This is the the true story of how I ended up having my first hostel experience ever.
A few days into my self driving trip along Iceland’s ring road, and I get an email that my ferry departure in a week’s time will be delayed by one day. I try to extend my hotel by an extra day, but no availability. I search and scour the town for alternate accommodations, but can’t find anything close to the ferry terminal where the ship departs.
I ask the locals for advice, and end up at a park that rents out green spaces and tents. He isn’t sure if he can fit me, but worse case scenario is that he’ll let me sleep outside under a tree. This has me truly dejected, as sleeping outside, in Iceland, is a young man’s game.
I finally find a bed in a Hostel room that holds ten people in total. It’s not in the town I need, but the next closest one, which is about a 20 minute ride over the mountains. Luckily, my taxi guy can fit me in, and so I book a bed for the night.
I’m apprehensive and nervous. Sleeping with others, strangers no less, is not my cup of tea. I’ve heard the hostel horror stories. And I’m in a foreign country. I tell myself it’s only for one night though, so I need to just man up.
I check in, and immediately feel the warm and friendly vibe. My bed has a privacy curtain that I wasn’t expecting. I meet the friendliest fellow travelers and bed mates, but also am left to do my own thing. Everyone was very respectful of each other. The hostel has it’s own bar and simple restaurant. The couple that own and run the place are vegans, so I get a non meat dish that hits the spot.
I wake up early the next morning, surprised by how well I slept in a room with nine other people. Making my way to the community kitchen, I start a fresh pot of coffee, find some simple breakfast snacks, and snuggle up in the sitting area under a pile of blankets and read my book. Slowly the rest of the hostel wakes up.
I watch a hummingbird when the sun lights up the sky, then pack up, wish my fellow bed mates safe travels, then head outside to my taxi driver. We make the drive back over the mountain and to the ferry terminal. The ship is on time, and so begins another adventure as I leave Iceland and sail towards the Faroe Islands…..
