My third day in Oaxaca and I feel like I’m starting all over again in this city

This morning I left my crappy hostel to begin in an amazing new hostel.

Now, with hostels, I have a pretty good system for weeding out bad ones and ensuring I’m booking myself in good, sociable places.

Of course, every now and then my system fails and I end up with a dud.

What makes a dud?   Well, in this case it was the fact that the place ran like a hotel with no social atmosphere at all.   It didn’t help that the few people I did see were in their 60’s.   So, yeah, not a very sociable place.

So, this morning I grabbed my bags and left that hostel behind even though I had already paid for the bed for 2 more nights.

I didn’t care.   I was moving on the bigger and brighter things.

Coming to my new hostel, Casa Angel, it was quickly apparent that this was the right move.

I had come over a little earlier than my checkin time so I just chilled on the upstairs terrace.   It wasn’t long until I started chatting with Alec from Seattle.   Turns out he’s actually in the bunk above mine.

When I finally checked in to my room, I was in awe.   This was titled a “deluxe” room but that word is thrown around so frequently in the hostel world that you have to take it with a grain of salt.

Well, in this case deluxe meant deluxe.

Nice individual sleeping pods, you’re own wifi area and high-end bathrooms.

Trust me – a high end bathroom is about as deluxe as it comes when you’re backpacking!

Amazing, the little things that get you excited when you’re staying in hostels.

Later on in the afternoon, another surprise as 3 people who I had gone to the Luche Libre show a few nights ago in Mexico City were checking in today as well.   Ida and Mads from Copenhagen and Erickson from California.

As evening came I went back up to the upstairs terrace and sat down at a table where Alec and a few others were gathered.   We chatted for a bit and I couldn’t help but think that I wish I had checked in here originally a couple of days ago.

Oh well, at least I’m here now.

The 7 of us soon picked up for dinner around the corner at a little Mexican restaurant.

It felt nice to be eating with a group of people again after sitting down in a restaurant by myself last night.   The more, the merrier.

I order the Plato Mixto which was a plate of bacon, ham and turkey with cheese served with guacamole and tortilla shells.

Another great meal.

Another group of great people.

Back at the hostel I sat in the common area downstairs and met a few other people, all of whom are going on the same day long tour I’m going on tomorrow.

So, tomorrow’s gonna be great.   A day trip for 11 hours visiting 5 different sites around Oaxaca including an authentic Mexican buffet lunch with some people I already know.

Can’t wait!