Cheap Singles Holidays (couchsurfing)
Fed up with paying singles supplements and dining alone? Don’t want to sign up for tacky singles hol
idays or advertise for a travelling companion? Do want un-limited choices regarding where and when to go and discover where locals go and avoid tourist traps? Oh, and possibly travelling on a budget?
The concept of couchsurfing could be the solution for you. It’s a non profit-making organisation / project funded by those who join up and make a donation for doing so. The amount donated is up to the individual, especially because of the disparities between different countries economies. Once you are signed up you can offer your couch (or spare room / camping bed / even floor) as somewhere for others to stay, and of course surf to find other peoples couches for you to stay on. Of course this isn’t for everyone, but there is a definite group of people to whom it appeals. So far they have over a million members in 232 countries and more signing up every day. It has to be said that the majority of members / hosts are young (85% are between ages 18 and 34).
The philosophy is simple – to share resources, avoid consumerism, in effect benevolent globalisation making the world a better place one couch at a time, one friendship at a time. Benefits of the system include:
• A friendly face waiting for you at your destination(s) so you don’t feel so alone
• Be introduced to good local hang-outs
• Eat authentic / home cooked local food
• Networking and making friends worldwide
• Observing cultural differences close hand
• Saving money
Travellers who find the sleeping in someone else’s home a little too extreme can still take advantage of the system by organising their own accommodation but use the networking aspect to hook up with people when they arrive.
There are safety considerations and the site offers tips on safety and being a good house guest, such as bringing a gift. The site operates a feedback system whereby people are encouraged to leave feed-back for future house guests make more informed decisions regarding who to stay with and to help with openness and safety. Apparently only something like 0.2% report negative experiences.
Be prepared to muck in (do the washing up!), appreciate (not criticise) cultural differences, don’t out-stay your welcome and go broaden your own network. If I were a few years younger and didn’t have kids I’d definitely be doing it. I salute those who came up with the idea!
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