Tips on Backpacking and Staying in Hostels

If you've never stayed in a hostel before, it can be an intimidating experience. It's really not much different that sharing a dorm room at college with someone, except that sometimes you're sharing a room with many other people. If you want peace and quiet, but can't afford a private room, booking a dorm with fewer beds is a good idea. I tend to try to book four bed dorms. Six at the most. When I was younger, I once stayed in a 22 bed dorm. Talk about an experience! I don't suggest doing something like that, except for maybe a single night.

Make sure you bring all the toiletries you need. Some hostels will have soap dispensers in the bathroom and in the showers, but not all of them. Also, make sure you bring a towel, as they are usually not provided. Some hostels will rent you a towel for the duration of your stay, but not all of them.

Don't bring a sleeping bag. Most hostels don't allow them for health reasons.

In order to keep your pack smelling as good as possible (and let me tell you, it won't smell that great even so), you'll want to wash your underwear and socks every day. Taking time to wash them in the sink is a pain in the ass, so I suggest doing what my sister taught me, and that is washing them while you're in the shower. I bring a little vial (or two) of actual laundry soap to do this. Regular soap or shampoo or body wash, does not work very well. I will put a little drop of laundry soap on my socks and underwear and scrub them while I'm in the shower. You can hang them to dry over night. Most of the time, they will be dry before you have to leave, even if it's the next morning. Most bunks will have bars on them, and this is a great place to hang wet stuff, like your towel.

Beware of damp rooms though. Even the thinnest of wet laundry won't dry in a damp room, even if allowed days to do so. Sometimes you can alleviate the dampness by opening a window if possible. Be sure to close the windows by evening though, to avoid mosquitoes.

Try not to rush to too many places too quickly. After a while, you won't care about another Roman ruin, or another classical painting, no matter how cool it is. Bring moleskin and band-aids. You're going to need them. And aspirin and glass wipes (if you wear glasses). Your feet and legs are going to hurt like a son of a bitch, even if you have been walking a lot at home. You're going to wind up walking more than you have been, no matter how much you were doing before you left. I had worked myself up to walking five miles before most of my trips, and I think on average I walked 12-15 miles per day during these last two trips.

You will want to get a small pad lock, so you can lock up your pack or other valuables if there are lockers. Most hostels do have lockers, some big enough to fit your pack. Others only have small lockers. Don't leave valuables lying around. In hostels without lockers, keep your stuff zipped up and under the bed or something, out of sight. Better yet, don't travel with anything of value. Leave your iPhone and tablet at home. The first time I went backpacking, I didn't even have a cell phone. Nowadays, you can purchase Sim cards that will fit in an old unlocked phone in order to be able to call home. The great thing about buying a European Sim card is that you can accept incoming calls for free. Your family can get a cheap calling card and call you for much less than using your American cell phone there. In '09, I spent $400 on phone calls with AT&T. Don't give the evil empire your money!

Look for hostels that have 24-hour reception. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you ever have a problem in the middle of the night, it's nice to have someone to turn to.

Some hostels have laundry facilities. You can travel with less clothing if you plan when you will be able to do a whole load of laundry. Having to lug a heavy pack of clothing around will put a damper on your day. Don't bring enough clothes for six months, even if you're traveling for that long. Besides what you are wearing, two pairs of pants, two shirts, and five days worth of underwear is plenty. When you change out of clothes, be sure to hang them up in order to air them out, so they will not smell when you wear them again. I usually wear clothes for three days, and I hang them up in between (or throw them over a rail or bed if there isn't a wardrobe with hangers). If you have to change hostels, hang up your clothes as soon as you can after arriving. I usually try to wash right after my initial arrival at the first hostel. I refuse to wear airplane clothes two days in a row, they always smell terrible. When you get ready to do laundry, don't forget to wash your towel and pajamas. It will feel refreshing to have clean stuff.

Wear 8" boots. Yeah, it sucks having to get them off and back on in the security line at the airport, but they can save your ankles (and your trip) if you turn your foot on a cobblestone. My sister brings flip-flops to wear to the shower. I don't. I still have my feet and to my knowledge, haven't caught any diseases.

