Stranger Danger

It almost goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway:
You meet the strangest individuals inside backpacker hostels that you'll ever encounter in your life. Seriously. 


Some of the freakiest and scariest events of my life have occurred in hostels, as have some of the funniest and most incredible. It's a balance. All these events create fantastic stories to travel home with, but the highlight of these tales are always the wacky characters everyone believes you must be exaggerating. These people may drive you crazy at the time, but they usually hold the starring role in what will likely be your favourite memories of the trip.

I once encountered a family who were so worried about me travelling alone that they tried to send their eldest son along after me to accompany wherever I was going each day. Annoying? Yes. It was cringeworthy to try and convince them (politely) that I was safe. But going out to dinner with this family and watching them try to hold entire conversations with the waiter in a language they didn't speak was hysterical.

In a hostel, people like this are just part of the deal. I've encountered a guy who came sprinting into the hostel after midnight with angry local thieves giving chase. I met a girl who spent well over an hour trying to convince me it was daylight outside at 1am. One crazy old couple carried their mountain bikes everywhere (including inside) and just yesterday I played Drinking Monopoly (after we gave up on Drinking Risk) with a guy who threw the most impressive loser's tantrum I've ever seen and then managed to fall out of bed whilst attempting to convince us he was sober enough to go clubbing. That's a story I'll be telling for a while. (sorry mate)

These people and their counterparts in hostels all over the globe are a large part of what makes travel fun. They're also what makes travel scary and awkward, but like I said: it's a balance.