On our flight to Austin earlier this year, we read an interesting article in the March 15 issue of American Way, the American Airlines magazine.
Of course, our luck that it's not one of the articles available online, but the topic is perfect for AT's month of Escapes: Couch Tripping: It's the new way to travel the world - one sleeper sofa at a time. In the article, one man describes his experience with Couch Surfing, as one of 138,678 people around the world who subscribe to this practice.
Much like apartment swapping, which we've never done, this practice is intriguing and feels very European to us. What are your thoughts, ideas, and experiences revolving around Couch Surfing? How do you deal with safety issues, especially when traveling alone?
While we're all about staying at friend's or acquaintence's places (whether they're there or not), we're not so sure how we'd feel about staying with a stranger while they are in the apartment, too. Then again, we did it in Amsterdam when we were 20. So maybe it's all about your age, needs, and fearlessness...
Oh, and the Couch Surfing network is free:
CouchSurfing is a non-profit organization dedicated to the global community. CouchSurfing was created specifically so that everyone can travel the world and partake in cultural exchange. Staying with your host(s) is also always free; it is contrary to the values of CouchSurfing and against our terms of use to charge someone to surf your couch. Many surfers like to bring their hosts gifts or treat them to a meal as a "Thank you," but this is not a requirement. There are infinite ways to reciprocate goodwill.
Thoughts??
(Couch image via Smarter Travel, with accompanying article on CouchSurfing)
(Edited from a post dated 4/3/07)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I'm far too paranoid for couch or apt surfing. but i'd be all about hearing about other's experience and living vicariously through them.
view bbt's profile
I've "couch/apt surfed" about 30 times in my life with complete strangers. I've met and became close friends with loads of people online, meeting them in person only to become closer. I met my husband online and we've been happily married for nearly 6 years.
I've loaned my apartment to people I barely knew, including the photographer of my wedding. She was 'between' houses and so while on our honeymoon, I loaned her my house for two weeks. When we came home, it was thoroughly cleaned, decorated with huge welcome home signage, loads of white wedding bells everywhere, it was the cutest.
When I go to Germany this year for a few months, I'm handing my car and house over to friends so they can live it up alone and enjoy having their own home for awhile. When I go on vacation, I hand my parents the keys and let them come up and stay on weekends, I don't care. Sure, I'm talking about friends and family now, but most people I know would *never* do this. :) They trust them less than strangers. :)
I've stayed with families I'd never met in other countries, I've had people stay with me here from other countries, nothing phases me really.
The way I see it is this, make contact before the meet-up, talk to the person in email and on the phone, feel the situation out. I can spot a freak and a fake ten yards in the distance, so I just trust my gut. I've never been wrong. I haven't had one bad experience with couch/apt surfing. Although, I've never used the service you speak of in this article, I usually just found people online via various newsgroups/websites or through friends or via my former job.
Holly
view decor8Holly's profile
My boyfriend and I are on the CouchSurfing site. He's done it a few times with success. We're willing to host people, but we're pretty strict about who we let into our home. There are profiles and verification systems and a sort of "vouching" system. Basically members can comment on other members that they've met, sort of like ebay's feedback system.
I don't think I would do it alone as a woman, but it was a good option for my boyfriend. We haven't surfed as a couple and at this point I can't say if we would or not. A few months ago we were traveling to NY for the weekend and all of the hotels were insanely expensive. At that point, for example, couch surfing looked like a really good option. :)
view duram's profile