

So, unless there are absolutely no female only or single/ twin rooms I will NOT be looking to stay in a mixed dorm. I’ve realised that you just have to be vigilant and have your wits about you because you can never be too sure what people’s agendas are. My top tip for other solo female travellers would be to not be too trusting and just stay safe.

Annabel x