| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 1/29/2008 10:10:05 AM | Hey,
Just a little bit of info for some of you folks out there who plan to travel. Maybe on a tight budget, maybe not. I travelled around Europe, the UK and Ireland for 4.5 months and did something called couchsurfing almsot the entire time.
You get to stay with locals. Sometimes they have a couch, floor, sometimes a spare room for you. Sometimes they will feed you. Sometimes they will show you around. You can choose to stay with men or women and you can search for couches. It's pretty safe... you and they have to fill out a profile and then people will leave references on thier's and your profile saying if they found you to be a good guest and you can say if they were a good host.
You don't necessarily have to give back to the couchsurfing community, but you'll want to.
Check it out :)
Happy Travels! | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 1/30/2008 6:43:03 PM | | This site looks so awesome! I signed up right away. I am at a good point in my life to travel (between enrollments and degrees) so I am looking to go overseas (especially to Europe) sometime when I have the money. | |
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TLC_
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Joined: 1/26/2008
Msg: 4 | |
| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 1/30/2008 9:38:52 PM | | one drawback, they are under the misguided impression that everyone has a credit card to pay the fee. | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 1/31/2008 7:33:50 AM | ya, but you don't HAVE to get verified. when i was in holland most people on the site didn't have a credit card and they weren't verified. i supposed we could always write them... me or you or anyone... and let them know this little drawback :)
though you may find some people who wont host people unless they are verified... you can always stay with someone else right? | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 1/31/2008 2:14:33 PM | I have posted this site on various questions on this forum. I have been a member for a number of years...I have met people from there and let people stay at mine..its great!
Sign up and use it..
It is a great travel website and remember local current knowledge beats any guide book!
And remember it is FREE!!!...validate yourself if you want but there is never any pressure too! | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 2/4/2008 11:47:05 AM | | WOW thats such a great idea...thanks for the info! | |
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kimsy
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Joined: 11/22/2006
Msg: 9 | |
| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 2/17/2008 11:25:53 AM | | It didn't work for me. I contacted about 40 people about their couches when I went to LA. I knew a hotel would really set me back. Only a handful of people responded and all were like "sorry but..." | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 2/17/2008 11:50:49 AM | Trouble is there are a few destinations around the world where ppl are innundated...London is a prime example..Also time of year will play a factor. Hoepfully the people who responded were helpful in pointing u in the right direction though.
Could be many reasons, after all its not a right to stay at someones, they are doing a stranger a favour...
Sometiems its good to give as much notice as possible and perhaps join the local group. Also make sure your profile is full and not ambigious. Meet some local couchsurfers and if you get on, they may right a recommendation for you...make sure its not all take take take. | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 2/27/2008 7:52:42 PM | hye i just checked the site out, signed up and got verified!!, i dont plan on traveling with this method BUT i do plan on openning up my heart and couch to some strangers
this is just amazing i look forward to helping others ^_^ | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 2/28/2008 11:48:57 AM | | I've been on the site for about a year, and am verified. I haven't met travellers yet but I've met people at local get-togethers and it's an awesome site! | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 3/15/2008 5:16:18 AM | First off, Love me, if you were only a few years older or I was a few years younger, I think we would have made a great couple. Your profile is awesome.
On to Couchsurfing...
The site is great, I haven't used it myself, but know several that have. It seems that the concept is MUCH more accepted outside the US. My friend who uses it has traveled all over Europe surfing couch after couch.
However when she started her cross country trip in the US from east coast to west coast, she had a bugger of a time finding places to crash. I don't know what it is about us Americans, but we aren't as free thinking when it comes to opening our doors, and couches, to strangers.
If I get the time to travel 'across the pond' I'll be using the site.
PEACE
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 3/15/2008 7:07:48 AM | just had a look at the site and registered. I used to host international students so this is just up my alley! | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 3/15/2008 7:18:54 AM |
Hey,
Just a little bit of info for some of you folks out there who plan to travel. Maybe on a tight budget, maybe not. I travelled around Europe, the UK and Ireland for 4.5 months and did something called couchsurfing almsot the entire time.
You get to stay with locals. Sometimes they have a couch, floor, sometimes a spare room for you. Sometimes they will feed you. Sometimes they will show you around. You can choose to stay with men or women and you can search for couches. It's pretty safe... you and they have to fill out a profile and then people will leave references on thier's and your profile saying if they found you to be a good guest and you can say if they were a good host.
You don't necessarily have to give back to the couchsurfing community, but you'll want to.
Check it out :)
Happy Travels!
Just to add something else here and as LMM has done here get the word about couchsurfing about...Most ppl who travel , i have found, will talk to lots of different people and are generally happy to talk to anyone ...when you do make sure you let them know about this site ... | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 3/17/2008 8:40:37 AM | Hey Bud.... I know this is forever later, but thanks... :)
I was hitch hiking A LOT when I was travelling too and even now when people ask me "Did you stay in hostels?" I'm like "No... theres this thing called couchsurfing..." and it goes from there. A lot of people are like "Whoa! Aren't you frightened?" and I haven't been frightened yet.
For the woman who said something about LA and not being able to find a place to stay... there were a couple times when I couldn't find a place to stay and I was getting worried. I just joined the local group and explained that I had asked a bunch of people, but no one could help me and these were the days I was coming and someone always managed to help me out.
BIG thing though. Fill out your profile. PLEASE! And DO NOT just message someone sayibng "Hi, I'm coming such and such a date. I'd like to sleep on your couch." Just like here on POF people want to know why you are interested in staying with them and staying in thier city or town. | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 3/18/2008 10:29:35 AM | Thanks LMM (& others) !
I just tripped over this thread.. so pleased I did! Signed up immediately! | |
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TLC_
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Joined: 1/26/2008
Msg: 19 | |
| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 3/18/2008 11:20:54 PM | hi 'Bud.Green'
i see what you say about opening door to strangers, i can understand that in some parts.
what about the southers states... good ol' 'southern hospitality'
or has that gone in the last decade or so with the rising violence and crime?
though back on topic, i have joined up as im off to the UK in october for 4 weeks | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 5/8/2008 7:37:05 PM | | LoveMeMadly - thanks for the tips!!! I signed up. While I'm not travelling to Europe this year, for my 60th birthday (8 more years), I plan on taking 2-3 months and backpacking thru Europe!!! I wonder if they will have some in the Caribbean and other places worldwide - I'll check that out. | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 5/12/2008 1:48:02 PM | I've been on the site for two years now. I had my first surfer last week and it was a lot of fun! He was passing through Edmonton for a night on a Canada-wide tour with his band. We went for supper and walked around Whyte before heading back to my place. He was interesting and super friendly, and gave me a bottle of wine for letting him stay with me.
I've also met people through local get-togethers, and they were also lots of fun! The community on that site is great, because they're all interested in meeting people and seeing the world, so they're generally very open-minded folks. Like anything online, you take certain precautions, but definitely an awesome idea for any traveler! | |
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| Couchsurfing.com
Posted: 5/12/2008 9:48:52 PM | It is a cool site, you have to be a true adventurer to take these kind of trips. Sleeping on a couch or on a floor? No thanks, and who has time to travel for that extended amount? I would be out of work and out of commission. Nice idea but I can't do the couch or floor thing. | |
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