Boxed In ....

They say what is traveling through Europe without backpacking .They say what is backpacking without a hosteling experience .They say what is a hosteling experience without a bunk bed.They say is a bunk bed without a creaking sound.They say what is a creaking sound that doesn't disturb your bunk mate in the morning.They say what is a morning that starts without a curse word :)

I came , I saw , I concurred :P

Metro - Porte de Vanves , the station whose pronunciation I never had my way with but whose sight always gave me a home stretch kick , was going to be my start and end point for the next 6 days in Paris.

Arty hostel, in its true sense arty enough ,was my first crash point amongst the four havens booked for my solo journey through continental Europe.Soberly designed , this somewhat creamy ,  four storied brick building flaunted its presence by putting on display flags from sixteen different nations. Bunched in groups of three , the flags wind socked amidst tiny white windows bordered by red bricks on top and a balcony with no standing space at its base . The entrance awkwardly contrasted the building above. It had grayish blue paint slapped on it. All in all , the building left me with a not so curious , yet not so distasteful feeling about stepping in.



To my delight,I was greeted by burst of colors ,dark pinkish reddish walls and calligraphic welcome messages in different languages chalked on a huge blackboard that stood right behind the main reception desk. One could tell that the furniture was old and overly used .It was worn out but carefully taken care of , gasping its last yet taking pride in its durability looking forward to cater a few more weary budget travelers. The lobby put forth its best with a minimalistic decor.A foosball table bang at the entrance, a couple of printing and internet terminals in the background, walls with holes dug in with 'how to get to ...' flashcards hanging off the hooks,card stands with countless sightseeing pamphlets and offers.I took a quick stage scan and leaped forward to locate a bell on the overly cluttered wooden desk.A clang and young lass appeared to the scene .

<Lights Out> <Scene Change>

ACT 1:

Receptionist greets weary traveler .Traveler greets back.Traveler swings backpack off shoulder .Young lass walks traveler through the reservation details.Traveler is given a room key , fresh linen and directions to the elevator . Traveler swings  backpack back on and walks up a flight of stairs ,turns slightly left and presses the elevator button once , then twice, then thrice .Frantic pressing of the elevator button continues for a bit and then stops.Traveler carefully scrutinizes environment.Traveler makes an observation.Hmmm ... elevator has a door, I mean a regular door with a handle.Traveler opens the door and Eureka !!! , finds elevator's sliding doors .Traveler walks in and within 2 mins of journey to 4th floor learns some critical life lessons :)

Lesson 1 : Never enter an elevator with your backpack on.
Lesson 2 : Never overestimate or underestimate the size of an elevator .
Lesson 3 : Never take 'XXXlbs capacity' for granted .
Lesson 4 : Respect and thank who ever designed elevators in US and other parts of the globe because they surely didn't design them well in PARIS !

This is not an outburst of frustration but with all due respect, porta-potties in US are far more comfortable and spacious than that dingy little squat box which the Parisians called elevator ! With my backpack on , the elevator door literally closed at the tip of my nose.I'm not exaggerating ! It could only transport one person and when I mean one , I mean one . No offense , but I think the designer was probably an Oriental and saw only an Asian gene using this masterpiece.A couple of mins in that dudgeon left me breathless and before I could collapse , the door opened and I arrived on the desired floor.Soon I realized that walking through the alleys with my backpack on was also not an option.The elevator experience had some what prepared me for what lay ahead.

<Lights Out> <Scene Change>

ACT 2 :

Traveler enters room and dumps bag on the floor .Traveler runs a quick scan and spots one vacant bed in a room for four.Traveler smells something and reaches out to open the window.Next to the window is a door.Traveler opens the door and enters it yet to learn some more life lessons :)

Lesson 1 : Micro is a word that can be applied rightfully to bathrooms too.
Lesson 2 : Bathing space can be one foot apart from wash basin which can be one foot apart from the toilet bowl.
Lesson 3 : Jeans can be worn strategically with one leg in the bathing space , and another rested on the covered toilet bowl.
Lesson 4 : Under every case and circumstance, it is wiser and advisable to complete pending morning chores in a restaurant's toilet.

Plunder is the word that comes to my mind.That is what it was stepping into Arty's bathroom . It was royally and brutally robbed out of space.I stepped in and closed the door and said to myself, you can't be serious but apparently they were serious .They were darn serious about exploiting the last inch from the room and making something out of it .In this case, they made a bathroom.The one person elevator sized bathing space was merely a foot away from the wash basin which served as the only pedestal vanity in the room .A hot water shower would transform the entire space into a sauna minus the relaxing experience.The basin too just stood less than half a foot away from the golden thrown.I will have to admit , the elevator experience could still be avoided by taking a flight of stairs but there was no escaping this .I was destiny bound :(

I had no one to rant to .Jet lag had begun to hit me .My head was spinning and I knew I had to sleep for a few before being able to soak all of this in.It was already getting too much to handle.I slid my backpack under the bed, put fresh covers and sheets on , reclined in my capsule and grudgingly slipped my way into sleep.

Traveling undoubtedly leaves you speechless and then turns you into a story teller.I figured my saga of storytelling had officially begun ...