Traveling seeker in British Isles

January 25th, 2006

Hostel Information:

I’m staying in Avalon House Hostel
55 Aungier Street
Dublin 2, Ireland
353-1-470001

I don’t have much experience with hostels, but from people around me, it is the best one around. It has a sign that is the one of the top 10 hostels in the world-but I come from America, and you don’t believe anything in print.

Here is the low down on the life that is Hostel.

1. If you are on line looking to reserve a room- know that they do not put up all the rooms that are available. They only put out few rooms and keep the other rooms for call in’s or walk-in’s. They want to be available for the backpackers that are just walking through.
2. There are a variety of rooms available. It seems that every room and floor in this hostel has it’s own good and bad points. Since I’ve been in about 5 different rooms so far- I can attest to it.
a. Singles in suite: that means a single bed with a shower, toilet and sink in the room. Of course this is my favorite- and the one that I try and get as often as I can. The first time I got this and I thought they all where the same –LESSON LEARNED. I didn’t know that I had it so good…
b. Doubles: this is just that. Two beds in a very cramped space. I really don’t know how anyone lives with a complete stranger in such a situation. I have yet to experience it. But it has no in suite- so the bathrooms and showers are down the hall. It really cuts down the at night potty stops when you have to get dressed to run down the hall!
c. 4 beds- not bathroom and A, B, C, D labeled beds- very little room for luggage. No privacy, and you don’t want to spend anytime in your room. (Per my friend Janet)
d. 12 beds- no bathroom- this is the cheapest and the busiest. This is where the 20-somethings stay. I have never experienced it and hope never too. I can just imagine.
That’s all I know about the way the rooms are broken down to. There are about 250 beds in this hostel.
This is the history they have posted:

INSERT HISTORY HERE

These are the things provided in the rooms. Clean white sheet (one that covers the bottom of the bed and folds up to cover the person. One duvet covered down-like blanket. Some rooms have curtains – some do not. And a pillow with cover. That’s it. Annoying overhead light.

Towels are 2 euro with as many changes as you want. I was luckily enough to have a chambermaid leave me one in my very first room and I thought it was what came with the room – NO. It was a gift I guess. I didn’t know that and left it when I had to move to another room. Then had to pay to get another one. It seems the girl on the 2nd floor doesn’t know the rules- and I’m not going to tell her! (This last room I’m in had 3 towels and was on the second floor!)

These are the things available for a price:

1. Alarm clock – 10 euro, but you get the money back when you return it. It’s the old style clock (but new) you have to wind it and it has a little striker that rings like a fire bell at a fire station! LOUD and ALARMING. It does the job, only after you figure it out! But the TICK TICK TICK is so loud that I put it under the pillow and ended up not being able to hear it go off in the AM! Luckily, I didn’t HAVE to be up! But LESSON learned again and I left it out from under the pillow and pushed another set of earplugs in my ears and was able to block out the TICK TICK TICK.
2. Towels- as I mentioned before
3. Ear plugs – are FREE! And I have no idea how anyone can sleep with out them. Noise EVERYWHERE. Some rooms’ walls are thinner then others. But these 20-somethings are very noisy! Some nights I had at 12:30 PM someone playing guitar, and at 4AM drunk girls talking loudly saying they are ssoooo drunk! And at 5AM Godzilla and his friends came in coughing-up a lung. I hear F this and that EVERYWHERE. That seems to be the one word in all the languages that I DO understand!
4. Electricity Converters- 10 Euro and given back on return. I tried to get one – because I blew up the one I had. (Explain later). But they didn’t have anymore. But I got a little gift one day when I went into a communal bathroom and found one left in the plug! (Thank you!) So I’ll keep I for the duration of my stay! (For those that don’t know – In Ireland the electricity is 220 (which are what some of our dryers in America use) but all of our appliances are 110. So it converts it down to 110 so as not to blow out our appliances.) It has a high and low on it (the converter) – low is for IPODS (but it acts weird while charging- just pray through this time), computers are on the low voltage. But a hair dryer is on high power.
5. Travel books – FREE
6. A FREE Luggage Drop. This is a room that is only available on the hour (and not always) where if you arrive before you can get into a room- you can lug your luggage down all these steps to a room that you throw it in- they keep it locked and they have pretty good security. But – one night I was trying to get my luggage out of the room and the front desk was pretty busy – when I got up there- it was 5 past the hour and there was only one person at the desk. I asked if anyone was going to open the room and he said he forgot. But I could take the key and get my stuff out. I was honored to be trusted with the key and all those belongings – but as I was wrestling up the steps with my newly freed luggage, another lodger came down and asked for the key. So I wasn’t being honored or overly trusted – just letting me get my stuff because he was busy and alone at the desk But I do see them going down with the people – so that’s why I say they have pretty good security. And boy, it beats having to haul your luggage round until you get in your room after 2PM.

