From hostel to hostel, I meet lots of people. Couples, families, groups and solo travellers. They come and go everyday. Sometimes I see them at breakfast time and that's it. In other cases, I come across them all the time, even outside the hostel.
Many solo travellers, whose lives revolve around the hostel, as if it were the centre of a compass.
Lonely planets, that's what we are. Like the Earth or Venus, we have our own little path, pace and existence but we orbit around the same place. For planets, it's the sun, for backpackers it's the hostel, a place that gives you enough energy to start each day with renewed motivation and allows you to end it smoothly with a beer, a kiss or both, or more (in my case, just a beer unfortunately).
Lonely planets... Funnily enough, without an "s", it's the name of the guidebook I rely so much upon. Coincidence? I don't actually know why its authors chose such a name.
But backpackers definitely are lonely planets... Sometimes they find themselves in the same alignment, sharing stories, advice and more. They're in the same galaxy, those people who want to travel alone but always seem to be looking for company.
Interesting paradox, when you're sociable at certain times of the day. You'd rather do the hike alone but hope you'll share your beer (ok it could be orange juice, but a pint of Tsingtao is just 0.60 euro) with someone.
Lonely planets, different orbits, one central and common gravitational point: the hostel, the bar, the waitress (joke), the desire to be part of the world out there, far away or next door...
Many solo travellers, whose lives revolve around the hostel, as if it were the centre of a compass.
Lonely planets, that's what we are. Like the Earth or Venus, we have our own little path, pace and existence but we orbit around the same place. For planets, it's the sun, for backpackers it's the hostel, a place that gives you enough energy to start each day with renewed motivation and allows you to end it smoothly with a beer, a kiss or both, or more (in my case, just a beer unfortunately).
Lonely planets... Funnily enough, without an "s", it's the name of the guidebook I rely so much upon. Coincidence? I don't actually know why its authors chose such a name.
But backpackers definitely are lonely planets... Sometimes they find themselves in the same alignment, sharing stories, advice and more. They're in the same galaxy, those people who want to travel alone but always seem to be looking for company.
Interesting paradox, when you're sociable at certain times of the day. You'd rather do the hike alone but hope you'll share your beer (ok it could be orange juice, but a pint of Tsingtao is just 0.60 euro) with someone.
Lonely planets, different orbits, one central and common gravitational point: the hostel, the bar, the waitress (joke), the desire to be part of the world out there, far away or next door...
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