generating

As we fleetingly pass through London again, bound for Belgium, events dictate that we're going separate ways for tonight's accommodation. Left to my own devices, I've selected 'The Generator', chosen for its price and proximity to our departure station. Having found the place, I'm greeted with a hostel which can only be described as... behemoth. This is the hostel business in full flight, catering to large numbers of young people. It has that scent to it. Of late nights and excess, of spilt this and that. Virtually everything is slightly...stained, with the exception thankfully being my bed linen, which looks quite sterile. A word so often associated with coldness and hospitals, sterile is something I'm quite happy with when it comes to my linens. The scent changes as you get deeper into the building. It smells like cleaning. Cleaning that has not quite managed to get that unmistakable scent of urine from the carpet. That's backpacking for you.

The place is decorated in accordance with its name, the result being an excessive amount of exposed cable ducting, stenciled industrial writing on dorm room doors, and a lot of wire mesh. They also subscribe to the 'colorful' school of hostel painting, which I'm coming to loathe. Call me a snob, but dark blue and yellow paint, in alternating bands, accented with black and red couches, makes this common room feel just a little bit kindergarten. The yellow fluorescents are the icing on the cake.

You'll recall my musings on the YHA style of accommodation, with its stern severity. In Scotland, the hostel was veritably decorated with tiny stickers and signs, instructing on the use of almost every item. 'Switch off!' (the lights) 'Recycle!' (the 18 different bins in the dining room), 'Save Water' 'Turn the knob to position 2 until the red light comes on, then flick the two switches and pull the lever. The green light will come on. Wait 2 minutes. Turn the dial back to 1. Now you can use the stove!'

You get the picture.

I think you can tell a lot about a hostel's clientèle from the signs it chooses to employ. Here, they choose to instruct guests in this manner: 'DO NOT climb out of the window into the courtyard'

Need I say more?