CouchSurfing

On the move and nowhere to stay? Let the good people at CouchSurfing come to your rescue.

STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND

If the idea of random strangers coming to stay at your house fills you with a desperate dread you are completely normal and should commend yourself on your sagacity. However, should you be among the unusual constituency of souls which finds such an idea inspiring, you might like to take a look at CouchSurfing, a "non-profit network" which connects people - and their sofas - around the world.

DON'T FORGET YOUR SMALLS 

CouchSurfing allows travellers operating on a shoe-string budget to find free accommodation. Users sign up to a network of members who offer a place for people to crash for a night or two.

Even a moments' perusal of the site will lead you to the conclusion that the people behind this have a much more idealistic notion of what they are doing. CouchSurfing is all about bring people together, creating a global cultural exchange of friendship and understanding. That's all to the good, but such utopian notions do tend to come unstuck when people leave their smelly socks behind.

9 August 2010