I have concluded that I can never be a backpacker. In order to maximise our tour to go as many places as possible, we cut down on accommodation expenses, so we ended up staying in youth hostels throughout with the exception of a farmstay on one of the days.
The first night we were in New Zealand, we had a shuttle from Auckland International Airport to the Auckland City Youth Hostel. It was the first time I was staying in a Youth Hostel. The university hostel I stayed in does not count.
In any case, I was surprised because instead of a family room, my dad and brothers stayed in one room and my mum and I had to go to another room. Inside there were four beds and two other girls were already sleeping in them! What made things worse was that the toilets and shower facilities were separate!
The next day we left Auckland and checked into the Kiwi Paka Youth Hostel at Waitomo Caves. At least the rooms were better as there were separate beds for all. I got to share a room with my brothers while my parents shared a room. Still separate bathrooms and shower facilities. What made it worse was that we had to use a communal kitchen, where everyone shared utensils! Ewww!
Our next hostel was at the Hot Rock Backpackers at Rotorua. It had a hot spring and a pool, which somehow the pool was warm but the hot spring was cold! At least the whole family could share a room! The room we were in had two rooms – one for the parents, and two double-decked beds for the rest of us, with an attached shower and toilet! At least decent enough, but for the communal kitchen!
Next we went on to Taupo Downtown Backpacker’s, just up the street from Lake Taupo. It was the worst accommodation of all as there was a unisex shower and toilet facilities. Even though we had a room where the whole family could stay together, but I was not comfortable with the idea of a unisex shower facilities, not to mention another communal kitchen, but then I cannot not shower. I had been touring around the whole day, so if I did not shower, I would feel sticky and uncomfortable all over.
So I quickly showered and went out of the cubicle to brush my teeth at night. The water was hot and comfortable, a good relaxant for an otherwise cool and breezy night. I was just brushing my teeth when in came a middle-aged man. It would have been fine but for the fact that he is totally naked!
I was disgusted of course. In the first place, there are so many people staying in the hostel. In the second place, it is a unisex bath. Did he walk around the whole corridor naked? When he saw me, he was taken aback. I could not see a thing as the mirror was quite steamed up, but he asked if I was embarrassed and I did not answer.
Then he got into the cubicle I just vacated and asked if I knew how to turn on the shower. So I said in between foam that he just needed to turn the knob anti-clockwise for the cold water and clockwise for the hot water. He then proceeded to shower with the door open. Okay, so he went around the whole corridor naked, and he showers with the door open?
After that, he kept coming to me to borrow shower foam and shampoo, to which I just handed to him without turning around. After that he asked if I could help him turn the shower knob, so I turned around and helped him out. I saw he actually took a towel to cover the pertinent parts.
He then asked if I was embarrassed, to which I just gave a smirk. Well, to be really honest, he has everything a normal man has, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about. I will be more taken aback if he is “abnormal” in some ways! Besides, I am not those who lust or get excited at the sight of a naked man.
All was alright and I was preparing to go out as I have finished with whatever I needed to do, when the guy suddenly blocked my way and asked if I was willing to massage that part for him if he gave me fifty dollars. I was like, “What?” What does he take me for? Just fifty dollars?!
So I said no, to which he asked what about a hundred? Now what does he really take me for? So I said no. Heck, I will not do it, whether for free or for a million! Do people seriously think I am that loose? But at least he is polite enough and said alright, and let me past. I quickly scooted out of there and ran back to the room, locked the door and jumped onto the bed in record time!
Whew! I cannot believe I can come across someone like that even while I am out of the country! And it is not as if he is someone hunky or cute (not that that will make any difference whatsoever)! He is a grey-haired, middle-aged man with a pot belly! The thought really disgusts me!
Luckily the rest of the accommodations we went to had no more unisex shower and toilet facilities! The Wellington City Youth Hostel we went to next also had a communal kitchen and separate shower facilities, but at least not unisex! Initially, the reception wanted to put us all into a room, but there were six beds in that room, so we had to share it with a guy! My mum and I were both not comfortable with the idea, so we requested to change a room, and ended up in another six-bedder room, but shared with four other girls this time!
We spent two nights in Wellington, after which we went on to South Island. The first accommodation in South Island was in Hanmer Springs Youth Hostel, just two minutes from the Hanmer Springs Thermal Reserve. It was a room consisting of five beds in all, just nice for the whole family! Again, it was a communcal kitchen with separate shower facilities.
Then we went on to Waitame for a farmstay. That was the best accommodation so far as we got a cottage all to ourselves on the farm itself! It had a front door and a back door, with a small kichen, living and dining room, and a master’s room and another room with two double-decker beds, plus toilet and showers! Finally, a decent abode to ourselves! That was the lodgings I enjoyed the most!
The next accommodation was at Dunedin, at Stafford Gables Youth Hostel. At least the hostel itself looks like a cosy cottage house. It used to be a hospice for the old. The management really utilises all the space there! The basement was converted to a cosy lounge and laundry room, and my mum and I had a room right on top, which used to be an attic! I kind of like that house, but for the limited shower facilities (just one for the whole level!) and communal kitchen (as again!).
We went on to Te Anau Youth Hostel next. We had another room to ourselves, with three double-decker beds, and a window overlooking the snow-capped mountain. Just behind our hostel is a park leading to Lake Taupo. Another separate shower facilities with a communal kitchen.
Next we went to Queenstown Youth Hostel. At least the rooms are decent because we had an attached bathroom, even though there is another communal kitchen. The room I was in had a queen-sized bed with a double-decker bed, so I took the bed while my brothers took the bunk bed.
We were in Queenstown for two nights before moving to Franz Josef, the glacier town. We managed to get a family room, consisting of two double-decker beds and one single bed. Again, it was a communcal kitchen and bathroom, but there was only one bathroom for everyone in the whole level! I had to grab the opportunity to use the shower when there was no one around!
After leaving Franz Josef, we went on to Hokitika, a small town, famous for its sunset views and glass-blowing products. We stayed above a cafe called Stumpers. The whole building is called the Stumpers Accommodation, consisting of British-style dormitory rooms upstairs, the reception downstairs and the restaurant and car just next to it. My parents and I took one room (with three beds and an attached bathroom, yeah!) while my brothers took one room (with a double-decker bed and no attached bathroom). At least the accommodation there was not too bad!
Finally, we went to Christchurch (our last stop before home) and checked into a youth hostel called "Rolleston House". It is another converted cottage. This time, the hostel is pretty small, with the reception, kitchen, laundry, and showers (just a few) on the ground floor, and the rooms on the upper level. My mum and I requested for a "females only" room, so we got one with three double-decker beds, whereas the rest stayed in mixed rooms. There are about eleven rooms in all, and only one bathroom in the whole level!
Because some of the meals were cooked as my parents preferred Chinese food and going economical all the way, we had to wash the dishes after that. Not to mention do the laundry on some of the days. Personally I am fine, but then again, I much rather enjoy my vacation in peace and total enjoyment. Put it this way - I did not fly all these way just to share rooms with strangers, or got picked up at in the toilet, or do the dishes or the laundry! All these I already had my fair share back home, thank you very much!
It was quite an experience, but from here, I conclude that I can never stay in backpacking inns ever again! I need an attached bathroom, and no communal kitchen! I am not comfortable with the idea of sharing utensils and cutlery with so many people, not to mention sharing a room with strangers! Even if I go travelling with friends, I do not mind sharing rooms with them, but not with people I have not even met! I go with cosy Bed and Breakfast lodges and service apartments any time even if not hotels!
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