It would be hard to find a more fitting pair than that of sex and travel. Here, one adventurer, who has kissed an uncounted number of men who don’t share her zip code, shares her experience combining the two through more than 30 countries for our “End of Summer Escapes” series.
Obviously, the word “summer” goes perfectly with the word “fling,” but trying to combine the two during your stay at a 12-bed hostel while you’re visiting some over-priced European country can be tricky, though it’s not impossible. I love to stay in hostels even in a booming economy because they’re the best place to meet other travelers – unless you encounter a 56-year-old who creeps all the other guests out — and learning the hostel hookup ropes is key to the hostel experience. So what do you do once you’re ready to swap spit with the man of your dreams and he happens to be staying at the same 20-Euro-per-night place as you for the next few days? (NOTE: For our purposes, “hookup” is used in a PG or PG-13 manner, unless you really like performing for an audience.)
Choose A Location, Location, Location
First, I recommend you find a semi-secluded space and make sure your love nest is not actually the communal bathroom. By semi-secluded I mean a garden or a back staircase, heck, even a nook near the entrance will work. But the two of you should never be truly alone — after all, a hostel hookup is just a great-looking guy you don’t know very well.
Be A Tourist Attraction
If you continue to like the person the next afternoon when you’re feeling more sober (and only slightly hung over), there are even more choices. Afternoon is usually a great time to be alone – or, you know, with the man of your present journey. However, please be warned: There will definitely be a few seriously grossed-out tourists who return during a day of sightseeing to pick up a forgotten camera and end up walking in on whatever you two are doing. (I’ve definitely been on that side of the fence, and it was disturbing.) When this happens, keep in mind that sexcapades witnessed by strangers turn into phenomenal stories to tell friends back home.
Splurge For Privacy
If you’re still looking to hook up the following night, consider splurging on one of the private rooms, which most hostels have. Actually, I bet if you have some wine before entering and don’t get up to use the communal bathroom in the middle of the night, you’ll mistake it for a star-rated hotel room.
Wherever you choose to hook up during your hostel adventure abroad, remember that hostel hookups are a luxury that won’t always be around. At some point, you won’t want to smell bad while carrying around a tattered hiking bag and sleeping in bunk beds, even if the exchange rate still sucks. So, live it up before you start to look more like the creepy 56-year-old that I spotted during my last Copenhagen hostel stay. Happy Hosteling!
Original by Alina Berd