Hey guys. Been planning this trip for months. And barely a week into it... something just isnt right...

26 Male here. The plan was to take Late January, February, March, April, and May and travel Europe. See some beautiful cities, explore the culture, that sort of stuff.

So, I flew into Vienna and because of jetlag and being unable to sleep on the plane and other things, I had been up for around 38 hours. I arrive in a city that I dont speak the language, no data plan so GPS and bunk, and barely able to keep my eyes open.

At one point, I just decide to eff it with my deposit on hostelworld, and found a hotel close by that looked good. Turns out, it was. The K+K Marie Theresie, super close to the Imperial Quarter and alot of Opd Vienna. Costed me €80 something euro or $101 USD. Stayed for three nights of my trips thus far. Free breakfas each morningt, and a pretty solid one at that. Free sauna use. My first day, I just slept. Super tired. Second day, I explored Viennax and did it the third day. There was something super... romantic about it. I didnt have a list, I just wandered. Discovering little things. The Roman ruins outside of the Hapsburg palace. Cute little courtyards that were tucked away. A cafe with the most delicious little cardinal slice. The treasury museum which, while advertised, was not planned and had the Holy Lance, an object I had always read and heard about and see but hadn't thought it was in Vienna or that I'd ever see. An amazing sausage stand just outside of the Opera House, drinking mulled wine at the Ice World... stupid, little silly things that I look fondly 9n because those MAKE adventures in my mind. Fourth day, checked out because I'm trying to make my budget last, and checked into my intended stay, Wombats by the Neurmacht. And...

I hate it here.

Like, holy shit. I'm laying in bed, in a room with three total strangers, three increadibly creepy and unsettling Turkish guys (no offense to the Turks) who are easily double plus my age. I pick up every snore, cough, turn, and FUCKING MOUTH BREATHING. I cant sleep. I have been wide awake for the past five hours, afraid to even try to go to sleep. The kicker? This was the room given to me after I requested a new room after walking into a seventy-something old guy walking out of the bathroom, wet and naked. My first view of entering a hostel room was octogenarian ball sack. It was not pretty. Things were... awkward and I politely asked for a different room.

I... tried to do the hostel bar. Like, I went, had some drinks, chatted with people, had some laughs. But... the connection I was hoping for just wasnt there. So many people were there to just drink. Or they came to Vienna all the way from Australia... and they just wanted to drink. Like, I wanted the hostel room to meet people my own age? I'm no stranger to sleeping in rough places. I've crashed on my friends floor all the time, with a bunch of snoring and drunk college kids. And while this bed is shit, the floor was worse. And I slept... not ideal. But fine.

My plan is literally to leave as soon as it light, and go back to the Hotel to try and get some rest. Or book something similar.

I need two things to sleep. I need safety. And some comfort. And comfort could be as simply as a hardwood floor to sleep on. But I felt safe on that floor, in my friends place. Here? Only time in Vienna, even walking around at night, by myself, that I've felt... scared? At ill ease? And therefor sleep wont come.

I could come back to the hotel after a day of exploring and sit in the bed, video chat my family back home, and feel good. And relaxed. It doesnt have to be a grand hotel. But...but holy fuck this sucks. I'd take a private room the size of a broom closet so long as it had a physical lock than this. Adjustments need to be made to my plans clearly.

Side note: HOLY HELL IS THIS BASTARD TRYING TO WAKE THE DEAD WITH HIS SNORING?!?!?

So... is there something I've not understood or gotten about Hostels? Am I doing something wrong? Even if about International Travel? Even the bar thing? Like, I'm not sure I'm into the blackout drunk party scene. I do it with friends, sure, but... I dont get why so many people travel just to drink.

I dont feel a connection with anyone here. Last night, I walked down some wide street of Vienna. It was snowing. The light was exquisite in the streetlights shaped like those lanterns. And some mad, beautiful bastard went and dragged out a baby grand piano into the snow and was playing for people. Not sure of he needed money cause he had the case open, or of he was a musician performing just for the sake of music. But it was a perfect, beautiful moment.

And now? This feeling of unease, of danger, is making me wonder if I should save my cash, book a flight home, and stick to short trips.

I saved for years for this trip. Not just monetarily. I worked my ass off in college to secure my career and then worked my ass of further to make everything right. At 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 the idea of travel was unthinkable because I didnt simply have the means. I didnt want to go into debt for my degree, so I worked my ass off. I didnt party or drink, or go wild, because I didnt have time. And... I want to connect with people during this trip. I dont want to be alone even though I'm solo traveling. I crave that social interaction and comraderie with people my age like you wouldnt believe.

But... I dont know how to connect with the people here. Or even the next stop. Or the next. And I dont think... hell, I Cant take another night in this god awful room AND WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP BUNK #3, YOU JACKHAMMER and this unease. Will it be the same in Budapest? In Cluj? Greece? How do I meet travelers like me if I'm at these Hostels? I was hoping for a budget of $100 dollars a day, but thus far it's been like 1.5x that cause of the hotel and I dont know if I can afford that? And yet, I'm not sure I can afford the non-mometary cost of that either.

Could really use the advice, wisdom, and opinions of people who have been there done that.

Thanks -Sleepless and scared in Vienna