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The Wonder Luster

For Those Of Us Whose Dreams Won't Die Between 17 and 65.

Life is wondrous! Feed your lust for life with the tools & inspiration to help make it a great one.

Staying in Hostels: What You Need to Know

Travel | June 3, 2018

Not only is staying in hostels an awesome way to save money while traveling, the community and friendships you'll experience are like nothing else.

Having traveled through Europe, staying in my share of hostels, I can’t say enough good things about these community lodging options. The financial savings are absolutely the biggest reason people initially consider staying in hostels. They all eventually learn, though, how wonderful these alternatives to overpriced hotels can be.

While each hostel is different, the premise behind this lodging option is to offer a safe and inexpensive way for like-minded individuals to travel almost anywhere. You can potentially spend just pennies on the dollar by staying in hostels, and depending on where you travel, you may find them to be almost as luxurious as some hotels. Of course, there’s also plenty of bare bones options too, but they all offer a sense of community and camaraderie.

While some hostels offer private rooms and baths, which can be nice for group or family travel, typically hostels have large community bedrooms with a series of bunk beds. Think summer camp for big kids! You’ll generally find at least one hostel option located near most popular travel destinations, especially in Europe. They’re often marked with a large flag and local attractions are typically nearby.

I’ve stayed in hostels and hostel-esque hotels in London, Dublin and Barcelona.  You can find accommodations with private rooms, wifi and even a bar in house.  I’ve met families, luxe travelers and newbies like myself who wanted some privacy- and luckily, you can find whatever you’re looking for, often for a far better price, if you stay with a hostel.

Hostels get all types from all around the world, so they are used to getting uninitiated travelers and are happy to show you the ropes. Still, to make sure you are prepared and will enjoy yourself as much as possible, consider these tips for staying in hostels.

Book Your Stay Right Away

Depending on where you’re going, the time of year, and if you are looking for a private room, you may have to book your stay several months ahead of time. There are many different online options for hostel booking, but I recommend Hostel World.

Pop on over and search by your location. Then take some time reading through the reviews. Think about if you want to stay in a relatively chill place or if you want to consider a “party” hostel. You can typically tell if a hostel can be described that way by the reviews, whether they have a bar on premises, and their “lights out” time. Once you find the perfect hostel, book it!

Rent or Bring Your Own?

While each hostel is different, generally a fee or a deposit is charged on certain things like sheets, towels, and pillows. Take your budget, room in your baggage, and convenience into consideration when deciding on renting or bringing your own. If you’re traveling across Europe with only a backpack, you’re probably going to want to just spend the money to rent. You will want to use every inch of precious space in your bag for stuff like underwear and flip flops for the shower.

Be Respectful

In my experience, there are certain rules that most hostel travelers stick to, without prompting or reminding. Top of the list, in my opinion, is to be respectful of others and the premises.

Don’t leave you crap strewn all over the common area. Clean your hair off the sink vanity after brushing it. Don’t make a huge racket when coming to bed after lights off (and consider having all of your bedtime necessities laid out so you aren’t making a racket in the middle of the night). And take a damn shower. Be aware of others and remember that you are a guest.

Safety

I’ve never had a theft issue at any of the hostels I’ve stayed at, nor have I know of anyone who has, but it’s best to be smart about your belongings. Bring a padlock for your locker, so you don’t have to worry about someone jacking your passport or $2000 camera. Again, I am not saying anyone will ever try to steal from you, but better to be prepared.

As for personal safety, it is of my personal opinion that hostels are generally safer than many hotels. Not only do hostels take admittance to the building very seriously, you also have a roomful of good folks who won’t tolerate any bad behavior from anyone.

It sounds weird, but hostel travelers have an unwritten code they abide by and they take it to heart. So trust me: you’ll be safe.

Community

I think hostels still have the reputation of being shady boarding houses full of hooligans and dirty hitchhikers. That’s really not the case at all. Everyone I’ve ever met at a hostel are really nice and super friendly. It is impossible to stay in one and not make friends.

Many hostels offer activities and tours. Oftentimes, you will see the best sites, eat the best food, and experience the most amazing things when you join a crowd in the common area that is leaving on a tour. Everyone’s generally there for the same reason, so it’s really easy to make fast friends.

