Hostel Life

One word that incites a myriad of mixed emotions out of travelers. 

Dirty. Unsafe. A hot bed of bacteria.

Cheap.

Convenient. Sociable. Easy. 

Cheap.

The Hostel.

Hostels tend to get a bit of a bad wrap. And occasionally a good one. It's all rather ambiguous. 
However no young traveler, backpacking their way across Europe can complain about a warm bed, albeit a bunk bed, for less than twenty pounds a night. 
I certainly didn't.    

Across the UK I stayed in multiple hostels all with varying degrees of cleanliness. Some extremely clean and some...well.

But for those traveling alone the cleanliness of your accommodations doesn't always seem to matter when a lonely soul meets other lonely patrons. 

The bunk beds were always my pet hate with hostels. Some missing ladders, squeaking with every shift or turn and some just plain unstable. And for some reason I was, of course, always assigned the-you guessed it-top bunk. Every. Single. Time.
I would say you get used to it, But you don't.
I remember the excitement as a kid when the opportunity to sleep in bunk beds occurred. They were they greatest nights. Not anymore though. Don't be fooled. In a hostel it's just plain inconvenient.  

Bathrooms. A place to be alone. To unwind and a place of privacy. In a hostel? Not so much.
It does take some getting use to. Walking from your ten bed dorm down a couple of corridors to the communal bathroom. Toilet stalls and curtained off shower stalls. You need to get comfortable quickly. 
The term 'co-ed' can scare potential travelers when in conjunction with the word 'bathroom'. When you put it together you get 'the co-ed bathrooms' also known as heaven. I was lucky enough to stay in one hostel that was completely co-ed. Never mind the co-ed dorms, they are everywhere, its the co-ed bathroom you want. That's right. Boys and girls all using the same loos. The term co-ed bathroom means one important thing. Locks. Locks on the shower stalls. No flimsy, translucent-esque curtains. Actual wood and actual locks. It was paradise.      

Two of the best. In my humble opinion.

The Generator Hostel London. 

I loved it so much I stayed here on two separate occasions. Now yes, the entrance is rather creepy and foreboding. Located down a poorly lit alley, and the facade of the building doesn't look all the promising either. However as with most things in life, you shouldn't judge a book by it's alley ways. Inside it's bight, colourful and whimsically decorated. With a bar and live entertainment, movies and hot food made to order, the Generator is definitely a good choice. It won't rob your wallet either. And the selling point? Each floor allocated a whimsical theme. James Bond. Dr Who. I stayed on Mary Poppins. Twice.      

The Generator Hostel

Castle Rock Hostel Scotland, Edinburgh.

Nestled away, right behind Edinburgh castle, the Castle Rock Hostel was extremely pleasing. And contained those all important co-ed bathrooms. The hostel was decked out in a medieval theme to reflect the view that hits you as you step out it's doors while the old style layout and decor makes you feel warm and cosy. Comfortable. Welcomed. I slept in a ten bed dorm filled with a few American guys and men and women of a nationality that has still remained a mystery to me. (While hostels are a great way to socialise, people traveling in packs aren't always the chattiest.) 
Just a moments walk from countless pubs and the Royal Mile, this hostel is in the perfect location.        

Castle Rock Hostel

You can find hostels located in the most convenient places all across the UK, right in the thick of it or a simple five minute walk to the nearest tube station. Some with bars and live entertainment downstairs or common rooms to socialise and cheap breakfasts and other meals. Hostels especially save you a chunk of money better spent on the essentials: clothes and nick-knacks. Good food, good people and a good time.

The towels aren't free though.    
   

The Money Problem

I'm positive i'm not the only one that has the most enticing dreams of a world not reliant on how much money is in your wallet. 'Oh that top looks perfect on you, here take it free of charge,' 'a plane ticket to Italy you say? the plane has countless seats, here you go, we have more where that came from.' I'd even settle for the good old days of trade. 'I'll give you two chickens for that hunting knife...or your daughter, either one will do.' A deliciously twisted version of reality.     

Now there was once a time, long ago in my history, when money wasn't the all consuming black hole of our universe and you were a king with two dollars in your palm. It was Mum and Dad that you went to with all money related problems and nine times out of ten you came out the winner of compromise. I wouldn't even be able to count the number of times i traded household chores for a couple of bucks. We all, however, grow up. Unfortunately. Though it's the memories you create along the way that makes it all worth while.

It's an unfortunate fact of life that money rules. You can't get around it. Whether you're saving to travel half way around the world or you're just in the mood for a block of chocolate. For young adults that currently have no long term commitments, bills to pay or time consuming responsibilities the money problem becomes a little simpler. Though not if your planning an outrageously expensive trip to the UK and Europe. Now while this may be looking like one massively uninteresting ramble about my money woes, it's not...well not entirely. I did it. I got myself to both the UK and Europe for an extended period of time, and you could say that I was pretty chuffed at my saving efforts. 

Travelling cheaply is a necessity for most people. Hostels are your best friends people. They were definitely my Saviour. They scare some, the thought of sleeping in a room full of strangers. While yes sometimes it can be awkward maneuvering in such tight quarters, its the warm bed that you need to focus on. A place to crash after a long day of sightseeing for twenty pounds or less? Yes please.
Don't eat above your means. And in saying that you can't go passed British pub food. Cheap and utterly delicious. Its also a convenient place to mingle with the locals and meet some characters, like that guy next to you creating crazy billboard signs on his laptop. Mumbling to himself and cursing his mistakes all the way.
Alcohol will be your downfall. It's inevitable. All us twentysomethings forking out for our booze. Id suggest making an alcohol fun on the side with that one, I mean the alcohol can't be sacrificed. Bedding and food sure, but not the booze.   

I spent my money. Sometimes it felt good, other times not so much but putting that headache aside, its the stories you bring back that makes the money spent seem insignificant. 

Worth it.