Couchsurfing

Last night, we went to a pot luck dinner. We didn't know anybody there, but the event was hosted in a private home through a website all the attendees were members of. There were 18 of us there...people from Australia, Sweden, Ireland, and some from other parts of Canada.


http://www.couchsurfing.com

Couchsurfing is all about meeting travelers from around the world. After you sign up, you have the option to both host in your own home, and use the huge database to find someone to host you while you travel. There is no obligation to host when someone contacts you. Usually, you start an email conversation, then you can check the other persons profile to find out more about them. Then, if it's convenient and you think you might want to meet this person, you tell them okay. Otherwise, you decline and wait for the next contact.

We use couchsurfing even when travelling with the motorhome. It is so much more convenient to stay in someone's driveway or backyard rather than paying for RV parks (which we rarely do) especially when visiting cities. Then, we can use public transportation to get from our couchsurfing host's home to explore other parts of the city. But besides being a free place to stay, you get the added benefit of speaking to a fellow traveler who lives in the area, and likely knows a lot about the things to see and do. The neat thing about couchsurfing with your motorhome is that you bring your own couch!

Many profiles are geared towards students looking for somewhere to crash for a night, hence the "couchsurfing" term. But there are just as many profiles who are older people with nice homes and empty spare bedrooms.

We've met a lot of wonderful people and lasting friendships through couchsurfing! What a great way to travel!