HOME AWAY FROM HOME

As with most Asian countries, ita??s not necessary to book accommodation, or anything else, in advance when visiting Sri Lanka. However, I knew that Ia??d be arriving into Arugam Bay in the middle of peak season aka surf season and so I emailed a couple of places to see whether they had any room. Most replied saying that they were full, with the exception of the Siam view hotel, whose reply was, well, intriguing:

No problem, dear Tom-Tom.
Just make your way.
(“But “Don’t mention the War” 😉
Drop in.
And all will fall into ita??s place.

No worries.

Arugam bay, and this hostel both sounded like my kind of places, and they havena??t disappointed. The town itself is a small, relaxed, hippy surf town, pretty much a Sri Lankan Byron bay. Except that ita??s much cheaper a?? a coconut costs less than 50 cents a?? is less busy, has pumping waves and there arena??t the stupidly strict drinking rules that exist in my usual hippy paradise. So far so good, then I got to the hostel.

AbaY Beach in front of the YMCA

The YMCA is right in the centre of town, and it is the first hostel Ia??ve come across in Sri Lanka, the first time that Ia??ve had air-conditioning, and the cheapest accommodation Ia??ve found. I wandered into the only dorm room, and I wandered into a new family. The floor was covered in sand (sorry Fred), a mouse ate through my iPhone case and 500 rupees, the power is intermittent, and I used a towel as a bedsheet for a week, but the YMCA is everything a hostel should be.

YMCArugam’s Road front

Ita??s full of fascinating and fun people, inspiring quotes cover the walls, and the relaxed approach of the owners makes for an incredibly welcoming atmosphere. The guys running it didna??t even know that I was staying for the first 4 days, and Ia??ve now been here 7 days and I still havena??t paid for one yet, a perfect environment for someone that hasna??t had a house key for over a year.

YMCA Philosophy

Little Derek (great name for a baby!) runs around the hostel naked, therea??s a brightly painted VW camper can parked in the garden, and the locals chat to you while youa??re using the outdoor showers, with butterflies swooping overhead.

The owners, of various hippy and traveller backgrounds, even offer the rooms for free on couchsurfing.com if theya??re not occupied by paying guests. When I asked one of the owners why theya??re so relaxed, the response was a fairly obvious one: when youa??ve lived through a tsunami, nothing else seems worth worrying about.

Probalan how much Sale midamor Sadly. They left

If I ever do own my own hostel, I want the atmosphere to be based on this one. I wona??t make any money, like the guys here dona??t, but Ia??ll have a great time with great people and thata??s what really matters to me. Unfortunately, however, all good things must come to an end, and most of our family have gone their separate ways, despite staying for far longer than planned, and I will leave tomorrow too. Fortunately, thata??s because I have to catch my flight to the Maldives for some more sun, sea and surf, life is tough right now!

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source / original post:
http://travellivedream.com/2014/08/11/home-away-from-home-away-from-home/