Date achieved:
Monday 10th to Tuesday 11th September 2018
Where?
Sydney Harbour YHA – The Rocks, Australia
Why is this experience on the Challenge List?
Whenever I usually went away with my family we would stay at a hotel, motel or a holiday house which means I actually had never slept in a hostel before. I wanted to experience what everyone was talking about, as some people I know only travel in hostels and have done it around the world. By doing this they have been able to save so much money and spend it on other experiences.
Description:
I arrived off a flight from Hamilton Island and caught the train into Circular Quay, walked about three blocks (I think I got a little lost on my walk to the hostel because the maps were trying to send me down a side walk and then it got lost) and found my way to the hostel. When I walked into the hostel I had this immediate feeling of being welcomed into the place and the atmosphere was great.
Checking in was a breeze and I went upstairs, put all my stuff away and found a bed. I was on the top bunk sharing the room with three other girls. Two of the girls were from overseas and the third was from Western Australia where she was holidaying in Sydney. I told them that I had just come from the Whitsunday’s and had been sailing on a tall ship and the girl from Western Australia ended up changing her plans of travelling around Sydney more, to catching the bus the next day to head up to Cairns. She was so excited and said that with the photos I had showed her, she definitely had to go and check it out for her self now. That was the point where I couldn’t believe my stories of my experiences could have such an impact on other people and inspire them!!
Around the hostel I ended up just walking around to check out what they had around, they literally had anything and everything you could think of. There was a communal kitchen with a fridge that had shared items and a fridge that was for designated people, they had lockers for when checking out, communal lounge area, rooftop area, archelogical dig and even advertisement boards with jobs offers and local sightseeing information.
It felt like a comfy little shared accmodation apartment and it exceeded my expectations.
Would I do it again?
Since I have been to the Sydney YHA I have been to a hostel in Byron Bay, two in Thailand and one in Airlie Beach.
It’s cost effective, I would highly recommend it as a way to save money and meet new people!
Highlight:
Getting to the hostel and when I arrived I found out that there was an archelogical dig underneath the site and is still being worked on!! I’m serious… It really captures the heritage of the building and they even show off artefacts that they have found in the dig. This had to be one of the coolest and most unexpected things to find in a hostel.
Cost:
The total cost per night was $44, which when you think about what I got for it thats a GREAT deal. I was in the heart of the Sydney CBD, about three streets away from Circular Quay which is where you can catch a ferry or train to anywhere in the city or to the airport. Also this was my view from the rooftop of the hostel, I was definitely impressed!
Further information:
I have now stayed at four YHA hostels and they have all been amazing, for information on the Sydney on the Rocks, check it out here. YHA hostels are all around Australia and there are plenty of hostels around the world.
You can choose rooms that are private, sharing with four, eight or sixteen people and mixed genders or just male or female. The choice is really yours for what you want to do.