Hostel from Hell of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
ALL-TIME FAVORITE POST FROM 2008 RE-BLOGGED: Borrowing my good friend's line, let me share with you my story of how, of all the hostels I've stayed in my seven years of traveling, this one sucked balls! Big Time!!! (Pardon me for the word).
Hostels are fun and i always look forward to staying in one, because it's the way to go when you're traveling cheaply plus you meet so many people, those later on will become your friends. Watch out for my future post on the joys of hostel living.
With no intention, whatsoever, to discredit this business. I am just stating true accounts of what have transpired on my trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2008.
After two hours of walking back and forth along Bukit Bintang, i found Haven Hostel tucked somewhere near the corner with no sign. Who cares, i'm so ready to throw in my duffel bag and hit the shower! Welcome to Heaven Hostel, where you'll experience sleeping in hell!
When i arrived, there were a couple of Muslim women who were chatting over tea. I thought this would be great so i can chat with them and get to know more about their religion. They left as soon as i entered the hostel. It's business as usual. Some backpackers were inquiring. Some stayed, some left. I never saw those who stayed actually.
It's a big hostel, made of wood and cheeky posters and Americanized displays. The one manning the desk seemed like a local band guitarist, with skin art, dreaded locks and a cigarette on one hand. I showed my passport and paid my stay, for two nights. My biggest mistake. Ever!
There were not a lot of people when i came inside. A group of Englishmen were ready to leave. And as soon i got to my dorm room, i saw a couple of bunk beds. It's a pretty huge room, with very basic bed, one pillow and super thin blanket. The floors, the ceilings and the walls were all made of wood.There was no one in the room. So off i went to hit the shower and left the hostel a few minutes after freshening up.
After a nonsense night out which composed of drinking a bottle of beer before 11 pm and the bar closing and getting last orders, i was so disappointed so i headed back to sleep.
The next day came the, first reason why this hostel sucked.
The Attack of Bedbugs. For the next two days, i found myself scratching my right arm and seeing myself in the mirror with red patches that looked similar to a victim in one of those Biohazard film.
The next day came and as i was trying to ignore the dots and patches in my left arm, and eventually in my back. I experienced the second reason why this hostel sucked.
The Most Unfriendly Backpacker I've Ever Met!
The night before i left, i was already dead set in leaving. I was checking for flights out of Malaysia and into Thailand. I was ready to leave this city and head somewhere south of Thailand. I chanced upon this lone traveler beside me. I travel solo, and it's a good place to meet solo travelers, too. You can see in the photo above: I was the one in the left, the bloke was the one beside me. It's quite early to call it a night. A few drinks would be a cool idea so i can doze off and wake up early for tomorrow's flight. So i asked him if he wanted to join me for for some beer. And this is what he answered back, "NO". With no exaggeration or whatsoever, he was very rude and said NO as if i did something wrong. After that, he continued on with his business and tried to ignore me. And i was left speechless.
Porn. I was awoken to a noise that seemed only familiar to one of those films your mom and dad wouldn't want you to see. I am not a conservative, I'm actually liberal in most cases. But i know what's right and what's wrong. And i know when something is okay, but i also when something is definitely uncalled for.
I woke up to two people having sex in front of me. Yes, the graphic kind. I know that this is not new in the history of hostel living but it's not tolerated. And it doesn't look proper. I also think, it shows lack of respect for your dorm mates. Get your own room!!!!
It's worse for that girl who came in a day after i arrived in the hostel. She was alone, and staying in the same room as we are. I knew she was already up, but she was also stunned of what was going on.
With relatively no idea how to ignore this, and my flight to Krabi is leaving in two hours. I just acted as if i was half-awake and tried to look pass them and out the door. Got my towel and took a bath. When i got back, there were there, fooling around under the sheet and cuddling. I thought to myself, "good gracious at least they're done!" They caught me, still with water dripping over my forehead, and trying to change. We chatted for a bit. Yes, while they were naked. Yes, while the guy was somewhere. They even wanted to shake hands to say goodbye, and i thought that was really unhygienic. So, i tried to ignore and acted as if i remembered forgetting one more item that i haven't packed. I left the hostel with no intentions to go back ever again.
Notes: Accommodations are actually the least of my worries whenever i travel. Just as long as i have a bed to sleep in, i'm good. If you have experienced hostels like this one, kindly share them so everyone reading would know, where not to stay next time!
13 Comments:
hostel with free porn is not that bad jerik... haha kiddin aside, i remember the chicken bus i took from vientianne to vinh. two brits decided to have sex (inside the bus) while everyone is trying to get some rest from a long ride... fuckin horrible... even their own mates where angry...
ha ha flip, nice one. actually, its not so bad. okay. here's the real story, i was suppose to hook up with the girl and she invited me over to go with her at the club. But i didn't bring with me long pants and shoes so i decided to stay in. next thing i knew, some local malaysian guy was sleeping with her. ha ha ha but yeah, at the bus. really? that's like WTF moment! what did you do?
hahaha... it could have been you... missed oportunity my bro... long story: i paid for a direct bus to hanoi, when we got to the station, the bus had left already... so i asked the guy who took us to the station to get me on any bus going to vietnam regardless which part. he said there's no bus... and i found one going to vinh... group of brits and one oz girl tagged along... we waited for almost 5 hours in the station... the bus broke down couple of times... it's a gruelling long trip and everyone is tired... and then they decided to have sex inside the bus (at the back) and even their friends shouted at them, everyone is trying to get a sleep... i woke up because of their moan but then i just went back to sleep... so friggin tired and hungry to even care about it...
That's a bad hostel. I've never had to deal with bed bugs before, but I can imagine they would be horrible. The worst place I stayed at was at Chungking Mansion in Hong Kong. Notorious for drug trafficking and other crimes, my hostel was on the 13th floor. There was only one elevator in what was essentially a death trap if a fire ever broke out. Plus, there was a football match on early in the morning and people outside were cheering so loud that it woke me up several times during the night. However, the food on the ground floor is amazing and that's what made the place worth staying at.
@flipnomad Wow! I want to know what their reactions were after. as if nothing happened? i don't know, maybe its the culture? or the excitement? either way its fine just as long as no one near is offended. I've had my share of that and getting caught is definitely not cool! ha ha
hey was talking to a folk of mine in the agency where i work. how about you organize a club for all Filipino travel bloggers? its going to be cool and fun as we can all get to meet each other in person. what do you say?
@Steve yeah so Chunking mansion as i was walking at night, yes i can agree with you. some pretty shady individuals lurking around the hotel. most hotels in hong kong are like that http://jerik76raverz.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-almost-got-burned-alive-in-hong-kong.html
I think you get the best of both worlds and emotions too, excitement and fear altogether.
the sign board is a dead giveaway! it says haven but there are some sort of a devil's tail right below it!
i agree with flip jerik. the live show is kinda (ahem) kinky! LOL
RON
was here and follow your blogs bro..
Yipes. i can go for the free porn than the bed bugs. hehe. to think that we just had a trip to malaysia last week.
thanks for the tip. will take note of these hell hostels in the future.
@Tolits did you stay in Haven hostel as well? Its an experience, i must say and worth a story to be told.
@Ed! Yes, i wouldn't stay there again! The bed bugs will make you paranoid. With regards to free porn, it was just unexpected. first time in my life i saw something like that (apart from me, of course) at a really close distance. How was your trip to Malaysia? KL?
di ko alam kung matatawa ako oh ma-aasar... kung anu nasa situation mo di ko rin alam gagawin ko..haha
@journeyingjames oo naguluhan ako actually kung gusto ko, naiinggit or naasiwa! ha ha ha
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