"Couchsurfing" Travel Takes Off On the Web

mikesd81 writes "The Associated Press writes about a growing network of people online who've gone a step beyond hotels, hostels and even apartment swapping in their travel planning: They sleep on each others' couches. A number of Web sites have sprung up to help pair travelers searching for a place to crash and hosts with a spare couch. Sites like hospitalityclub.org, couchsurfing.com, globalfreeloaders.com and place2stay.net are often free, serving only as middlemen and offering tips on how to find successful matches. The sites are largely the creations of 20-somethings bitten with wanderlust and the hope of helping to bring together people from different cultures. They often depend on volunteer administrators to help manage the Web operations."

Yummy

[Y-Crate]

The sites are largely the creations of 20-somethings bitten with wanderlust...

...and soon to be bitten by bedbugs. Lots of bedbugs.

Don't forget about head lice, either.

Back in my day, we had another word for this.

[AEton]

We used to call these "hobos".

Moo

[Chacham]

Quick Geocouching.com isn't taken yet!

RE: Great idea but probably not for the ladies

[William_Lee]

While this is likely a great resource for men, I couldn't imagine using one if I were a woman traveling in Europe.

I don't know that it's a great idea for guys either, unless you consider anal rape a win win situation.

Like Netflix for serial killers

[Lord Kano]

In Soviet Russia.

If you're a serial killer, your victims come to YOU.

LK

Hey

[Umbral Blot]

Where is the "itsatrap" tag when you need it?

im on ur couch

[BadAnalogyGuy]

stealin ur change