A couch-surfer is coming to stay - and bringing her mother
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382566)
Rockingham, Australia
February 2, 2017 2:19am CST
I have just read and commented on Lany's discussion (http://www.mylot.com/post/3028437/gibraltar-into-the-bucket). Her post starts with a quote by Mark Twain: 'Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,….'. This is so perceptive and a good introduction to my own discussion.
We have been members of Couch-Surfers for some years now. This group of people offer to have travellers stay for a night or two, possibly sleeping on their couch, which is where the name comes from. While mainly young people use it, older persons do too.
We live in south-west Western Australia and have hosted a number of people from all over the world. We have a spare room so they don't need to sleep on the couch. Mostly you don't stay in touch after a visit but sometimes we have stayed friends and kept in touch. In 2015 we used couch-surfers while we were in Europe and we were also able to visit several that stayed with us some years ago.
Now a young lass from Taiwan wants to come again for a few days. She is bringing her mother with her. Her mother is about 60 and Claire wants her to see some of the world before she gets any older. A trip to Gnomesville will be obligatory I guess and we'll show them some of the other sights.
It is five years since she visited and we have photos of her in the gutted bus before it became a motor-home.
25 people like this
24 responses
@LadyDuck (502812)
• Italy
2 Feb 17
@JudyEv It's because the Police wants to know who is in Switzerland from more than 3 days. It's not for terrorism, because it has always been the case. In the past they were less strict, now you are in trouble if you do not register your guests.
2 people like this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
2 Feb 17
Do you serve them breakfast and stuff? Or is it only lodging.
2 people like this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
2 Feb 17
@JudyEv There are some set ups that organise these kind of exchanges in guest accommodation.
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@allknowing (153529)
• India
2 Feb 17
@JudyEv I would have been interested but now the thought of having someone over and being responsible for their comforts somehow does not appeal to me now. - may be when we just shifted here.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 17
@allknowing That's true. I'm sure there are a number of different ways of finding cheap accommodation, etc.
1 person likes this
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
6 Feb 17
I haven't tried Airbnb and Couch-surfers before. I am very interested in trying it since I can have more real locat experience than staying in the hotel. But I wonder whether the travelers have to pay for it? Is it similar with Airbnb?
2 people like this
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
6 Feb 17
@JudyEv I checked some Airbnb and sometimes the price can be even higher than the hotels. This is why I haven't tried it yet. It is cool to try the couch-surfing. Although free charge is nice, but actually I like to give some little money so that I will feel better. After all, it is still a little inconvenient for the house owners.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (209177)
• United States
3 Feb 17
Couch Surfers sounds like a great way to save money. I will look that up.
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@ptrikha_2 (49775)
• India
24 Feb 17
@JudyEv Yes, this is a great way to have better people to people interaction, which is sometimes even talked about in bilateral or multi-lateral summits, but implemented in a non-bureaucratic manner.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
3 Feb 17
I myself wanna see gnome village
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
4 Feb 17
@JudyEv If I lived next to it, I'd prob have to start destroying, OR charging parking and make some money on it
2 people like this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Feb 17
@Jessicalynnt I think the only way they'll stop the spread into the paddock is with a big high fence.
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@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 17
Sounds like a cheap way to travel.. but of course you have to worry about safety.. how do you know you're not letting a serial killer into your house, or for the traveler if your host is the serial killer?
I would love to travel and see the world.. if I ever get to your neck of the woods I'll let you know and maybe I can stay with you for a couple days..
What sort of fun, touristy things are there to do in your area?
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Feb 17
@JudyEv ooh the caves and lighthouses have my interest peaked!
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@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 17
There are safeguards in place and everyone leaves references either when they are a guest or when they host someone. So it's as safe as anything is going to be. You'd certainly be welcome to spend a few days with us. We have Gnomesville, vineyards, lighthouses not too far away, caves, some stunning beaches. There are quite a few tourist attractions here.
1 person likes this
@besweet (9831)
• Ireland
2 Feb 17
That sounds great! I have heard about the couch surfing concept but I have never tried. I hope they will both have a great time. Does this group have a website with ratings? How do you get information for the people who will sleep in your couch in terms of safety?
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@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 17
@besweet Quite often it's been couples. It may be two girls travelling together. Once it was a couple with a child. And once we had a couple from Canada and a man from Austria. We had an 'international match' of bocce/boule/petanque on the grass and luckily the USA, Austria and Australia won one game each! 
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (14804)
• Ireland
2 Feb 17
@judyev I have friends who hosted a few people through Couch Surfers and one of them is now a bit of a fixture in Belfast. The reason they started this was that their son had found refuge in various places and they wanted to do the same for some other mother's son.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
2 Feb 17
Never heard of couch surfers but it's a very cool idea. Have a wonderful visit.
2 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
3 Feb 17
@JudyEv I hope you all have a wonderful time.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 17
Not weird at all but this is a cheap way to go for young people. And the guidelines stress that hosts and guests should try to get to know each other, exchange ideas, etc. We met a couch-surfer in Singapore. He had not room to host us but he took us on a walking tour then we met with 10 couch-surfers from all over the world for a meal in a street venue. When we left they were busy organising a game of beach volley-ball for next morning. I can see the attraction for young people in particular. And it is as safe as way of meeting people as anything is nowadays
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (49775)
• India
23 Feb 17
Its a good concept. Such stay and meeting of people can break barriers. The only hitch could be if someone behaves in an unfriendly and suspicious way.
Otherwise, this is a good way of meeting people and having them find out different places and cultures.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17244)
• China
2 Feb 17
I have never known Couch-Surfers before.I am not sure if it is the private hotel .What interests me is that you get along well with many guests and have kept in touch with some of them,even visit them.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 17
Young people are usually travelling on a shoe-string and couch-surfing enables them to have cheap or free accommodation. It isn't a private hotel but private houses. We visited a lad in Leipzig who is now married and has a little boy and a girl in Vienna who now has a partner and a little girl. We value these people as friends. Some others we hear of from time to time through FB.
2 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17244)
• China
3 Feb 17
@JudyEv Oh,I see.Obviously,It is an economy way with a personal touch.Do you let them show their identity cards before they check in.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Feb 17
@changjiangzhibin89 No, we would have already checked out their references and that would have been sufficient. One day we might be murdered in our beds for being too trusting! 
1 person likes this
@bagarad (14283)
• Paso Robles, California
2 Feb 17
I've never heard of Couch Surfers before. It sounds like a great way to travel if you are young. I assume they have some sort of vetting for homes to make sure they are not going to hurt anyone. Do they also screen travelers in any way? Or am I just too suspicious because we have a few bad apples here?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 17
There is quite a good security system in place whereby you are vetted by the company first just to make sure you are who you say you are and live where you say you live. Then everyone is supposed to leave references for each other. You get the chance to refuse to have someone if you're not happy with having them. I can understand everyone's concerns but it's worked okay for us.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43668)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Feb 17
I once "couch surfed" on a friend's couch for five months!
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@JudyEv (382566)
• Rockingham, Australia
5 Feb 17
@teamfreak16 I used to believe that if people were polite and considerate they should be able to live together for ages but it doesn't really work like that, does it? And maybe one or other of you weren't polite and considerate!
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@teamfreak16 (43668)
• Denver, Colorado
5 Feb 17
@JudyEv - It was one of the greatest summer's ever. His roommate, also a friend, hated me by the time I left!
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