hostel – Helpful Haz

This is one of the most welcoming places I have ever been. Welcomed with open arms.

The communal areas are very comfortable, games, pool, a fire every night, sofas and a bar. Cash bar only, beer is R20. The bar tender is always happy to chat and help in anyway.

You sign up for breakfast the night before out of 5 options and can opt in for extra proper coffee rather than the instant stuff. The prices of breakfast range depending on what you want. I had yoghurt, granola and fruit one morning and scrambled egg and bacon the next. All come with toast and jam, more toast – no problem just ask.

There is mini shop in reception with some unique things as well as some usual souvenirs. There are so many tours available to choice is unbelievable almost.
Braai is available if you provide the meat.

There is a pool area in the centre of the hostel, which has the sun almost all day around. Most of the rooms connect to the pool which is lovely. Patio doors in each of the rooms, these either connect to the front of the hostel or the pool area.

Beds are so comfortable, I slept very well. There is a ceiling fan in the room which with the window open was lovely and cool.

It is a very colourful hostel, the rooms are very comfortable. There are ensuite and shared bathroom rooms.

The location of the hostel is amazing. It is 5 mins to a 14km long white sand beach and 15 mins to the Harbour along a wooden boardwalk. It is a small harbour with a restaurant and a place to hire kayaks. You can, if you come at the right time feed the Stingrays in the Harbour!!

At the beach – the warm is warm enough to get it. It is not Caribbean however it is warm.

There is a OK Grocer down the road should you want to cook a meal for yourself, there is no Ubereats down there, but there are a few restaurants near by.
Such a lovely place and people to be involved with. I would stay here again if i was stopping by.

Housekeeping!!

So now i have started my second week duties – await the blog. I thought I would share my first week at The Backpack; it was in housekeeping with Tina and her Team in Housekeeping. It’s gonna make sure I know what a room looks like when it is ready and where the rooms are as basics…Where better to start.

8am start. I am stripping beds first, standard latax gloves on and everything. All going into a bag before reporting back for the next room.

I’ll tell you this now, there is no major difference in stripping. On the other hand making bed, you think you know but you don’t. it is not just the panache. Making sure the exact corner goes on the corner of the bed and two different ways of putting a duvet in a cover. The right pillows in the right cases.

So the details are that when remaking the beds, the sheets have to be tucked in tight, luckily they have fitted sheets so not that hard. The duvet is tucked under the mattress at the end, so that there is only a little on the side. Even after 4 days of doing it, I still couldn’t get it quite right. All pillows facing the same way. Everything has to be smooth, bed runner, pillows everything. Perfect!

No one warned me about how hot it gets making and stripping beds!! I was roasting by the end of each day. I was just given a set of bedding and sent to a room once I had been shown. Luckily someone comes around to do bins and a wipe around so I hope that if I was not up to scratch they corrected it a little… Here’s hoping everything was okay…I reckon they had to correct the folding in of the duvet every time,

If you are not changing the bedding, when the laundry arrives that needs to be sorted out. Ironing the coloured pillow cases that go on some of the beds. Lots of folding of pillow cases and sheets everything has its place. Tina even showed me how to fold a valise or fitted sheet – could I do it again – could I hell…

There is something therapeutic about changing sheets. I know, I know sounds crazy! Just is… A few hours soon whips by and I am relieved of duties and sent on my way… It does depend on the check outs though – having to knock on people to tell them we need the room is not ideal when there are so few check outs that you are just waiting on them to change the room, but hey every cloud…

Don’t think too much about it, easy to do and relaxed atmosphere. Soon learn where the rooms are, and which room has what sort of beds in it. It was the perfect first week to get settled into The Backpack and my duties. Here’s to the second week and further weeks of different departments.

Tag: hostel

Cape Agulhas Backpackers

Knock knock…