One of the most important thing that I can say no matter if you think you will need it or not – but get anyway. Is a locker for your luggage! They are really cages that are pretty big (here anyway) they are housed in a long room in the secured area of the building (the area that only card carrying lodgers can go). They are open in the way that you can see anything in them – like a dog cage. For 8-euro deposit- you get a lock and 3 keys (don’t know why). Every day they deduct 1 euro for rental, so if you only are here 2 days you get 6 euro back on return of the lock. This has been a lifesaver for me. The rooms are set up on the key card type of lock. So the housekeeper can get in or anyone that has a cleaning card. Which are way too many people for me. I ended up only taking my wheel behind case to the room with a few of my clothes, sock and such and makeup – nothing of any value to the room. Which is where I leave it – unless I have to move AGAIN. Anyway, I leave the big red monster in the cage with the more “valuable” items. Not that there is really anything of value – I carry the laptop and camera and IPOD on me most of the time- so that is the only real value that I have. But I am able to put my laptop in the cage when I leave the room – I have a more secure place to put stuff. I leave the big heavy boots in there with the companion piece long wool coat. That way I can have my stuff and not have to carry it all over when I move rooms.
The really cool thing is that if and WHEN I leave, I can still keep the cage as long as I pay the money. So If I want to go to another local area for a while- I don’t have to lug EVERYTHING with me- at least not for a while.
People live out of these things! They store food, books, water, clothes, equip, etc. in them – I know cuz you can see in them! It just makes the hostel experience a bit better.
I didn’t do this for the first few days – and after a move or two – I WANTED one! But as anything that has happened to me- it wasn’t easy. Buy the time I figured out this part – I got the last one and it was on the top shelf with I had to stand on a very rickety chair to reach it and I had to lug all this stuff into it! I may be slow, but not dumb – I watched like a hawk till someone vacated a lower cage and I jumped on it. Got a bottom one a day or so later! I love my cage- it’s the only thing I really have all to myself! That’s how hostel life is…

These are the things that are also available. Now speaking to my friend who has gone across the world and stayed in hostels of all kinds – she said that this is the first hostel that had THIS much room available to the lodgers. So take this as a checklist to ask when you call around – so at least you know what to expect.

1. A large lounge. It has huge windows all around, which are great to watch out of but kind of cold in evening. (Bring a blanket or light jacket). It has a very loud TV up high, and comfy black leather couches- there is about 4 long ones in this area. Then there are about 4 -12ft hard tables and chairs. This is used for the AM light breakfast- or writing, computers or playing games. Then there is a under the eves type area against the windows with a long couch and 2 chairs. This is a perfect place to lean back and use the computer and be in the window looking out on the street to Dublin. And you also know what a store window manikin feels like! One night after sitting in the window for a good 5 hours writing my blog- a man whom I didn’t know walked up to the window and knocked. I didn’t notice it the first time, but he turned and came back and knocked till I looked up and gave me the thumbs up! Didn’t know him or why- but he did.

This is also the area that has a big decorative gate around a small school type lunch kitchen. They offer in the price of the room from 7:30AM till 10AM (on the dot) a light breakfast of toast, butter and jam. And one glass of orange juice, an apple and a coffee or tea from a machine. At 10AM on the dot you are asked to leave the whole area and they clean up and mop and such. I’m not sure how long they bar off this area – but you can get back into it an hour of so later. Then its open all day and night.

There is a down stairs to this room – you walk through this room to get to the free luggage storage room and men’s and woman’s bathrooms – when you can get in this area – not always open and available. Which is one big problem when you don’t have a key to your room – you have no way of getting to a bathroom! Anyway, I digress – This lower lounge has 3 leather couches, a TV up high and a pool table and packman type machine. It’s very dark down there, which makes it a great spot to sleep, which is what many use it for.

Back up stairs is another little area that has 3 computers (one has been broken since I got here) where you can get Internet access from a coin machine of 1 euro for 15 min. and 2 euro for ½ hour. EXPENSIVE- but very convieant. These are the machines that I have spent most of my money on. There are also very small little lockers for your valuables – which is also available for a price – but not sure how much. They are very small – maybe a wallet and camera (small ones- not like mine) and just little stuff. There is a chair that I know what too well (slept there for 5 hours first day in town) and 2 very old and lumpy small couches. This is an open area and you are in the middle of the action. It has all kinds of brochures on what’s happening around town – mostly in the music area. There are posters all over the walls of events and I see guys come in regularly to change them with new events. It’s very bohemian here.

