Blog ≫ 2024 ≫ Hostel adventure and updated list
Hostel adventure went OK. Commuted to work as normal in the the morning. Weather was not as good as has been, there was rain forecast, but didn't take a proper coat. Work busy, not sure the office can really cope with more people being in. Took my own lunch, so no Leather Lane special for me.
After work I booked the cinema and then just stayed a bit late doing a bit of extra work. If I do this regularly I can count these hours and take them back later. Could start working this into fitting five days into four, seems to be OK for us. So, four nine hour days and take Fridays off? One to think about.
Got a locker at work, a bit of a faff there, the locker system is broken, but going forward I have that. Laptop and main bag in the locker, just my tote bag out for the evening with the bare minimum in it; water, toothbrush and toothpaste, Private Eye to read, pillowcase to stuff my clothes in later. Pen torch in pocket! Am I obsessed with this pen torch? 1? Maybe, but it is great.
Checked out the hostel, maybe a twenty minute walk from work. It's the Generator, and the chain was recommended by one of Clare's friends.
This place was nice, like a cool hall of residence. Noisy office party vibe in ground floor bar, pool tables, arcade machines, shuffle board, cocktails, food, and pleased to see a mix of ages. It's big so my fifth floor room is away from that but will see how quiet it really is at bed time. I did the self check-in and got 519-05. I thought that was floor five, bed 19 maybe. But it's floor 5, room 19, bed five. My bed is right in front of the door. The room went off to the left and the right, no idea how far at this stage. Could tell people were getting changed both directions so could not have a proper look or take pictures. Didn't leave my stuff at this stage, just headed out again to cinema.
Walked to Angel as that was the cinema I'd booked, and went to Leon for my tea, same as we did when T1 stayed up and we went to the cinema. It being dark now, and raining, it was a slightly sad and desperate place to be. If it was summer this whole bit would feel a bit cheerier. Also if I was not not drinking I'd have gone to the pub in this bit and had a whale of a time! But no, being good, and keeping costs down. So got vegan burger, salad, drink there, about a tenner. Did not really need the side nor the drink, I got over excited. Sat there and caught up with messaging my friends, then off to the cinema.
Went to see Firebrand, the new one about Catherine Parr and Henry VIII, was quite good, well done, maybe a tiny bit of artistic license towards the end there. Was washing at times I had gone to see an action film instead, but I did enjoy it. Oddly had the cinema to myself for quite a while, must have got there a bit early. It was screen ten, which is in a different bit of that complex, and I was given a code to let myself in. I like that cinema for the good reclining seats, and will probably go again next week.
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Out of cinema about half eleven, and walked back to the hostel. I think next time I'll pick a busier route rather than the shortest one. I'm sure it is fine.
Got back to the hostel and the bar was quieter, but still lively, still people hanging around. Don't know if I'd been put in a quieter bit because of my advancing years, but it was peaceful up on the fifth floor. Cleaned my teeth and went in the room, and can see the glow of mobile phones coming from the bunks, but no noise. I was on the top bunk, will request a lower one next time. The bed was not made up, I had to put the sheet on while in the bed but that was ok. Went with my plan of clothes in spare pillowcase and use that as another pillow. There was a charging point actually in the bed, part of the night light, but I didn't bring the right charging lead. Slept OK, not amazingly, but it wasn't noise that woke me up.
Next morning, walked to work, got there very early. There are showers at work, so got my clean clothes and wash bag from locker, and I'm ready for the day. Busy day of work, didn't get home that early, but all OK.
I need to do a table of pros and cons, as I saved some money, but was it worth it overall? I saved £80ish by not geting train tickets, then spent £20 on hostel, £10 on cinema, £10 on dinner. Should cinema and dinner come out of this same budget? I saved some money by not having dinner at home but not much.
I did get an experience out of this, but not the hilarious-in-hindsight "omg you'll never guess what happened" type story that I thought. Probably for the best. I will give it another go. One thing I did get out of this, I have the opportunity to buy a new washbag! I need one for home, I need one for travels, but now it would be handy to have one left at work! So I can now look for a better ultralight hanging washbag for my travels. Pay day tomorrow.
Updated packing list for next time. If it looks like pen torch is on there twice it's because there's one task for charging it, then another later for packing it.
- hostel booked
- battery pack charged
- pen torch charged
- phone charged
- watch charged 2
- headphones charged
- train ticket booked
- return train ticket booked 3 🆕
- travel towel 4
- hand sanitiser
- tote bag 5
- pillow case 6
- running gear 7
- toothpaste
- wash bag with shower gel 8
- ear plugs
- hay fever tablet
- sleepy tea 9 🆕
- packed lunch 10
- snack bars
- pants, t-shirt, socks
- battery pack
- charging leads in tote bag 11 🆕
- pen torch
- water bottle
- coffee
Latest packing list version will always be here, but I will paste updates over time.
Drizzle and a gentle breeze, 7 - 15℃.
Guessing 1990 cups of coffee from my espresso machine 1 probably comes to £1.00 a cup (including the coffee and servicing 1 but not the 'leccy).
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- I checked this but clearly didn't do it last time, watch went to low energy mode.
- Forgot this last time, got to station, no ticket, missed train.
- Towels provided in work showers, but taking my small one as a backup.
- An important part of the organisation, did remember it.
- Stuffing with clothes and as an extra pillow. Could have been more comfortable.
- Not this time but maybe next time.
- Forgot the shower gel, but got some.
- I like a herbal tea before bed. Can I take a teabag, put it in the coffee flask when I leave work and have it back at the hostel? Will it taste too much of coffee?
- Pasty already in the fridge.
- Had some in laptop bag for work, but did not have a USB A to watch or USB A to phone that I could have used at the hostel. There were USB points in the bed, not sure how close actual power was.
⬅️ Zoot Money :: Singapore day seven - Gardens By The Bay ➡️