September 2, 2024, 3:49 pm | Read time: 10 minutes
Bunk beds, a common room full of tattered books and magazines in different languages, the young man with a three-day beard at reception, the communal toilet at the end of the corridor – hostels have their very own charm. And as colorful as the crowd there is, ultimately, it’s always the same types you meet there. Read on to find out who they are.
Do you sometimes get excited when traveling far from home, in a distant country, and you finally find something familiar? The universally consistent taste of fries from familiar fast-food chains or the cola that follows the same (secret) recipe worldwide. Anyone who has spent the night in hostels will have noticed this phenomenon. Here, too, you’ll encounter familiar things all over the world and the same types of people. And this is who they are:
The lone wolf
Words hold great significance for him, though he prefers them written, not spoken. In the hostel, he ranges between 18 and 25 years young. He is usually engrossed in books, e.g., by Hermann Hesse (“The Steppenwolf”), or his notebook or diary in the lower part of a bunk bed, pensive, brooding about himself, his place in the incomprehensibility of the universe, sometimes planning the next day’s long walk, although in truth he dislikes planning. After all, he wants to drift, surrender to coincidences that only seem superficially random, and conjure up his true destiny. The lone wolf doesn’t stand out much, neither in attire nor in companionship, which he tends to find bothersome. After all, the staging of his profundity would be severely damaged if his buddy suddenly said to him: “Ronny, do you still have the wet wipes? I need to go to the loo quickly, and then we can finally go to the bar and have a drink. Yay!”
The hip herd queen
Unlike the lone wolf, the hip herd queen needs people around her. Of course, they have to be at least as hip as she is. Well, sometimes there’s a sandbox friend who dresses, shall we say, unflatteringly. But beyond that, the style of her often youthful herd (ages 16 – 20) is spot on. She stands with her skin a little clearer, her waist a little slimmer, and her slogans a little louder. Her hostel stay is typically a segment of a brief getaway focused on partying and boys. Both are topics she excitedly shares with her friends, alternating between giggles and whispers or high-pitched squeals. After two nights, she leaves, equipped with a trolley instead of a rucksack, together with her entourage. You hardly recognize her at reception. After the wild last night of partying, she is rather quiet and grumpy. Her squeaking is now more like a croak, and her puffy eyes are framed by glasses that don’t necessarily deserve to be called “stylish.”
The thrifty fox
Pragmatic is probably the most accurate word for the thrifty fox, who looks around 45, even in his mid-20s. The fact is, he almost always looks a little too old for a hostel visitor. This is partly due to his worn-out shoes and the fleece part of his Goretex jacket, which he wears on fresh evenings on the hostel terrace. Sometimes, he also smells (“deodorant is expensive”). He opts for the hostel not for its ambiance or social opportunities but because he can’t justify spending 90 euros on a hotel room when a bunk bed costs a mere 20 euros. In this case, he accepts the fact that his partner has to sleep downstairs for the sake of his wallet. “We have the whole day together, darling.” Strikingly, the thrifty man never buys food and drinks in the hostel unless breakfast is included. His opened bread bags and muesli packets are always with him.
The acoustic guitar god
If “The House of the Rising Sun” is being plucked or a Nirvana song is being strummed somewhere near you, you have either strayed to a campfire of a scout group or you are listening to the acoustic guitar god in the hostel. Often still a teenager, he is the secret hero of his primarily male travel group. They know he attracts the girls. His hair is a little too long on his head, and he often wears a hat, cap, or scarf. On his face, his beard is already in the luxuriant phase. Dreamy, a little bold, not one to make a big noise, except when he takes his guitar out of the guitar case with its many stickers and the plectrum out of his canvas wallet – to play the globetrotter soundtrack. But there are also times when the guitar lies in the corner. It suggests: “I could really get going like Jimi Hendrix, but your ears aren’t worth it…”
The eternal teenager
Now in his mid-40s with ample funds for a hotel, he still clings to the free-spirited ways of his youth, when he roamed Europe in a VW bus, camped, or slept under the stars, never quite embracing the formality and structure of a hotel. He considers himself uncomplicated, young at heart, understanding, and modest. These are virtues he does not associate with staying in a 4-star hotel. When he sees the more than 20 years younger travelers in the hostel, he thinks he is one of them. He’s unfazed by the odd glances he receives from the younger crowd as he recounts his wild stoner escapades of the late 80s over a beer in the common room.
