Housing: Airbnb and Couchsurfing
Both Couch surfing & Airbnb basically involve organizing and staying with someone or in someone else’s home.
What is Couch Surfing?
Couch surfing is the more common name used to describe someone who moves from one house to another, usually staying for a few days (or until their friend has had enough) before moving on to the next house.
In more modern day terms it is the practice of traveling around using other people’s accommodation whether that be by sleeping on the floor, couch or spare room.
Couch surfing is often used by backpackers to help them backpack around the world, find a travel partner or can be used by people wanting to attend organised events such a sporting events, parties meetings etc in another town, state or country
As a member of a couch surfing site you are able to become part of the community and it makes it very easy to interact with and meet like-minded people. Some groups organise activities such as hiking and camping trips for example and this means couch surfing can be highly sociable IF you read the profiles properly to see who you are likely to be meeting.
Home stay arrangements agreed and organised between the host and guest directly. Usually people decide ahead of time the duration, nature, and terms of the guest’s stay.
A couch surfer and host should expect that there is no exchange of money unless mutual expenses are shared for essentials such as food and drink.
While the above is true guests would normally show their appreciation by bringing a gift, cooking a meal or teaching a skill to the host and you know what I think that’s a great way to do things when someone is going out of their way to help you out.
The couch surfing travelling network is becoming more and more popular and is really a form of social media with added benefits.