accomodations

My friend Courtney was backpacking on the east coast of Australia earlier this summer and she very aptly described hostels a summer camp for 20-30 year olds. Seriously, nearly everyone we've met at hostels have been under the age of 23, hail from somewhere in the EU or Great Britain. Hostel life revolves around 3 spaces: the community kitchen, the community bathrooms and the overprices community internet cafes. Ash and I are newbie backpackers, in that we are not at all packed well (we are traveling with approximately 8 bags of various sizes and shapes...) and take ourselves out for one meal a day - breakfast. And we have a bit different standards for when it's inappropriate to wear your dirty clothes just one more time.

And all hostels are not created equal. We quickly realized that all hostels involved with YHA - Youth Hostel Australia - were a safe choice. These hostels don't smell, have relatively clean bathrooms and provide decent kitchen areas. I would recommend that anyone who backpacks Australia to only stay at YHA. Good bang for the buck.

The hostel in Byron Bay: BYRON BACKPACKERS': Deceptively clean, well-fragranced and well-located. Should have known better than to set this place as our standard for all future hostels....

The hostel in Airlie Beach: MAGNUM'S: Beautiful and "cheap." They surcharge for everything. Even a blanket. But it's really pretty.

The hostel in Hervey Bay: PALACE BACKPACKERS': Damp and dreary. Cleanliness of kitchen utensils questionable. Don't look too hard at the floors and try not to smell anything.

The hostel in Port Douglas: PORT O' CALL: Well decorated. Not expensive. Very clean. Friendly reception. Staying here on my last night of backpacking leaves me with a fond impression of hosteling. In fact, I'd like to backpack again.







Confession: Ash and I spoiled ourselves and stayed at the Eden Guest Villas and Spa for one night in Yungaburra. ABSOLUTELY beautiful room, with private garden area, fireplace, kitchenette, private bathroom and deeeeeliciously soft mattress. And complimentary soft robes.... I don't even want to do the math for the number of nights we could have stayed in hostels for the price of one night in this perfection of a room. It doesn't matter - I will come back there anytime just to sleep on that mattress and lay around in that robe....so good. I'm such a backpacker cop-out. And don't even care...