The stoner
He rolls his own cigarettes and sometimes asks travelers who seem open enough to him for papers with a mischievous smile – “the long ones, if you have any”. Although he sometimes tries to make a secret of his habit, he can’t get the pervasive smell of the herb out of his T-shirt, hair, and rucksack. And then there are those moments when he positions himself on his bed with his back to the others and looks like he’s making an origami swan – before disappearing outside with two others for 15 minutes. Light sleepers will eventually notice the rustling, nibbling, and chewing deep into the night. Someone has obviously worked up an appetite.
The survival backpacker
You can recognize him by the meticulous way he sets himself up in the smallest spaces. The most important things are within easy reach and quickly disappear into the corresponding rucksack compartment when not in use. His hair is military short, and his clothes dark so that he can disappear into the night well camouflaged. Flashlight, pocket knife, handkerchiefs, compass, tent, own dishes, muesli bars for quick energy needs… He only goes to the hostel because a hurricane is raging outside or it’s minus 60 degrees, which his super hardcore thermal sleeping bag wouldn’t be able to withstand. Although he actually only wanted to sleep in the open air or go wild camping, you’ll often find him in the hostel. The survival principle continues there. If there is too much light, the sleeping mask is used. If his dorm mates are too loud, the earplugs are professionally kneaded with two hand movements and inserted into the auditory canal. He gets up before everyone else to use the shared bathroom and can pack everything up and check out within three minutes. Making acquaintances is not so important to him because they only slow him down.
The party animal
Always upbeat and styled, the party animal, as the name suggests, is always on the move to the next party. The hostel is just the jumping base into the night. Here, however, it’s all about getting in the mood with alcopops and creaking “Uffza, uffza, uffza, uffza” electro sounds from your smartphone or mobile subwoofer. If someone says: “Can you please turn it down?” they won’t hear it. And if he does hear it between one “Uffza” and the next, he replies: “Come on, man” – or “Come on.” He offers an alcopop to join in the party spontaneously. Eventually, there’s a silver lining. He vanishes into the night and, after a few head bumps in search of his bed and a necessary stomach purge, sleeps soundly well past noon.
The lovebirds
We are in love, that’s it! Of course, it’s nice, but sometimes it’s also embarrassing when two people in their early 20s maneuver themselves into a petting session under the covers in a shared room after drinking a cheap red wine – believing that no one will hear the smacking and accelerated breathing. Or when they wedge themselves wildly kissing in the common room while some are watching a soccer match. But what to do? They went on a trip as friends and became a couple along the way. And the budget doesn’t allow them to move into a hotel. Are they to indulge their passions in a café instead? The lovebirds are among the nicest hostel guests. Intoxicated by love and happiness hormones, they are open to new acquaintances and laugh a lot. They spark many discussions with couples who are no longer quite so young (“You used to make me laugh so much too…”)
The sweet French girl
In her early 20s, a sociology student, saying “Good Morning” with such a sweet French accent, she always beams at all the guests. She explores the world without a care. She reminds male travelers, in particular, of the film “Before Sunrise” with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke when they see her and dream of running away with her immediately. But she has long since found the love of her life. Yet, it was essential for both that they have the freedom to travel solo, free from the constraints of perpetual companionship. And when she sets off on her day trip with her little rucksack, she looks like she’s gone to drive the whole place crazy – with her casual smile.
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The permanent resident
Yes, that happens too: Hostel guests who initially only wanted to stay for a few days and for whom the temporary situation (“I’m still looking for a room in a shared flat here”) has somehow become permanent. Their savings are still sufficient, rents in the city are overpriced. They’re instantly recognizable by their personalized setups in the hostel, complete with photos on the wall, and their ability to find everything they need in the hostel kitchen without a second thought. Alongside the hostel staff, travelers should turn to them if they have any questions about the accommodation or the location. Some can still be found in the hostel years later as employees. However, they have long since found a room in a shared flat.