The Bizarre Roommate I Had at a Budget Hostel

The Bizarre Roommate I Had at a Budget Hostel: A Complete Guide

I still laugh when I think about it now — though at the time, it felt more like living in a low-budget sitcom. It was Lisbon, midsummer, and I’d booked myself into one of those charming old hostels where the walls are thin, the floors creak, and the reception desk doubles as a bar. Cheap, cheerful, and full of stories.

Meanwhile you must be aware of Why Romanian Hospitality Feels Like Coming Home?

My roommate arrived on the second night. He was from somewhere in Eastern Europe, spoke five languages, and carried a violin case that he never once opened. At first, I thought he was a musician. By day two, I wasn’t so sure. He’d leave early, come back late, and spend hours scribbling in a notebook that looked suspiciously like a spy journal.

One night, around 3 a.m., I woke to find him whispering to a houseplant on the windowsill. He wasn’t drunk. He wasn’t angry. Just whispering — softly, politely, as though the plant had confided something tragic. I pulled my blanket over my head and pretended to be asleep. The next morning, he offered me coffee and an orange, and we talked about poetry. Turns out, he was writing a book about solitude.

That’s the thing about budget hostels — you meet people who never quite fit the mould, and that’s half the adventure. The stories they leave you with end up being worth more than any five-star suite.

If you’re heading off on your own little adventure, save your pennies before you even board the plane. Check out Manchester airport cheap parking options or look for seasonal airport parking deals — less time stressing, more money for unexpected detours (or, apparently, plant whisperers).

Hostels remind you that travel isn’t about comfort. It’s about curiosity — and learning that sometimes, the strangest people make the best stories.