Initially, I was super nervous about bunking up with a bunch of strangers from all over the world. Not anymore! It is a wonderful way to experience a new city or country. Best of all, you’ll likely leave with a few new Instagram and Facebook friends. Not to mention, amazing memories.

 

Let’s hear from you! Are you considering staying in hostels for your next trip?

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Follow the adventure on Instagram

Some people just make the world a more vibrant pla Some people just make the world a more vibrant place, simply by being in it.  I can say that about these people- who make life more colorful, brighter and true just by being themselves. 

Grateful we could slow down to capture a little snippet in time for our family before we grow again. ❤️
IYKYK, bath time edition. 🛁. #bathtime #travelb IYKYK, bath time edition. 🛁. #bathtime #travelblogger #travel #familytravel #travellust
3 years since this photo was taken and my former k 3 years since this photo was taken and my former kidney became this guy's kidney. ❤️

I can say, I've grown to appreciate this moment a lot more as time has gone on.  It hasn't been an easy road for my recipient, he and his family have had a few health scares and ups and down, but I'm so grateful we are in each other's lives.

Chances are, you may know of someone in need of a kidney. 1 in 3 adults in the U.S., over 80 million people, are at risk for kidney disease.  While not every diagnosis leads to kidney failure, there are millions of people in this scary limbo hoping for good news.

I didn't know my recipient before this process started, but when I found I could live healthfully with one, I knew I had to try.  Donation is low-risk, my costs were generously covered by my recipient (both through insurance and the kindness of others) and I was back at work in 4 weeks.  Needless to say, it was easier than birthing a baby.

Candidates for kidney donation are thoroughly vetted to ensure the surgery, and life with one kidney are a good fit.  Trust me, your team will not ask you to donate if you have any risk factor of being in need of a transplant yourself down the road.  Testing took months and was incredibly thorough.  Your remaining kidney can do the job of two, and my kidney levels are normal and healthy 3 years later.

Even if you don't personally know someone who needs a kidney, please consider living kidney donation.  You can anonymously donate, be paired through a registry or find someone on social media who is in need, like I did.  There are literally thousands of people using Instagram and Facebook to try and someone who is even willing to get the basic tests.  You could be their person.  Have questions? I’m here for you! 

Being a living kidney donor absolutely enriched my life beyond imagination and has blessed my little family with a beautiful extended family to celebrate with.  Grateful for this day.
Life’s moments are made better with our pets. ❤️

Joey had been with us for nearly 4 years, made possible by the kind folks of South Texas Boston Terrier Rescue. I picked him up, intending on fostering him for a few weeks and ended up falling in love with his sweet spirit, exuberance for anything food related and his lovable derpiness.

Previously, he was kept in a small cage with two other terriers, all day every day and used as a stud. When he was no longer profitable, he, like plenty of others, was surrendered to rescue.  He was blind in one eye, needed teeth extracted and had skin lesions from life in a cage. 

Life hadn’t been easy for him, but I’m glad a rescue was there to give him a second chance, and they trusted me to give in his second chapter.  He was a well travelled dog and he was the Best Pup on our wedding day in Marfa.  Last night we said goodbye. Hubs and I will miss him dearly, but savor the moments and adventures with our little tank. 

Adopt, don’t shop.  Support your local rescues and give your fur kids an extra squeeze for Joey tonight.
“Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked “Is this enough for you?” My husband has asked me this before. To which, I answer- life is full, wonderful, and I am grateful. 

I believe he asks because before kids, I had a very different lifestyle. I traveled to Europe by myself, started businesses, donated a kidney, ran half marathons, got my master’s degree.  I lived a full life, then too. I was fiercely independent because I had to be.

I’m still that person, but fortunately I have more people to share it with. I also have to be more vulnerable than ever.

I had years to find myself and don’t plan on losing that woman I forged. Being a mom has also helped me heal some of the hard parts of the experience I had with my own mom. (I didn’t see that last part coming.)

Being a mom can make you lose yourself.  For me, it’s helped me discover myself once more. Grateful for this day and so many days - I’m just happy to be here. 

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. I hope you discover yourself, heal what you need and feel the love today and everyday.

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