VISITING

American Casey Fenton came up with the idea of the Couchsurfing Project in 2003 after a crazy weekend in Iceland. Bored of sterile hotels, grotty hostels and lonely nights out, Fenton hit on the genius idea of spamming 1500 Icelandic students, asking if anyone would be prepared to put him up. Several responded, all of them keen to show him ‘their’ Reykjavik. He swore never again to be a tourist and thus, Couchsurfing was born.

From tiny acorns, mighty oaks grow. In March of this year, parties were held across the world, from Oslo to Islamabad, to celebrate Couchsurfing’s one millionth member. However, not all of those million people registered on the site are active hosts. Although some members have accommodated literally hundreds of travellers, other nomads simply hop from couch to couch and still more join simply to meet new international friends, offering to act as a city guide or drinking partner to travellers. There is never any obligation to host.

A non-profit organisation, members are asked to fill out a profile of themselves, describing themselves and their sofa or spare room if they have one. Back-packers then search for hosts with couches in the area they’re planning to visit and send out requests. If the host likes the sound of their potential guest, messages are exchanged and hopefully a pleasant cultural exchange ensues. Members are then encouraged to leave references for each other, be they positive, negative or neutral.

One of the most frequently asked questions about the project, especially by women, is if it’s safe. As Joris Vleminckx, a veteran Couchsurfer from Belgium, explained, a person’s references are one of the many safeguards in place to protect both travellers and hosts. “It’s essential to read a person’s profile and references carefully. If they have received lots of positive comments and have lots of Couchsurfing friends, you can be 99 percent sure of having a good experience”. Surfers can also check to see if the person has been verified and vouched for by other members and double-check references. The project’s website is a good source of useful tips on safe surfing too.