HOSTEL PARTIES

Late night parties are happening too often at the hostel, well before the holidays began. Every night as a matter of fact. I have posted signs saying no noise after 9:00 p.m. but nobody listens. I've come out at midnight and yelled at the guitarists and singers & fire twirlers to shut up, people are trying to sleep (I'm more thinking of me, I LIVE here and the fire twirlers just happen to be in the mix!) I am afraid I am becoming the kind of grinch I never wanted to be. Let's blame it on old age again. I never imgained the day would have come when I did not like a party.

Don't tell me to join them, moving is a better option, I no longer have the stamina to sustain that lifestyle. One good hang-over makes me feel like I am recovering from major surgery. It takes quite a few days to get me up & about again and everything pains.

I can't seem to curb their enthusiasm. I hate to realize that since I expanded my hostel to sleep 35, I created the perfect athmosphere that breeds this kind of behaviour. Close quarters, friendly people and a perfect garden full of palm trees by the sea to party every night.

Note to Tina: remember to apply for a liquor license.

THE NEW MILLENNIUM BACKPACKER

You heard it here from Tina's Hostel first. The new millennium backpacker travels with a lap-top!

As has become the norm, there were quite a few computers in use in the yard today, blogging or catching up on email. Wireless Internet at the hostel attracts the new backpacker & keeps me busy. You can overhear stock trades taking place on those internet head phones while the trader lies in a hammock with his lap-top under the almond tree stareing out at the reef, appearing to be completely cookoo talking to himself.

Most arrive with technology crammed luggage by also carrying an MP3 player, an I-Pod, digital camera & International roam telephone to name a few.

Gone are the days a decade ago when the backpacker would arrive at my hostel with 2 sets of rotting clothes, a tent, little metal pots, pans with dents & burnt marks, a well worn hammock and sometimes a machete or heavy duty switch-blade.

My how survival tools have changed on the road!