Tiara in Transit

“The ADVENTURE HOSTEL PARATY brings the concept of pleasurable accommodation during your stay in Paraty with all comfort and simplicity that a modern life may offer…” Description from Hostel World.

There were 6 of us staying in the Adventure Hostel in Paraty, Brasil, (Pip, Kylie, Orla, Darran, Joe and myself). We stayed in an eight person dorm which consisted of a tiny room that tightly fit in 4 bunk beds (head to head) and some lockers. As usual, as I am lazy and the top bunk to me means extra work, I rushed for a bottom bunk.

What did I learn? TO ALWAYS CHOOSE THE TOP BUNK… if you want to live.

At around 3am in the morning, we had all been sleeping for a good few hours when the room awoke to a loud CRACK, followed by a high-pitched ‘Aaaah!’

In the next seconds the lights were switched on and what I saw before me I’m going to call as the FUNNIEST scene throughout my whole trip.

Scene – A frozen scared Kylie sitting on her top bunk bed which had broken and fallen on top of… Darran?

Yup! Under Kylie and her bed was Darran’s head, the sound of Darren’s muffled voice swearing, and his legs sticking out kicking.

He wriggles out from under the bed.

Kylie, concerned – ‘Darran! Are you ok?!’

Darran, irritated with a raised controlled voice – ‘Your BED fell on my HEAD. It’s FUCKING SORE!’

It was a miracle! Darran had survived a bunk bed crashing on his head, with Kylie on it, with only a few scratches and a head-ache to show for it!! If that had been me, or anyone else, my head would have exploded and there would be blood splatter all over the room! HE was the most lucky, unlucky, person in this world!!

We all try to settle back in bed, laughing hard at Darran’s fortunate misfortune for at least the next five minutes.

Joe, on my top bunk looks down at me and asks with a grin on his face – ‘Are you scared?’

As the room settles down to silence and almost sleep, Darran’s disgruntled voice erupts more tears and laughter as he concludes in a serious tone ‘This really IS the Adventure Hostel..’

When the owner of the Adventure Hostel was informed of the incident the next morning, he did what any responsible operator of a professional establishment scared of an impending lawsuit would do in Brasil – He laughed.