Being a Boarder Boy, the word ‘Hostel’ always related to me to my boarding school. Later during my college days I had a couple of friends, from different cities, who stayed in a hostel. And then through friends and the movie Queen learned about the concept of Hostels in countries which you can use for budgeted travels.
A last minute change in plans lead us to search for places in Bangkok where we could find a place to keep our bags, and if required, sleep for the night. So keeping in mind that most of us were on a tight budget, we booked ourselves into an hostel.
The Hostel Experience way exceeded our expectations. In many way it is way better than living in a hotel room. You can cook your own food and you get an unlimited supply of tea and coffee (yipeee). It was neat, clean and really friendly and warm. And did I mentioned we had bunk beds? I always wanted to sleep in bunk beds as a child, so this was my big chance to fulfil that experience.
The hostel is a melting pot of people of various nationalities and genders and ages and preferences. You felt one with each either. The ambience in fact matched this theme (and provided us with so many photo-ops, which we just couldn’t resist). I can say, hands down that these few moments I spent in the Hostel have been the best part of the Thailand trip. Though it was also a bit bitter sweet (that’s a different story altogether).
And then you have Chatuchak Weekend Market, a Market that’s only open on the weekend, a Market that’s sells everything beside electronics (or didn’t see any). You name it and the place had it, clothes, accessories, shoes, tops, dresses, souvenirs, food. But the biggest thing that this place had was crowd. You were part of a melting pot of people who were bargaining and haggling (like we Indians love to do) and selling and buying and just taking in the market.
Having to buy things for friends and family, actually got separated from my group. Initially was a bit nervous about being alone, took a deep breath and commanded myself to be bold and go out there and experience the market and buy what I had to.
The market in many ways felt so much like home, like some of the markets that I have been to in India, more specifically in Mumbai. Or maybe it was all the Indian people that you run into. But yes if you want to buy things at reasonable prices and have the time and the patient to shop and haggle all day then this is the place for you and if you are in Bangkok over the weekend.
In the end also had my first experience of riding the underground metro on the way back to the hostel. So all in all this just added to the entire vacation experience.
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