Thursday, November 24, 2005
Thanksgiving
A happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers out there!!!
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Wot, No Yoof!
Youth Hostels. The very name conjures up a certain picture and associated smells. That slight eau de damp, rounded out by dubbin (remember it?) and one-pan chillie. Dormitories for all. Morning chores. Large canvas rucksacks. Peter Storm waterproofs. Earnest young people 'doing' the big walks. Curfews.
The reality today is rather different. Forget youth. Families are the new target demographic (probably those same earnest young people now grown up). We stayed at Malham Y H this half term, and boy, has it changed. It was warm. There was lashing of hot water. You can get breakfast, pack-up and a three course evening meal - or cater for yourself in the guest kitchen. No curfews - just an admonition to 'respect other people's rest' if coming in late. Most of the rooms are smaller, some with sinks! It was full of families, in all their modern guises. Not a 'yoof' in sight - maybe we frightened them off!
Anything the same? Still that slight lingering smell of other people's food, and those awful sheet sleeping bags (duvets are provided, but you must use the sleeping bag liner). Absolute hell for those with achey (sp???) or hot feet who like to keep them outside the bed! And bunkbeds. And other people snoring.
Happy days.
The reality today is rather different. Forget youth. Families are the new target demographic (probably those same earnest young people now grown up). We stayed at Malham Y H this half term, and boy, has it changed. It was warm. There was lashing of hot water. You can get breakfast, pack-up and a three course evening meal - or cater for yourself in the guest kitchen. No curfews - just an admonition to 'respect other people's rest' if coming in late. Most of the rooms are smaller, some with sinks! It was full of families, in all their modern guises. Not a 'yoof' in sight - maybe we frightened them off!
Anything the same? Still that slight lingering smell of other people's food, and those awful sheet sleeping bags (duvets are provided, but you must use the sleeping bag liner). Absolute hell for those with achey (sp???) or hot feet who like to keep them outside the bed! And bunkbeds. And other people snoring.
Happy days.
