Stuck for Hours with No Way Out! – The downside of budget accommodation
November 6, 2009 | Francis Nicholls-Wunder
Released after hours inside!
While traveling through Barcelona on my backpacking tour of Europe I was happy to have a part in ending what must have been a very stressful time for a group of fellow travelers. These poor guys were stuck in the elevator at our shared multi-floor pension for hours on end with no way out. Only when my friends and I came through the front door and faintly heard them banging and waving were we able to call for assistance.
In fact the only way out was to call in the cavalry! Far from a simple reset button, the old elevator required an emergency repair crew to manually disarm the doors, finally ending the ordeal for the three men inside. Suffice to say they were very grateful but seemed in quite a hurry to get passed us and down the hall to the bathroom.
The fact of the matter is that much of the budget accommodation in Europe is housed in some very old buildings. This means that elevators are less reliable, floorboards can be a bit creakier, windows might be harder to open…the list goes on. Of course some of the older architecture can be very sturdy with more slid woods and intricate brickwork but maintenance is usually the bigger issue with renovations few and far between for many of the privately run, smaller pension and guesthouse style options.
But don’t let this put you off. Dealing with some of the quirks of your accommodation is all part of the backpacking experience and the money that you save by staying in budget accommodation can afford you those couple of extra drinks you might need now and then when there is something particularly frustrating about your cheap accommodation in Europe.
