Mildly interesting, will post anyway ;)

Anagor

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 26, 2014
Messages
757
Reaction score
870
Location
Bonn, Germany
Website
anagortravelling.wordpress.com
Okay, this is mildly interesting, not really a story about travelling, more about a vacation, but I'll share anyway. :)

Went to the Netherlands for three days, no hitchhiking, not sleeping rough, just by train and sleeping two nights at hostels. So what?

For me it was the first real journey abroad, being on my own, without any plan going further then the next day (or hours). That's why I want to share. ;)

Abstract: decided on Monday I would go to Eindhoven next day. Took the train from Cologne to Eindhoven, walked around to discover the city. At about 16:00 as I was sitting in a pub with a beer and was about to find a place to sleep that night. There was a hostel I found a few days ago (at home via web) but it was 7km away in the middle of nowhere. So I searched and found another hostel. The street name sounded familiar. In fact it was the street I was just sitting in. :)
8 minutes away walking.

Checked in (25 € for a bed in a dorm room, not quite cheap but anyway) and went back in the city. I wasn't about to party and stuff. Just got a few beers at the local supermarket and sat down at some stairs at a church and watched the scenery. :cool:

Got late and I decided to go back to my hostel. Back there I had a few nice conversations with two guys from Scotland and Italy, a girl from Spain (living in the Netherlands) and a dutch guy. :) Spend too much money for beer though (x times 2€ for a 0.25 liter bottle).

Late at night I discovered I had some blisters on my feet but didn't care much. (Was on my feet the whole day except the train rides.) Next morning I cared much more cause I could barely walk. :eek:

Woke up early, spend two hours shifting between inside and outside, didn't want to wake up my roommates. At 8:00 I checked out and went to the train station (hobbling).

Decided to go to Maastricht this morning and took a train. I thought about hitchhiking to Brussels (or anywhere else) the evening before but with me not really okay to walk long distances I decided against it. :(

Got a train for 16 € to Maastricht and walked into the city. Nice city (as is Eindhoven too). But Maastricht has a lot more old building, was not destroyed in WWII like unfortunately Eindhoven. Got a bed in a hostel's dorm room for 25 € and went back into the city. But soon I went back cause my feet were hurting. I sat at a bench at the river Maar and thought about what to do. And then I just went back to my room, changed into more comforable (Army) pants and flip flops and went back to the city, watching the scenery while drinking a few cans of beer I got from a supermarket. ::drinkingbuddy::Was a good decision to change into flip flops btw, cause within a few hours I had no problems walking anymore. :)

Was nice chilling there and watching the people and the architecture and everything. Quite different from Germany despite it's just a few hours away by train from my home.

Then I went back to the hostel, decided not to eat at the buffet (15,50 €), got a beer and a small bag of chips and sat down by the river. Went to my room later and slept.

Next day I woke up early (as I always do), went down to smoke a cigarette, talked to some guy who was also not sleepy, got a free coffee from the guy at the reception, waiting about one and a half hour and finaly had my (very good) breakfast.

Then it was time to head home, so I got a bus from Maastricht to Aachen (Germany) for 5 € and then a train from Aachen to Cologne for about 20 €.

So what did I learn from this tiny vacation?:

- wear shoes that are broken in and don't give you blisters
- dorm rooms are okay if you need them, but sleeping rough may be better [1]
- don't book hostels without a kitchen [2]
- don't use "normal" hostels, esp. chains [3]

Just wanted to share my experiences.

Cheers!

[1] I was lucky. First hostel I was sleeping in a 8 bed room occupied with 2 other (nice) guys. Second was 3 other. But it was hot and noisy (cause of a/c), and since I tend to wake up early and don't want to wake up my roommates, I spend hours sitting outside before I checked out. :/

[2] So they make money. No kitchen, you're not allowed to take food or beverages in. Small Coke: 2,50€, Small beer the same. :(

[3] In the chain hostel there were no other travellers/backpackers (like the first I visited), but school classes and groups of elderly people
 

About us

  • Squat the Planet is the world's largest social network for misfit travelers. Join our community of do-it-yourself nomads and learn how to explore the world by any means necessary.

    More Info

Latest Library Uploads