My First Capsule

My First Capsule-Hostel Experience (Without Admitting It’s My First Time)

A travel story from somewhere in Southeast Asia… name not disclosed for safety, suspense, and because I forgot how to pronounce it.

Day 1: The Arrival — From Bus Station to the Capsule Kingdom

This was  my first hostel stay . But of course, I walked around like I was the CEO of Backpacking Pvt. Ltd.

I had booked one night in a capsule hostel and one night in a decent hotel. Why? Because I wasn’t sure if I could actually “adjust” in a hostel. I didn’t want to spend the night thinking:

“Yaar… is capsule ke andar WiFi aayega ya oxygen bhi extra charge hoga?”

The Bus Ride Ends: Confidence Begins

When the bus reached the station, I jumped out like I was shooting a travel vlog.

Paid the driver. Asked confidently, “Boss, where is my hotel?”

He pointed behind me.

I turned…

And saw a cute, tiny café tucked between the noise of a busy road. Inside it looked SO peaceful that even Buddha would have said:

“Nice ambience, bro.”

My eyes, mouth, and mind all reacted together —like a thirsty man who finally saw water.

But from outside I acted like:

“Yes… yes… this is normal. I enter like this every day in foreign hostels, obviously.”

Entering the Café — Trying Not to Look Like a First-Timer

I walked in with my backpack, confidently but also slowly…

WAIT. Not slowly. I never walk slowly.

I walk like I’m late for an exam, read fast, eat fast, get bored fast, fall in love fast… Basically, I’m the human version of 2X playback.

Inside the café, I saw:

• 4 people sipping coffee like life is a French art film
• 1 girl working intensely on her laptop
• 2 others whispering something (I didn’t hear — I don’t eavesdrop, and also I don’t understand their language)
• And one guy doing double-duty: laptop + phone like he was hacking NASA

Then on the left… I noticed three giant wooden “stairs.”

Not chairs. Not benches.

Wooden steps. As if the café owner said:

“We don’t give chairs… We give elevation.”

I stood there wondering:

“Do people sit here? Or am I supposed to climb and give TED Talk?”

The Door Drama

I walked towards the glass door that led to the reception.

Tried to push it. Didn’t open.

Tried to pull. Still didn’t open.

Tried to look intelligent. Failed.

Then I noticed a tiny button beside the door. Pressed it.

Door opened.

Now I don’t know if:

• I opened it with my intelligence
• Or the receptionist opened it out of pity

But I acted like:

“Yes, I knew this. This is normal. I’m a global traveler.”

At the Reception — The Battle of Overconfidence

Inside, the reception area was small but clean.

Right side: one sofa. Left side: two big chairs and a tiny table. Behind the reception: kitchen area with fridge, kettle, coffee machine… and a bathroom near the entrance, like a proper "powder room".

I don’t know why I’m explaining bathroom interior design but my mind does these things.

I went straight to the receptionist. Fast. Very fast. Before even thinking what to say.

My inner voice yelled:

“IDIOT! First time in hostel—act normal!”

Outside voice said: “Hi, I have a booking.”

The receptionist asked for my name and passport. I gave them with full confidence — as if I had done this 100 times in Europe.

He said: “One moment.”

During that one moment, I wondered:

Should I sit? Should I stand? Should I pretend to check my phone? Should I pretend to breathe?

Before I could finish my confusion, handed me my keys.

To Be Continued…

If you want, I can continue the next part:

Day 1 (Part 2): Entering the Capsule Room for the First Time

– My reaction – The sounds – The surprise – The panic – The comedy

Then finally, Madam at reception handed me the card key. I politely asked, “Which floor?” She smiled, “Third.”

Bas, phir kya — I entered the lift like a man who has done this a thousand times… even though inside, my soul was screaming, “Bro, this is your FIRST hostel EVER. Act natural. Act natural.”

Third floor arrived. I stepped out into a medium-sized lobby. Left side: one door with card access. Straight: another door.

As I walked towards it, I saw something from the corner of my eye — Bathroom door suddenly opening! My brain whispered, “Yes yes, universe… thank you for warning me this is hostel life.”

I tapped my card on the panel and entered my “capsule zone”.

Four small rooms. Four doors. And inside my room — six capsule beds stacked in two levels. Mine: First floor. Third from the entrance. My reaction: “Wow… this is where I will live for ONE NIGHT… and possibly regret my decisions forever.”

But wait… problem number one. The bed I thought was mine was in a condition as if a tornado did a small rehearsal inside — sheets everywhere, pillow doing yoga on the corner.

And... since I am a person who reacts very fast — Mere andar ka Formula-1 driver activated.

Straight → Reception. Fast steps → tiny brakes → fast steps again → two-second emotional breakdown → fast steps again. On the way, I saw the house-keeping lady cleaning another bed.

I asked her in my most confident "I’m-not-a-newbie" tone: “Excuse me… is my bed not cleaned?”

She looked at my key card… Then looked at me… Then again at my key card… Then finally said,

“Baba… this is not your bed.”

In her eyes I could clearly read the subtitles: “You failed in acting. You are 100% first-time hostel visitor.”

I silently kept my jokes aside and followed her to the correct capsule.

Now slowly — VERY slowly — I climbed inside. Because one wrong move and I would fall and destroy whatever little “image” I had created so far.

Inside the capsule, next worry arrived: Locker. Yes, they provide lockers. But my Indian brain whispered:

“Is it safe? Should we trust it? What if someone takes your shoes? Shoes are mission-dollar items.”

So I kept my backpack WITH ME inside the capsule and put my shoes inside the locker — because priorities.

Inside, I saw a TV. Good. At least no boredom.

I looked for the light switch. Nothing. Then discovered the key card holder — like hotel rooms.

Put card → light on. Science wins.

Now TV time. Switch on… Everything in Chinese. Every menu. Every button.

I tried hard… like giving an exam without studying. 10 minutes gone. Brain gone. Patience gone.

Finally I said, “Leave it… why am I fighting with a TV on a one-day stay?”

Then I checked WiFi. Nothing. Not even one bar.

Mera Indian brain again: “See? I told you… hostel is not for you. Go to hotel tomorrow.”

But then again another voice: “Relax… you're here for only one night. Plus, you need WiFi to LOOK busy even if no one messages you.”

😂

Shoes safely kept, heart slightly broken, I stepped out — climbed down the big wooden steps like a king leaving his castle — and went to the bathroom.

But wait… I don’t carry slippers. So again, I opened my locker, wore my mission-dollar shoes, and marched like a warrior.

Inside, a fair guy with curly hair was trimming his beard using a professional clipper (yes, “catcky” means clipper, I understood your point). I washed my hands and face and came back to my capsule kingdom.

Then I thought — “Chalo, let's get ready properly.” Took a quick bath, changed clothes, and went down to reception again.

And now… Complaint time. I complained politely, “No WiFi on the 3rd floor.”

Their reaction? Their expression? Their response? Oh ho… that part is coming next. 😉