Then there is the very large area where the desk is. It is usually well manned and they are so very helpful! I have to say that I have never been anywhere where the staff is so happy to be working there. They are the nicest bunch of people and they really enjoy their job. They do have it very tough. They have every imaginable type of people that walk in that door! They have to try and understand them, figure out what they want to do and help them find it (directions). They give out all the purchased items (towels etc) they exchange dollars for euros (and other countries money) they have to fix everything that breaks (elevators, computers, TV’s etc), run to the luggage room on the hour. Deal with getting un-ruley children out of the building (story later), and they do all of this with the nicest attitude. And they are FUN! They laugh and joke with the travelers, and really really enjoy each other. I talked to a girl that worked here from Canada. She said that she arrived for 1 night and she has been her for 3 months! She said that this is a family- and it really is. And Cindy the manager is very in charge without being a mama wolf. She is on top of everything! And she so approachable herself. The people here have made it as nice as hostel life can be.

They also have available for FREE a HUGE kitchen. It is open 6:30AM –11:30PM. There is cubical shelving for lodgers to store foodstuffs. They want you to label then with your name and date.
But it seems that there is an awful lot of stuff here and the dates are long past. But it is huge and had a few cook tops. They supply pans and dishes. And you have to clean up after your self. Lots of stuff goes on in this room- cooking, talking playing music with instruments or computers hooked up playing all kinds of music. It is a lively place!

They have a very open policy here. The front door is usually open with out a buzzer, but sometimes it’s on. They give you a print out to keep on you at all times, and it is used to prove you have a room here. They are not a locked down facility- like so many are. You can get in and out at any hour. It has 24-hour reception.

That brings us another misnomer – it has 24-hour reception – but that doesn’t mean you can get a room 24 hours. It means that there is someone at the desk 24 hours. Getting a room STOPS at 10PM. And I’m not sure when it starts – most likely around 7AM- But MAKE SURE YOU CHECK.

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM:
Checking in: You cannot get into a room here until 2PM. PERIOD. If like in my case, I arrived in Dublin at 5AM- I had to store my luggage in the free luggage room and sleep on a little chair in the Internet area until 2PM! Luckily I have earplugs – but it was not an ideal situation.
If you check in to ONE room for the duration of your time here – this doesn’t apply. But if you have to switch rooms for any reason – you have to know that you have to vacate the room by 10AM and you can’t get back into a room until 2PM. PERIOD.

They clean the rooms between 10AM-2PM. So go to the lounge, out to eat or sightsee. But no room for you! And if you do stay around the hostel – know that the bathroom situation isn’t the best. You can’t get up on a floor to the communal bathroom either – they are all closed for cleaning – (I tried – several times running from floor to floor looking for a john!) The one in the basement – which should be open, isn’t always. I plan on putting a note in Cindy (the manager) ear about this.

ALSO NOTE:

I have been here for a week today. In most hostels you can’t stay too long. I heard 7 day MAXIUM. But this one allows long term or at least can be talked into it. So ASK just in case, you never know what will happen- like me- I didn’t intend to stay more then a few nights and now I can’t seem to get out. My friend intents on staying in Dublin for a few months and could not find an apartment without a year lease. She was frantic, but she decided to just stay here and got a long term with 1 month. So if something happens – this is an option.

KNOW –
1. They allow mail to be sent to this address for you. They keep it behind the desk in a box and you have to ask for it. Great option when you HAVE to have something delivered.
a. Note: found that credit cards cannot be sent to PO box’s. They need an address.
b. Did you know that Master Card would NOT send out a new card out of your addressed country? Janet found this out when she got her purse stolen in Spain! They would send out an EMERGENCY temporary one over-night- but not a full one. It has to go to her daughter and then she has to fed-ex to her mom in Dublin.
2. They will take phone messages for you. Emergency or for job’s or just from friends. They will put it in a book on the desk and you can get it there. But when my friend had her purse lifted, they put a sticky note on her door to call the police dept. But I think that’s because of the importance of the call.
3. Did you now that computers have an electricity converter built in them? So you don’t need a converter and if you use one- you will fry out the converter (I KNOW NOW!) I ended up confusing the converter and it killed it’s self! No one told me!

4. Also – even though you don’t have to convert the electricity but you do need a surge protector! They say that the electricity really jumps around 5-6PM because of all the people that come home and power up lights and computer and stuff in Dublin. So use a surge protector – just in case.

