Where I Slept in 2015

I travel full time. FAQ:

“OK, but where do you live?” It’s equally true that I live wherever I am at that moment and that I live nowhere.
“Where’s your home base?” Nowhere.

I’ve learned that I like to stay in a place for at least several weeks to figure out its rhythms, my favorite restaurants, and meet new friends before I move on.

Ten Tips to Enjoy a Hostel Stay Ten Times More

1. Wear ear plugs every night. 

This is by far my number one tip, and I'm shocked that not everyone does it already. Hostel rooms are loud. Someone will come in after you've gone to bed--perhaps turning on the light and rustling through his bag for his toothbrush. Someone will be waking up for a 7 AM bus with an alarm set for 6 AM. Lockers will be opened and slammed. Bags will zip. Plastic will rustle.

Wear earplugs, and you'll sleep through the night.

How I Pick a Hostel

Picking a hostel is a crucial part of my trips. Before I talk about how I pick one, let me give a quick advertisement for hostels.

Hostels are not just for young people.

Hostels are great for:

solo travelers of any age
budget travelers of any age
outgoing travelers of any age

My hostel in Queenstown had families with young children, a few solo travelers in their sixties, and everyone in between.

One common misconception is that hostels equal dorms. Most hostels house most guests in dorms, but there are usually private rooms too, often with private bathrooms.