Mae Salong, dorm behaviour.

I did a day trip to Mae Salong today. It was a beautiful little town, although very touristy, on a hilltop near the Myanmar border. Beautiful views to all directions! Also, it had an interesting history as 10,000 soldiers of Chinese nationalistic army (Kuomingtang) took refuge there, started farming opium poppies and were financed by the US government to fight against communist Russia. Nowadays opium poppies have been replaced by tasty Oolong tea and Mae Salong has very good Chinese food!

How not to behave in dormitories

I've really enjoyed staying in hostel dorms - it's cheaper and you meet a lot of people that way. The great majority understands the way to sleep with up to seven strangers in the same room and are very considerate. However, I wanted to write up a list of faux pas I've seen committed (none of them too serious, and none of them ruined my sleep in the end).

1) If you arrive back from the bar at 4 am, you do not bring a guest, you do not put the lights on, and especially, you do not chat with your guest and friend for two hours. I personally slept through this, as I'm not bothered by light or sounds! However, I'm bothered by cold and mosquitoes...

2) If there is a mosquito netting on the door, keep it shut. I do not want to sleep with dozens of mosquitoes as you thought to air the room (which could happen through the netting) when it was getting dark. Also, making a joke about how my blood must be sweet as the mosquitoes do not bother you is not making it any better for me.

3) Please do not set the airconditioning unit aimed at my bed, at full blow, and 17C. I prefer to sleep at 25C. Actually, anything below 20C I need my fleece, woollen leggings and socks. And if I change the settings, there's probably a reason for it - please do not reset to full blow at 17C. When in a hot country, try to bear a slightly warmer sleeping temperatures than 17C.

4) If you want to switch of the fan in the middle of the night it is fine, but please walk around my bed to the fan to do so. Please do not reach over my bed, as I was scared to wake up to your 70-year-old, hairy, smelly, very little dressed body reaching over me.

5) I understand that you do not trust the hostel lockers for safekeeping of your valuables and it's a good idea to take them in bed with you. However, if you're too drunk to put them on the right bed, don't be surprised if I've kicked your camera, wallet and sunglasses on the floor as I didn't know you placed them in a neat row at the foot of my bed in the middle of the night.

Hopefully not to be continued!