RESERVING rooms in a hostel-

OK, you have found that you are in a room at a hostel for 2 days. You find that you will need to stay an extra day or two. This is what you need to know.
GET A ROOM AS SOON AS YOU FIND OUT!
Don’t ever think that you will be able to stay in the room you have. Chances are almost 1,000-1 that you can’t. The hostel life if so changeable that you have to be on your toes. And you have no idea of the changes in what is happening in the town that people fly over for the weekend for. Like rugby games, music sessions or spring breaks in Norway! It is impossible to know what is happening that will take all the beds in the inn! Weekends are the worst – so you better know by Tue or Wed if you need a bed! For by Thursday you are out of luck- even if you have been here a week. I know how Mary and Joseph felt!

My VERY PERSONAL words on Hostel life:
1. The stress is nothing you could ever prepare for (the first time). Living at home in a place everyday and not worrying about having a bed every night is a thing of the past. Your whole focus becomes the simple needs of bed and food- and the money to pay for them.

2. I have been a basket case while I’ve been here. I feel that I am competent in my “real” life. But this is NOT real life. I am like a blind man trying to get around on a bus line. You fumble, you miss out (a lot), no one tells you – EVERYTHING- because you didn’t know the questions to ask in the first place. Your fear’s are in overload and you don’t have the support that you had when you were at home. Even though you didn’t need the support at home- there is an underlying knowledge that it’s there. That’s not so in another country.
3. You are LONELY. Not homesick (at least not yet). I had such a hard time trying to talk to people (still do). Because they are speaking with accents that I can’t understand. All these kids are speaking English in some form or other- but I can only understand a word or two every 3 sentences! So you’re intimated to talk to anyone. And when you find ANYONE that is from America or Canada – where they not only can speak where you understand them, they also UNDERSTAND you and where you are from- your culture. It is truly a GOD GIFT to find someone like that.
4. When you receive e-mails from home and people with all the good intentions in the world tell you to hang tough and get strong and do this and do that – they have no idea of the experience you are having in a hostel in another country! It’s hard to get those e-mails. And you can’t explain while the euro is ticking away.

Being on vacation in a country while saying in a nice hotel is not the same – there is nothing remotely the same. Just the mind game is different- you don’t have to make money when you are on vacation. You don’t have to worry that your bed will be gone if you don’t pay every morning. You don’t have to share a shower and toilet with men and woman from around the world. You don’t have to know that at any moment a man could key into your room and sleep in the bunk on top of you and share your personal space for duration of time. This ISN’T a vacation.
You are trying to figure out a new culture, a new money system, how to get around a new city, how to talk to strangers- not because you want to but because you HAVE to. To not meander in stores to look and see what is available – but to see if what you have to sell is needed and can sell for what you need it to.
This life is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I’m a fish out of water. I’ve thought of coming home since I landed in Dublin airport and didn’t even know where to start. I cried from that day on, as I couldn’t sleep, or eat and my hair fell out in handfuls. I have now had 2 good nights sleep in 7 days and my appetite is finally coming back – I lost about 25 pounds with all the worrying (which is WONDERFUL – but not the healthiest way to do it). My clothes are hanging on me and I have to tie my new pants up with a tie. But now that I am finally getting hungry, I have to worry about how to find food with little money.

And YES this has been an experience of a life time- but will I live though it? I wanted to LOVE this life. I wanted to FIND a life that I could LOVE. And I still do have a hope of that – but lurking around the corner is the big bad FEAR is that I will have to go home – with my tail between my legs. But there is NO life there. I have mentally and physically ended it. I have friends and family – but I wanted at new life here! I want to take my pictures and make ART-cards and see and feel the life of Ireland. I want to help people with my psychic abilities and help them heal. And I don’t want to go home and I don’t want to depend on my poor family for financial help when they have their own life to support. And I don’t want to put in my blog that I need money. But I don’t know what else to do. I am completely dependent on others for my life- I never wanted that when I was back home and I really never wanted that when I came here – yet that’s exactly where I find myself-Dependent on the goodness of strangers and being a burden on my family. IS THIS THE GOOD LIFE?

God sent me on this adventure. He was beside me every step of the way for the 7 months that I planned this. He was with me on airplanes over here. But I feel that he left me the moment I landed in Dublin airport. Where is he? Why can’t I feel him anymore? Did I need to suffer to know the plight of people who leave their home country for a new life in another? If that’s the case – I GOT IT GOD! I understand like I could never of before. Is that the LESSON? Was it to write this blog for someone in the world to read – to stop him or her from doing it? Or to prepare them? DID YOU GET IT – SO THINGS CAN START WORKING OUT FOR ME? I really hope so.

I’m so grateful that I’m writing this in my room and not in some Internet café- I’m crying like a baby!

I’m sorry that I have taken this hostel page to this end, I had no intention of bearing my soul to the world – but as “Conversations with God” says – you take it where it is meant to go. So I will stop here.

God I know that your there – help me hear you.
Kym

Tags: hostels, Travel

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