Interesting ‘items’ discovered in and around travel accomodation

Sometimes I’ve been surprised to find a toilet seat on a toilet in Africa.
Sometimes it’s been hot water in the depths of South America.
Once or twice the surprise was a sign not to flush toilet paper, silly me thought you could do that everywhere.
Other times it’s been sheer wonder at the size of the bed and bathroom for just little ol’ me (the very few times I’ve shelled out for a hotel)
I’ve been amazed by a hot water bottle brought to my room from the hostel restaurant in Bolivia.

Don’t even get me started on how surprised I am by the internet in some places I’ve travelled to!

Do you get the picture? I’ve travelled to some pretty remote places where everyday luxuries don’t exist. As part of this month’s travel link up I’ve stretched the topic a bit to discuss the interesting ‘items/wildlife’ in and around my accomodation, which usually ends up being a tent, volunteer unit, cabin or hostel.

Interesting Item in room: Baby Baboon in my bed, Volunteering in Namibia

Attempting to sleep without rolling on a baby baboon in nappies that is clinging to you is not an easy task – imagine if I’d squashed her! What a bad baboon babysitter I’d have been! I did wake up wondering what the heck was next to me at times throughout the night though!

Interesting Item outside room: Sloth in the trees, Monteverde, Costa Rica (monkey on roof, Puyo, Ecuador comes close 2nd)

In a little town in Costa Rica called Monteverde lives a sloth missing a claw. This sloth climbs across powerlines to get from one tree to the next and the goodies that the trees hold.

Interesting item causing noise near room: Howler Monkeys, Pampas Jungle, Bolivia

Waking up to a load toad-like groan echoing throughout the jungle can give you a bit of a fright. Is it the alligator under the cabin on stilts? Is an animal dying nearby? Is something attacking? No, no, it’s just the ruddy howler monkeys making themselves known across the river!

Interesting item that makes the room: Cave Hotel, Cappadocia, Turkey

Staying in a basic, yet cosy cave hotel in Cappadocia was a pretty cool experience. Waking up to a balcony looking out at hot air balloons dotting up and down between the caves and mountains was incredible.

Interesting item that is so far yet so close: Stars in the sky, sleeping outside in Spitzkoppe, Namibia

Everyone in their life should have the chance to sleep under the stars at some point. Spitzkoppe in Namibia was a stunning place to experience the stars. So remote. So beautiful. So peaceful.

FYI no spiders or scorpions were discovered during this experience.

Interesting item that I’m glad I didn’t notice: Snake by the tent, Botswana

‘That looks like a snake trail,’ I think to myself as I walk to the tent to get an early night during my time in Botswana, can’t be a snake trail though, or it must be long gone… right? Then there is people joking around with frightful noises outside keeping me awake, gez… but sure enough, the next day someone had photographic proof of a brown snake outside my tent… awesome.

(Sorry I didn’t take a copy of the photographic proof to share with you)

Interesting item made from something different: Room made of salt in a salt hotel, Bolivia

Where else would you expect to stay in a salt hotel than near the Salt Flats of Bolivia right? Apologises for lack of decent photos, it was torrential rain and a bit dark…

Interesting item that replaces a human device: Warthogs, Namibia

A lodge near where I volunteered in Namibia was home to a couple of lawnmowers, but not your typical lawnmower or sheep that eats the grass. These ones get down on their knees and mow away at the grass: warthogs.

 

Those are my interesting ‘items’ found in and around my accomodation from time to time. I don’t generally stay in hotels often, although when I have, I’m in awe of a giant bed and mini shampoos!