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Free bed
There can’t be many of us who haven’t slept on a mate’s sofa. The problem is, we might have pals in Edinburgh, but our address book is a little light on Provence, Tuscany and Bora Bora. To meet new global friends-with-sofas, go to one of the free couch-surfing websites, where you’ll find thousands of people who are willing to let you breeze in, doss down and swan off in the morning for nothing (although it would be good if you made dinner and did the washing-up).
The whole thing is rather heart-warming, relying purely on trust and goodwill. Plus, you’re plunged into your host’s world, so it’s pretty much the opposite of being a passive, disconnected tourist. The biggest site is www.couchsurfing.com, which has a staggering 800,000 sofas on offer just about everywhere in the world. By joining, you also add your own couch online, but there is no obligation to put people up.
A little caution might be in order, but a system by which members vouch for each other helps to sort the genuine from the dubious. Other websites worth a look include www.hospitalityclub.org and www.globalfreeloaders.com
Alison Chambers also contributes to http://www.travelling-times.info/
