Hostels

Since the end of December, Jack and I have stayed at three different hostels in two different cities and countries. The first one we stayed in was on Cow Gate street, by Grass Market, in Edinburgh, Scotland. Cow Gate has many clubs, hostels and bars on it. Even later than three am, you can hear people out and about on the streets, singing and playing music. One time, right outside the hostel we were staying at, there was a group of people from several different countries playing music on a guitar and singing.
The second hostel we stayed at was in London. I can’t recall the name of the area it was in, but it was only about three or four tube stops from Buckingham Palace. This hostel, in my opinion,  was not as fun as the one in Edinburgh. Security was a lot more intense. You had to have a key to get inside,which wasn’t very fun. If you were outside talking,  the security men made you go all around the building to the smoking area, even if you weren’t smoking. You had to be quiet because of the residential buildings nearby. And, one of the people we were with while there wasn’t much fun. I did meet a very nice Argentinian man, though,and they gave you free towels with your room.
The last hostel we stayed in was in Edinburgh,  like the first one, but in a different area. This hostel had a lot of very nice qualities – free breakfast,  free laundry,  etc. The showers were particularly enjoyable. All of the hostels had a chill out room. The first one had many big cushions scattered along the floor and a TV that was always playing movies. The second one, I didn’t go into. And this one had comfortable leather couches and a little kitchen area for making food, and a TV. In the chill out room, Jack and I met a big group of people who were all staying there for the weekend, and who had also all met at the hostel. There was an American,  but a majority of the people were from Scotland or England.
Eating food while staying at hostels is hard. It’s expensive to buy food from the city, and even more so to buy it from the bars that are usually attached to the accommodation. While staying there, Jack and I lived off a lot of kebabs and french fries with gravy. Mom bought us soup once, which was greatly appreciated, but I have lost count of the amount of times I’ve eaten french fries with gravy from a restaurant called the Clam Shell while staying at a hostel in Edinburgh. For future reference, it isn’t really a good purchase. They aren’t very filling nor good for you. Kebabs, on the other hand, are very much worth what you pay for.

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