Some hostels have en-suite facilities, while others have shared facilities located nearby. Backpacking can be confusing, exhausting and possible dangerous. Therefore, preparations need to be made. Experiencing different cultures, overcoming language barriers, and making new friends (locals and other travelers) are all part of the adventure of backpacking and staying in hostels and cheap hotels. By booking in advance, you save yourself from worrying about your accomodation or hotel room, and can get on with enjoying your vacation. Backpacking can be a wonderful experience. Planning your trip - no matter how much you plan for your travels, adjustments will need to be made. Essential gear for your trip will include Backpack ,Fast Drying Towel, Walking Shoes, Socks and Underwear, Long Underwear, Pillow Case, Sleeping Bag, Passport, Spy Wallet, Day Pack, Camera . Hostels have probably been around for over a thousand years as a low cost place for a traveler to stay for the night. There are hostels in castles, in teepees and in railroad carriages. Some hostels are huge, providing beds for hundreds; others consist of a single room in a friendly family home. Many hostels in the country are so quiet you can hear your heart beat. Generally, large city hostels are open 24 hours per day, while others may have shorter opening hours. Hostels are becoming more and more modern. Almost all hostels offer lockers, either free of charge or for hire so that people staying in dormitories can lock up their valuables. Planning that seems so trivial at home can become complicated when you are in a strange place. Hostelling is, in part, the act of traveling and staying in hostels, and is referred to as "backpacking" in many parts of the world.