Despite your attempt at cleanliness, you will smell. You won't notice it however while you're traveling. If you're concerned about smelling like the road and the hostel, bring something to counteract it, like good smelling perfume or febreeze. I had no idea how horrid my pack smelled until I had been home a couple of days. It would knock your nose off. And I'd tried to keep everything clean and washed up.

Take the reviews on Hostelworld with a grain of salt. If you're on a budget, know that you get what you pay for. It ain't going to be the Hilton if it's €15 a night. Most hostels are clean enough for most people. If you're really picky about everything being perfect, maybe backpacking isn't for you. Save your money longer and pay for better accommodation. However, you will never meet anyone in a private room. I've met some really cool people while backpacking. 

While I think it's safe to associate with other backpackers, as a general rule, do not engage random strangers. There are all kinds of scammers and criminal-types attempting to sell you fake goods or pick your pocket. Don't look at them. Don't talk to them. Keep walking. Don't be afraid to offend. For the most part, traveling alone as a woman is safe, but you need to use your head. Don't go out drinking with people you don't know at three o'clock in the morning. Don't meet someone you met online in a secluded location. These are not good ideas. When I travel alone, I am back at the hostel at dark and I get up early because I'm interested in the historical and archaeological stuff. If you're wanting to party and pub-hop, I suggest getting some friends that you trust together to go with you so you can watch out for each other. 

Good luck and have fun backpacking!

Journal Entry: The End of Another Trip

Well, here we are. Almost done and time to go home. I have the alarm set for 5:15a. I’m going to leave earlier than I think I need to, just to be on the safe side. I guess it’s better to be sitting around the airport than to miss my flight. 

This morning I waited around the hostel until it was time to check in for my flight. I then went to the “Tour Eifeel”. I walked down to the Laumiere stop, so I’d know where to go in the morning.

I mailed my post cards from the Eiffel Tower. They have no postmen any more, just a machine. I was going to pay to go up the tower, but only one elevator was working, so the line was backed up to Timbuktu. I decided to skip it. 

 

Eiffel Tower

I went to information, and asked how to get to the Louvre. The girl told me which bus to take, and that it was an hour walk. Well, I’m an idiot. I decided to walk it. I looked at the map at the bus stop and decided it didn’t look that far. Kinda like how Roquefixade didn’t look that steep.

It was not an hour walk, but about forty minutes. It was still pretty far, and I shouldn’t have done it, because my legs have been hurting pretty badly for some days now. It was a pleasant walk though, with some nice views of the Eiffel Tower and other buildings. And two gypsies that tried to pull the “ring scam” on me. They pretended to pick something of the ground, usually a “gold” ring, and then try to sell it to you. It’s probably plastic. I thought it was too bad V. wasn’t with me because we could have had some fun with them. 

Tried to pull the Gold Ring Scam on me - vanished when he saw I was photographing him

The Louvre was nice. I went up to the 2^nd floor (the 3^rd floor in the States) and saw some nice paintings, Dutch, Flanders, etc. Poussin, Rembrandt, Van Eyck, Ruisdael, etc. It wasn’t too crowded because I think most people start on the ground floor and work their way up. V. and I did not see that floor. Actually, I only really saw one wing of it. 

 

Poussin's Shepherds of Arcadia

I then went downstairs. I was going to look at the Etruscan stuff, but it was bedlam, so I left. I was only there about two hours. It would have been longer, except , my batteries started dying in my camera, so I went and bought some. I got upstairs and they didn’t work! I put them in and they had no charge. I had to find a Tabac shop to buy some more. Luckily they didn’t mark my ticket, so I was able to come back in, no problem. When I was done, I went back and told the shop where I bought them what happened. The lady remembered me luckily and she gave me my money back! I was expecting them not to do anything for me.

In the Louvre, I took pictures of all the Poussin (sp? I can’t remember how to spell his name, I don’t think that’s right) paintings. I really like his paintings. “The Shepards of Arcadia” was there. I didn’t know that it was.

