As a self-proclaimed avid traveler, I have had the opportunity to cross a lot of adventures off my bucket list. From cliff diving in Jamaica to eating entirely too much gelato in Venice, I enjoy pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying new things. Until this past summer, there was one bucket list item I had yet to cross off— staying in a hostel.
I think hostels sometimes get a bad wrap— dangerous, dirty, dirt-cheap accommodations with little to no privacy where you only go if you want to be kidnapped or have all your possessions stolen. Sounds like something most sane travelers would avoid like the plague. It’s because of this reputation that I have steered clear of hostels in the past. I mean how could you blame me?
However, during a trip I took this summer, my friends and I decided to take a risk and book a hostel in Albufeira, Portugal, a decision I am so glad we made and will definitely make again in the future.
When we first showed up at the location of the hostel that Google Maps had directed us to, all we could find was a locked door with the name of the hostel printed on it. After what felt like forever searching the building and nearby streets for what we assumed had to be an alternative entrance, we inquired about how to get in at a small shop below the hostel. My broken Spanish came in handy as the woman explained in Spanish that we had to check in with her to receive the code to the door. Now with a way to access the hostel, my friends and I set out to locate our room and settle in.
Had I been traveling alone, I would have invariably shared the room we had booked with three other strangers. However, because I was travelling with three of my friends, the four of us had some privacy in our four-person room. The bathroom was shared with other rooms on our floor although we never actually ran into any other travelers in the bathroom, which was nice.
We got ready and spent the day eating amazing food, strolling around the town and exploring the city. We got back late and were about to go to bed when one of the people down the hall invited us up to the rooftop to hang out. Because I never say no to meeting new people while traveling, we eagerly agreed and followed him up to the rooftop where we met a large group of young travelers also staying at the hostel.
There were people from France and Portugal, and everyone spoke different languages. Most of the people from France spoke some English and the girls we met from Portugal understood some Spanish, so we were all able to communicate one way or another.
It was one of the best nights I had on the trip, and we stayed up until the sun began to come up, talking, laughing and listening to music in languages I didn’t understand. It was one of the moments I live for when I travel, when it doesn’t matter where you are from or what language you speak, when you can just connect with other people. The experience definitely calmed my reservations about staying in hostels, made me excited to travel alone in the future and eager to make more memories like that night.
