 Accommodation can eat into any budget. I'm sure many backpackers would sleep in a barn if it was the cheapest accommodation around. Some people will stay anywhere as long as its a roof. I always had some standards when it came to accommodation but I've definitely stayed in some dumps while I was away.
One of the best ways to get free accommodation while you travel is by staying with someone, especially someone you don't know. This is where Couchsurfing can come in. Couchsurfing is now a hugely popular phenomenon. Couchsurfing.com connects travelers with people around the globe who offer them free places to stay. Sometimes it's a bed, sometimes it's a couch, sometimes it's literally just space. Whatever they give you, it can save you a lot of money and it's a great way to meet local people.
I couchsurfed twice while I was away. Once in Athens and a second time in Australia. I loved both times. You get to make a new friend, you get a local perspective on the sites and activities, and it can provide a good respite from the hostel/hotel scene. It gives you a chance to cook a meal, sit down in front of a tele, or do some laundry. Depending on the person's schedule, you may even have a guide! My host in Athens showed me some great restaurants!
Not everyone you contact will respond back but usually they respond and are very accommodating. The people who would open their homes to strangers tend to be very open minded people and are usually former travelers too. They know what you are going through. They want to help.
There's a lot of other sites that do the same thing too. Sites such as Global Freeloaders, The Hospitality Club, and Stay4Free, as well as the granddaddy of couchsurfing, Servas, all offer similar services. There are even sites out their where people can swap houses. There are plenty of options out of there for people.
But is it safe?
A lot of times people are scared to couchsurf because they wonder if its safe. I was nervous about it at first too. There you are, in a new city with all your stuff (and you!) in a stranger's home. What if they try to murder or rob you in your sleep! All these websites are aware of this and take as many steps as they can to provide security. They all offer various levels of verification and allow users to rate and leave comments on traveler's profiles.
When I use couchsurf, I tend to use the following criteria:
- There has to be a picture. This just shows me that it's a real person and not some fake profile.
- The profile has to be filled out. It shows they are interested and involved. Most people aren't going to spend the time to fill this out if they aren't into and most people who aren't into aren't going to be comfortable with strangers in their home.
- They have to be verified. Couchsurfing offers different levels of verification. They can be verified by other travelers, with a mailing address, or credit card. Knowing that a person has been verified reduces the likelihood that they are gonna be a crazy psycho killer.
- They should have comments from other travelers. If other people have stayed with them or have at least traveled with them and found they were OK, chances are you will be OK too.
In the end, it really is up to your judgement. A person can fake all of the above but the likelihood of that happening is slim. I haven't heard of any bad couchsurfing experiences besides they person was a jerk. Usually, you end up talking with people over e-mail and get a to feel them out a bit about what they except. If it doesn't seem right, you don't do it! In the end, Couchsurfing and the other networks are all built on trust. The people who host you trust you aren't nuts and you trust they aren't. They are like minded people who want to meet other travelers. It's always good to be on alert but overall, these sites offer a wonderful way to meet local people, stay in local neighborhoods, and do local things.
And isn't that what traveling is all about? Living a local experience wherever you go!?
(There was a good article in the New York Times last year about this: Surfing the World Wide Couch).
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HI,
Ive about it..sounds like fun..:)