Bedlam at the Louvre

One of his other paintings I really liked was of his “seasons” paintings. There were the farmers carrying grapes and they were the size of apples! It struck me as amusing for some reason.

After I left the Louvre, I went shopping. I bought Andy a brass squirrel I’d seen in a shop window. It’s so cute! I hope he likes it. I also bought Oliver a stuffed Eiffel Tower, and his yet born sibling a pair of cute purple socks that say “Paris” on them.

I ate dinner at the hostel. I got an appetizer of chicken strips and another of onion rings. It was a massive amount of food. I should have only ordered the chicken. It cost €14 with wine and a tip. A bit much, but it’s the last dinner here, so there you go. I ate too much!

I have had a shower. I have everything as together as possible. I really can’t pack until in the morning because I want to air out the clothes I wore today. Hope I don’t make too much noise in the morning. 

Well, I think that’s it. Good night!

Journal Entry: More Hostel Shenanigans

I returned to my room to find my pajamas on top of someone else’s luggage and my blanket had been moved around. I don’t know what the fuck was up with that. It’s also quite damp in here. I have opened the door to hopefully air it out a bit. I do like the bathroom here. The ensuite is very nice. That’s the only thing I like about this room. The hostel itself is good. The bar and kitchen are amazing. 

 

Remains of Roman Amphitheatre in Nice outside Archaeology Museum

So anyway, I was going to go to Cap Ferrat today, but I think the time trials for the Grand Prix in Monaco started today because it was absolute bedlam at the train station. So I scratched that idea. Instead I went to the Matisse museum and the Archaeology museum. They were both free today but I’m not sure why. They usually cost money. 

After the incredibly long walk, I went to the old town and ate lunch at the same kebab place as yesterday. I then was going to take a stroll on the “Promenade des Anglais” but it looked like rain, so I went to the Contemporary Art museum. It was free too. 

I walked very far today, and my feet are sore. 

I leave for Marseille at 10:57a tomorrow morning. I hope the hostel in Marseille is nice or I’m going to the Hilton. I’m kidding. Or am I?

Journal Entry: Genova Train Mix-up

I got off the train at the wrong station. They had announced Genova… Principe on the intercom, in Italian and English and so I got off. Then I notice my train to Ventimiglia is not on the board, so I ask at the desk, and the lady was like, “you are at the wrong station.” She told me to take another train to the other station. Luckily, I had plenty of time. I am waiting now for the next train. I was at Genova Brignole. And, I wasn’t the only one that got off at the wrong station. An Italian man I asked about the other train, since there was no sign (surprise!) told me he had done the same thing. Glad it wasn’t just me being stupid. I usually check the station signs too. He was from Florence, and I chatted with him while we were coming into this station.

The train ride was nice. I was in first class on the Eurostar City train, and the car was nearly empty, so I could sit by the window and look out. There were marvelous views of the Mediterranean Sea, and of the mountains too.

From the train window - the amazing blue color of the water is lost

Journal Entry: Long Walk Around Rome

I have walked today, I don’t even know how far. I walked down to the Coliseum really early as I mentioned in the last post, then went back for the “underground” tour. It was amazing. 

 

Coliseum Underground Tour

I had gelato for lunch, (do we see a pattern here?) because I couldn’t find anything else. If anything, I’ll save money on this trip because I don’t want to eat a bunch of junk food. I had the gelato because I was desperate! I went to the Forum as well, and the Palatine Hill. After that I walked over to the Pantheon and the Trevi fountain. Yes, I tossed a coin over my shoulder. I want to come back here!

Palatine Hill

 

Crowd at the Trevi Fountain

The Pantheon

I forgot the sunscreen this morning, so I might be a little red. I had been taking vitamin D at home so hopefully it wasn’t too bad. I got Jan the coolest thing ever. It’s a refrigerator magnet with “Cave Canem” on it and a picture of one of the dog mosaics from Pompei.  It was €5 and the shop was near the Pantheon. They also had coasters for €10 but they were heavy and I was afraid I’d break it.

I need something to drink.