Everything is big in Texas
Trip Start
Aug 26, 2005
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82
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Trip End
May 26, 2008
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Austin,
Texas,
United States
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Anyways, I eventually got some sleep and then tried to watch some TV with 2 Aussies I met here and a Dutch girl. We were kicked out of the TV room at 10pm! Why? 'its the rules dude'
We were all pretty furious at the endless rules in this place - no alcohol, no smoking, no loud noise, no sleeping between 11am and 3pm, no kitchen access before 8am and after 9pm, no tv after 10, no fun, and the list goes on.
After being kicked out of the TV room, we had to resort to playing monopoly and going to bed, but not turning the lights on after 10pm. I fumbled round in the dark trying to find my toothbrush in my crowded 14 bed dorm.
Ahhhh, the joys of the USA!
Freaks
I've mentioned it before, but the rule doesn't fail - every hostel in the USA has a freak or 2 staying, or living there. And this one didn't disappoint. stay tuned for more bitching about the USA.
Sheriff and Congress
But first:An Apology:
I'd like to take a little time here to apologise about the negativity I'm spreading of the USA. I certainly don't intend to be so negative. I have met some amazing and generous people in this country and have had some great times and unforgettable experiences and one day, I promise I will put them all on here, but for now, I'm finding this stuff more interesting to write about, and judging from the feedback I'm getting from my loyal followers, you guys all agree with me and seem to be enjoying this stuff. So I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and simply say that I'm sorry if my remarks have offended anyone, but to put it straight I'm simply putting down here, truthfully what Ive experienced from the 'greatest and richest country in the whole wide world."
I hope you keep on reading, and keep the comments coming, I love to hear what you people think and remember - as they say here: "God Bless Texas, and God Bless America!"
Freaks:
Probably the most freak filled hostel so far, this one is a classic.
It started with this 30 something American guy. He had crazy hair, grey and black streaks. He looked completely on edge and came straight up and told us he travels the USA, going to clinics and Universities and volunteers for medical trials. He gets paid to test new drugs out and, well let me tell ya, the results aren't good. This guy was messed up beyond belief. He didn't sleep, he ran to the bathroom every 10 minutes, he spoke to himself and had the occasional outburst.
TEXAS
It was a little scary that he was sleeping on the bed below me. He lasted 2 days and then disapeared, much to everyones relief.But dont worry, there was another one to take his spot. A coincidence maybe, that this 50 something wide eyed leather jacket wearing nutcase was also a product of a university medical disaster. He told us he had worked in the science departments of various Universities through thus usa, and somewhere along the way, he had been infected by an unknown illness, the product of stray university students. Doctors were unable to workout what was wrong with him. He had a whole new kind of mental disorder. He slept 80% of the day, and when he wasnt sleeping, he was pacing back and forth around the hostel, blurting out random comments. He told me that if I didnt stop playing piano, that he would throw a brick at me. It went like this. I met a kool guy, clearly not from the USA, who was this genious pianist. I asked if he could teach me something, which he willingly obliged. He taught me the first few lines to that classic tune. nanana nananananaana nanana nanananana na na nanananaan annaan if you cant work out what song it is from that, then i cant help. Anyways, I was practicing and this guy comes up and says, how much do i need pay you to stop playing. I said, depends, how much you got. Im pretty broke. It wont take much. Then he says, ok lets put it this way - if you dont stop playing, ill throw a brick at you. I say, well im pretty good at ducking, so you will probably just break the piano. He said he was seroius, I got scared and stopped playing.
More soon...
But meanwhile - the upside of Austin. The Austin University is the biggest uni in the USA. With 50,000 students and taking up a good few neighbourhoods, it never seems to end. I wandered around with an Aussie guy called Mike from Cockatoo (outside of Melbourne) We we allowed into the gym to check it out and wow! Its huge. Easily the biggest gym ive ever seen. They had 10 racketball courts, a rock climbing wall, 8 basketball courts, that doubled as volleyball and all that stuff too. They had table tennis and a humongous weights room with all kids of funkytown new machines that id never seen before. (and I had a membership to the Diggers, so I'd know ha) There was a 1/4 mile circular running track - indoors. And we didnt even have time to see the pool, but I can only imagine!
