On the road to Riga, Latvia

I get picked up by my two Estonian friends and we're off driving to Riga. The Estonian countryside is beautiful, but very similar to what you'd see outside Washington, DC. We arrive in Riga, and I drop my stuff off at my hostel and we go straight to the Bjork concert. I also pick up tickets for Positivus AB. Bjork kicks ass - she's truly an amazing musician and really hot. After the concert I walk through old town Riga to my hostel. I'm exhausted, and it's almost midnight. I haven't really slept in a week and all I want is a good night's sleep.




Disclaimer: The rest of this entry has nothing really to do with Riga, only backpacking, and may not be suitable for my mom.

As I approach my $9 a night hostel, I can already hear people yelling from the street. Oh God. I get let in and as I walk towards the "concierge" I see the hostel bar is a raging sausage fest packed with English, Irish, Aussies, and Kiwis - probably all here via easyJet or Ryanair for cheap beer. As I check in, I'm offered a free beer (Bonus! The beer's $3 value means my stay is now $6 for the night). The bartender then tells me about Riga as she serves drinks, while the bar back attempts to stock the beers faster than people order them. I think this drinking club has a hostel problem.

Um, can I sleep please? I'm shown upstairs to my 14 person dorm room, but its full, so I get reassigned to the 8 person room (Privacy Bonus!) It's hard to describe the room, but think frat house at the end of the semester. Only top bunks are left so I grab one. I go to the bathroom to wash my hands, and instantly contract three strains of herpes. But you really can't beat $6 a night...