My name is Carlos; I am a 24 year old third year law student. I caught the travel bug when I was 20 years old and sailed around the world on the MV Explorer from Jan. 2008 to May 2008. It was the most amazing experience of my life. I learned a lot about myself along the journey, I don't know if I would have the passion for travel I do now if it was not for that experience. Ever since I can’t get enough, going so many places I would've never even dreamed just a few years ago when I was complacently trapped in my American bubble. In what is presumably my last summer of freedom before I become imprisoned by corporate America, I am embarking on a journey through South America. Mostly to become fluent in a language I should’ve been taught a long time ago as a child being half Puerto Rican, but also to see, learn, explore and grow in a way only possible through travel.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Hostel Livin


View From My Window
I don’t know what it is about hostels but I just enjoy them a lot, the continual intermixing of so many different kinds of people from all over the world with the same purpose of travel.  Most of the time you meet amazing people who have really cool outlooks on life and have incredible stories to share.  Since most are foreign to the country as well friendships are quickly fast tracked, what could seem as if you had known them a year is really only a week of shared adventures and experiences.  I mean there is the occasional douchebag here and there but those are few and far between. 
Hostels are definitely not created equal.   Definitely stick to the top rated hostels on Hostelworld.com when traveling or you may hate your life.  From the squaloresque uncleaned hostel I once stayed in during my India trip that had no toilet paper or showers.   We were there only from midnight till the morning before we started our tour across the country thank God.  At midnight it’s not really possible to go roaming around New Dehli with 10 people to find a new hostel. 
View From My Window
Sawing My Locker Open
The only downside to hostels while traveling is the possibility of theft but I’ve known things to get stolen from hotels as well.  I’m sure its more common in a hostel though.   Having my laptop on this trip makes me a little nervous but I am only staying in hostels with secure lockers.  I know my laptop is very secure at my current hostel as my lock key broke and it took over and hour with a saw to break the lock.  It was extremely loud and many people kept coming by to see what I was doing.  Any kind of thief wouldn’t spend over an hour trying to saw through a lock they would get caught.
            Location is really important, as you want to be by the main sights and have easy access to public transport so taxi fees don’t add up quickly.  I just want to be able to walk outside and be in the middle of it all.  Here is a really good article on travel tips.

80 Travel Tips You Wish You Knew Before You Left
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