Comments
Well... we do what we can?
When did you stay at the hostel?
The dorm area is inaccessible when being cleaned, but it shouldn't be after 2:30 pm?
The kitchen stays open all night.
I know some of the guinea pig guys are freaks... trust me, I have to deal with them on a regular basis. But none of them live here. No one is allowed to live here - we really really enforce our 3 week limit.
And we have to close the tv room up after 10... for one thing, it's right over the dorms and people will complain about the noise. For another thing, staff members are sick and tired of having to deal with cleaning up beer bottles, empty potato chip packets, used condoms, and other ickiness. You'd probably feel the same.
If anyone ever threatens to throw a brick at you again, please inform the staff members at whatever hostel you're currently staying at. If you had told me that, I would have had the psychopath removed from the premises.
The no drinks rule isn't our fault! All HI-USA hostels have that rule! Complain to the National Office if you'd like. Here is their phone number: 301-495-1240.
Thanks, and have a fantastic day.
-Ali @ HI-Austin
Freaks in America
Despite your 'apology' I am beyond offended at your continued insults of americans labeling them all idiots, freaks, etc.. Here is a little tip why you might be meeting so many: americans don't stay in hostels. Many dont even know what a hostel is.
Re: Well... we do what we can?
Hey Ali at the hostel,
Thanks for your comment. Im curious, how did you get hold of this website? Im glad you did.
I stayed at the hostel for 5 nights, starting Feb 10th 2007. I was there with a younger aussie guy, and an aussie girl, another girl from Finland and an American guy. We stuck close together, for fear of the hostel freaks. The opinions expressed in the blog entry are shared to every point with all of the above mentioned people. We were all dumbfounded.
Firstly, the wakeup call! We get woken up in the mornings! why? What if we had a big night, or are sick, like lots of travellers, we need a place to sleep and rest after travelling and someone from reception turns the lights on, opens the blinds and yells 'good morning everyone its 10am, this is your wakeup call' WE DONT WANT TO BE WOKEN UP!!!!! Let us sleep.
For me, travelling for 19 months, hostels have been my home and the good majority of them have felt like home. I respect them and their rules - providing they make sense- and I feel comfortable. But over all hostels that ive spent time in, the Austin one, was the most sterile, with its rules and general feeling of not being welcome. We had a feeling the whole time that we were being watched. It was creepy and as a result, three of us left earlier than we had hoped.
One night, one of the 'guinea pig guys' cooked something that looked like brain, and completely smoked out the kitchen and loungeroom. The next night, he cooked liver. It was as if he had scrounged up enough money begging that day and thought hed spoil himself with a hostel and a brain stew.
We appreciate the noise problem from the tv. But when taking refuge downstairs, we were told to be quiet because someone was asleep on the couch. The guy working turned off the lights and basically told us to go to bed at 10pm.
I would like to contact the HI people and in due time, ill do just that. A quiet glass of wine over dinner cannot possibly cause a problem.
Thanks for listening
Murray.
Re: Freaks in America
I see what I see and I write what I see. Unfortunately your country doesnt provide for tourists, tourism, backpackers and people on a budget that are curious and interested in finding out what the United States is all about. What makes it tick, What is this strange place and how has it become the place that it is? So thats why I travel there - to find out. Im curious. I want to learn, and whether it seems like it or not from my entries, I did go there with an open mind and an open heart.
Unfortunately tourism in the USA is almost non existant for people without a car. Us backpackers are religated to taking expensive inconvieniently scheduled Greyhound Busses to the dodgiest areas of the towns we are only allowed to see because of the Bus destinations.
From there, we have to find a hostel, which is often difficult. Staying at a 'Super 8 Hotel' or similar is out of the question for us. By us, im taking about the huge community of foreign backpackers, travelling your country, and all sharing the same opinions as me. We are dumbfounded by the USA.
Maybe they need to be more welcoming, maybe thats just the way they are, but when it came to locals, sure i met some nice ones, but in general, I was terrified walking around the cities.
So what can the USA do to make us feel more welcome and cater for tourists on a budget? Ive got a list, but a better transport system, internet cafes, healthy food, and a few more hostels would be a start.
Murray