Backpacker labelled 'disgusting' for unusual sleeping hack to avoid hostel fee

A backpacker's travel hack saw her sleep on a 'disgusting' toilet floor to avoid paying £12 for a hostel.

Ryley Goles landed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport in Serbia at around 2am on September 3 to spend three days exploring the country on her travels. Having touched down in the morning, the 23-year-old decided there was 'no point' forking out cash on a hostel, instead deciding to use the money saved to visit a video game museum in the city.

But when all the benches in the airport were taken, her mum suggested she take a nap in the bathroom as it had a lock and was a 'safe' option. Deciding that the toilet stall was clean enough, the psychology graduate says she spent a few hours dozing next to the loo to save money on accommodation.

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Footage shows her covered in clothing to avoid her bare skin touching the floor while she waited for the bus services to start running and make her way into the city. But, after posting about her experience on TikTok, users were quick to question Ryley's choice of bed, deeming it 'disgusting' and claiming they'd 'rather sleep in jail'.

Despite being woken from her slumber by a traveller with an 'upset stomach', Ryley stands by her decision to sleep in a toilet. However, she admits she wouldn't recommend others try it out.

The from Chicago, Illinois, woman said: "It was not an option to go to a hostel and I was just going to stay in the airport until the next day. I could have definitely slept in the main area of the airport but all the benches were taken.

"My mum gave me the idea to lock myself in the bathroom stall as it had a lock. It was a nice bathroom stall and didn't have a lot of space underneath the door so no one could reach in. It felt like the safest option – not the cleanest option.

"I sacrificed a couple of sweatshirts. I put one under me and one over me. I was also wearing a long sleeve top and had two smaller bags under my head and arms so I wasn't on the ground. I was also wearing pants so at no point was my bare skin on the ground. I didn't have any bad or scary interactions but I had some funny moments.

"At one point someone was exploding on one of the toilets. It was disgusting and I had to put my headphones on. The cleaner also came in and she noticed my foot under the stall and hit my foot a couple of times to wake me up.

"I was super tired and jetlagged when I landed, but if I could go back in time, I think I would have slept on the airport floor instead of the bathroom airport floor. I definitely could have slept on the airport floor, but the bathroom stall locked and I felt safer with a locked door.

"I had a few bags so I could lay on one [and sleep] and have the others next to me without someone snatching it."

What do you think about Ryley's sleeping decision? Let us know in the comments below.