By mtumasz
Greetings Mates! Time for another weekly installment of my knowledge and experiences from Abroad in New Zealand!
So I just came back from mid-semester break, where I traveled around Australia for a week, then the South Island of New Zealand for a week. It was AH-MAZING. But traveling constantly, with no incoming cash flow, can be challenging. The goal is to make things as cheap as possible, to be able to do as much as you can while on a budget. For this two week trip, we saved money by staying in hostels, instead of regular hotels. We also ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday, and I don't think I'll be able to eat another one for years...
So anyways, we spent the entire trip hostel hopping. Hostels are great for meeting new people, especially if you're traveling by yourself. The ones we stayed at would have social activities each night like bingo, pool contests, and free drinks at local bars. They would also give away awesome prizes like free bungy jumps, bar tabs, and discounted adventures throughout the country.
Some hostels even give you FREE MEALS. We had several hostels that gave us free dinner, and even free breakfast. It feels so good to eat a nice warm meal after eating granola bars all day.
If you do decide to travel throughout a country, and are trying to save a couple bucks, I highly recommend going the hostel route. They're fun, friendly, and definitely cater to the college-age demographic.
There are a couple downsides about hostels though. You usually don't get your own room; you could be sharing a room with up to 12 other people. Also, the bathrooms are communal, so make sure to bring some shower shoes. Also, not all hostels have free wifi, and this can be hard when you're trying to plan things, or trying to stay in contact with people not traveling with you. But other than that, hostels are great.
Safe travels and stay tuned for more adventures from down undah!