So by now i've been to a few dodgy areas, seen a few dodgy things and stayed in my fair share of dodgy hostels. I've never felt like I was in any danger (mostly), but really just laughed at some of the places or situations i've found myself in... Here are a few of my favourites..
Wandering down Troost Street, Kansas City... enough said... no wait... accepting a ride from a stranger on Troost street to get me back to my accommodation (as it so happened I was heading in the wrong direction...
Walking around downtown Cancun Mexico, downtown Manta Ecuador.
Finding myself on the beach, at night with a dodgy Ecuadorian character in Montanita with little Spanish to go by.
Getting in a red van to Puerto Lopez and back. Where we ate one person got served a goldfish. There were pots on the wall big enough to cook a child in. On the return trip the driver cranked the weirdest dance music.
Trusting the local bus service going from Montanita to Manta via Jippijapa. What a ride...
In Los Angeles I stayed in a hostel in Korea Town. I was a big house and they had no storage, but they said it was completely fine to leave my bags in the communal living space. That night I slept in a dorm with 3 guys. One of them offered me the nicest smelling weed...
In New York I found a hostel to stay in for a cheap price over the expensive and busy Christmas period. It was in the mid-upper West side, however as I found out it was an apartment building which had been half-converted into an illegal hostel. I was in a two-bed dorm which didn't have much space to swing a cat. I don't think the bathrooms got cleaned. ever... But it was cheap!
I looked like a sherpa when I got caught in the aftermath of the NY white out the day after christmas. I was carrying my entire belongings (backpack, front backpack, shoulder bag) from dodgy hostel in the mid-west end up to above central part at new hostel. Slipped and slid around, slid down the subway, got harassed for money as I struggled getting up out of the subway, dived over a mountain of snow to get to my hostel (bags followed).
Anything which involved Mike telling me to come see him so he can smuggle me somewhere to eat candy and get completely obliterated for a night.. so far this has happened twice.
Arriving at Minneapolis airport, telling the taxi driver where I wanted to go. The taxi driver not knowing where I wanted to go, The taxi driver not knowing how to use his own GPS, me using his GPS to tell him where to go.
In Minneapolis I am staying in the only Hostel on offer. Its south of downtown and has a really nice kitchen! I've stayed in two different rooms. One was an attic and looked like it was a while since it had been cleaned. The next room has no lights, but has a shared private bathroom. Last night I got woken up to someone retching and vomiting in it... twice... I doubt that will be cleaned.
I did hear my Ma's voice of reason as I smoked weed with some guys I met at a congress and was able to hitch a ride with them back to Minneapolis. But seriously... we met a guy had a pet pig that could walk on its hand hooves!!!
The amount of busses i've jumped on and hoped they were taking me to the right direction. So far I have not failed.
Arguing with the Ecuadorian taxi driver who wanted to charge me $5 to get me from the Airport to downtown when I wanted to pay only 4. He asked me if I had a boyfriend.
All those great greyhound bus stations i've had the pleasure of spending quality time in, especially Detroit and Chicago. The even greater busses: Notable the smelly ones, the ones where I sat with smelly people or had crazy, smelly drivers (Memphis-Dallas).
