There have been many, many times in my adult travel career when I’ve wished I was 22 again,
and happy to stay in a youth hostel. The money you can save on hotel bills is sometimes the difference between going
and not going, and even if it isn’t, its money you can spend on other things during a trip. While I had great
experiences in hostels across Europe, at this point in my life, privacy and a refuge from other tourists and
travellers is something I look for in accomodation when I’m on the road.
But Laura Meckler and her partner did indeed travel through Australia and New Zealand for five weeks, staying in
more than a dozen hostels. This article gives a
short run-down on all the hostels in which they stayed – from the sublime ( ) to the rediculous (a $4 deposit to get a
breakfast plate and fork?) All in all, she concludes, it was a good experience for the traveler with a few more miles
on the clock than your average college-aged student.
Her top tips: book in advance to get private double rooms, some with private bath; and join
Hostelling International for discounts and the ability to book some members-only
hostels. Oh, and bring a padlock.