It is very strange how a day can change in many ways and how intuition is a very powerful tool when you listen to it…
On that Monday, when I was still in Tauranga, I got to have my heart filled with joy in this beautiful rose garden sent to me by angels on that rainy day.
Later that day, I arrived in Whakatane and walked to the Windsor Lodge-Backpackers where I had a reservation. I rang the door bell, a lady answered and that’s where the intuition kicked in…
She did not greet me well and seemed confused about the reservation. She proceeded to show me my dorm room. When she opened that room door, the air in was so thick I took a step back. The room was about 6’x10′ with 2 sets of bunk beds and no window but only a small skylight. 3 young German girls were already in the room sleeping (at 4:00 pm) and there was NO place where I could put my backpack down on the floor. If only I could SEE the floor! It was covered with piles of clothes and bags. I woke up the girl that was in the bed bellow mine and asked her if she could move the things that were in front of my ladder so I could at lease squeeze my bag between the ladder and the wall. Can you imagine that it did not fit?! I had to remove items from my bag so it would fit between the bed and the wall! That’s how much space I had to climb into bed…
I was furious and walked back to the office where I rang the door bell again. The lady answered and I told her how unhappy I was about the room and that they should at lease make sure people have space to put there bags… She said she didn’t understand english very well and that she couldn’t talk because she was sick, I should talk to her husband when he comes back.
I went to the kitchen to at lease put my food in the fridge since it had been in my cooler bag for a while. The kitchen was small, packed and quite disgusting. I opened both fridges and they were completely full.
I went to see the lady again and rang the door bell…she was starting to be annoyed…
She told me there was another fridge in the living room next to the pool table, there should be some space in that one. So I went back in the kitchen walked into the living room and opened the fridge. There was a small space on a very low shelf and half my things did not fit so I had to scattered them around. I went looking for a pen to write my name on things so that people know it’s no free. You see when you stay in a hostel and you share a fridge, it is customary to have labels and pens. Usually, you have to also write the departure date so that the cleaners know what to throw away or put up for free. Here, not and no pens.
I went back to see the lady to ask for a pen to write my name on my items. She told me that nobody does that and nobody steals anything. So how do they know it’s not free? And how do YOU know what you can throw away? It tells you a lot about how often they clean the fridge… She gave me a pen rolling her eyes at me.
So I wrote my name on my things and looked around. I did not feel like sitting down in the middle of this place with those people watching tv and playing pool. I went outside and sat on a wet chair. I started crying. I whipped my tears, when back and rang the door bell… I asked the lady if I could use the phone with my calling card. She gave it to me and I went back outside to call. She told me I could stay inside but I didn’t want too.
I called Karibu backpackers, which was the only other one I knew from BBH. I explained to the lady that answered the phone where I was and that I didn’t want to stay there and if they had availability for tonight and 2 more nights? Yes! I asked if there was enough space in the room to fit my bag? She sounded a bit worried as to how many bags I had and I said just one backpack and she started laughing saying of course! I said I would call her back in a few minutes after I get my refund from this place…
I rang the door bell again and told the lady I didn’t want to stay and wanted a refund. She said yes and went to get the money. When she came back she told me I was costing her fees…I told her she was costing me fees too as I had to get here!
I called back Karibu and said everything was settled. Now how do I get to you? She said hold on I’ll put my husband on the phone. I told him I was coming to his place, that I did not want to stay at that horrible Windsor Lodge-Backpackers. He said, walk to the corner of the street, I will be right there, I’ll come pick you up.
What a breath of fresh air! Keith, from Karibu is a lovely person. He listened to me in the car explaining everything that happened. Then he asked me:
-Do you know what that place was before it was a backpackers?
-No…
-A morgue.
267 Jours 