Is your couch really very different from a Parisian divan? Does snoring soundly on a Japanese tatami mat mean sleeping better than in a hammock strung up in a Jamaican backyard? The great equalizer is that they're all comfortable when you're sleeping for free, dreaming the dreams of the budget traveler.
Thanks to the Internet, global nomads are exchanging couches, futons, and, in some cases, floor space for a free night's sleep. By signing up on website communities, you offer to host itinerant travelers-and get reciprocal access to thousands of crash pads around the world. Consider it a karmic piggy bank for backpackers.
CouchSurfing.com
Founded by American traveler Casey Fenton, who was inspired by some Icelandic students who hosted him one weekend in Reykjavik, CouchSurfing.com is one of the fastest-growing communities spreading the gospel of free accommodations. With more than 5,000 members who vouch for each other, e.g., Aurora says of Adrienne, "I can verify that she's not a psycho couch surfer killer! She cooks and roams around and leads an action-packed life of fun like nobody's business" the site is much more than a clearinghouse of nice sofa photos. It's about cultural exchange, local guides, and strangers becoming friends (much like what happens normally during travel), but free, unless you want to drop some change behind the cushions.
GlobalFreeloaders.com
With a heavy Aussie membership, as well as sizable Canadian and UK contingents, GlobalFreeloaders.com might be the perfect Commonwealth connection for American students looking to save a few bucks by skipping hostels on their next trip. This is a grassroots site and a little rough around the edges, but with a very indie traveler ethic.
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