Couch Surfing

[yaigi]

Anyone ever done it? Seem to be meeting a heck of a lot of people lately through various friends having got involved in the whole thing. So for example one friend of mine cycled across Spain and Portugal, used couch surfing to get occasional good nights sleep rather than using tent all the time (as isn't always possible), and now she is back in the UK she is letting fellow couch surfers stay with her every now and then.

I'm just curious really if anyone on here has ever couch surfed themselves or offered a place to stay for others? Seems like it could be quite useful for people wanting to go touring but don't really have the money for hotels and don't fancy camping all the time.

A lot of people seem to think it's a bit dangerous but not heard any bad stories from close friends (so far!). I had one friend cycle from Liverpool to New Zealand, and he was offered places to stay by complete strangers all the time! I think what he learned from that trip os that people are led to believe the world is a much more dangerous place than it perhaps actually is. I mean, he cycled through Iran, Tajikistan, China... didn't have one bad experience. (You can read some of his fave experiences here: (https://www.ephemeralproject.com/favourite-memories-from-the-road/). Anyway, that's kind of another topic....

So, couch surfing - done it? Would do it? Offer your couch to a stranger ever? I mean, I'm sure some of you would offer your bed to a stranger nevermind your couch, if they were easy on the eye Heck, maybe it's not you lot that need to be worried
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What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[SQL]

I saw this as Coach surfing, was going to say its fucking amazing.

[yaigi]

[Skudd]

I think it is easier for females to do it (riskier) as females don't mind other females and males think thge female may give a little extra for the couch.
I haven't got a couch though. I only have a settee and a sofa.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[SQL]

I guess so... I hear good things about it, Ed Sheeran used to couch surf round his fans houses.



Other than that I know fuck all.

[angryjonny]

[yaigi]

[Nexus Icon]

Do couches even float?
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[Dazbo666]

Offered a place overnight for family and friends only, and I've been in a similar position at a friends house some years ago.
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[DrDonnyBrago]

Friends/family that stay over get the spare room. I don't like people sleeping on my sofa as they might alter my arse print. As for strangers, I don't like other people and I dislike their houses more.


So a firm and all encompassing no from me.

[yaigi]

I would definitely be out of my comfort zone staying in someone elses house - usually if I can avoid having to stay at a friends, I will, even if that means not drinking so I can drive/ride home. I like my bed. I like knowing I've got everything I need. I'd rather have people stay at ours but anything past two nights and I start to feel like I need some time alone.... Mr Yaigi doesn't count of course, although it is nice to get a night completely alone once in a while isn't it?!

But then again 'out of my comfort zone' is something I like pushing myself to do every now and then... so I wouldn't say a definite 'no'.
____________________
What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[P.addy]

Meh, house is open to all.

If they want to stay, stay. Simple as.

[Lord Percy]

I'm weird. If I did couchsurfing I'd be happy to let anybody at all stay at my place and I think it would be awesome. However I hate the thought of staying with someone else at their place because I'd feel like too much of an intruder. I guess it's something to do with how it would be on my terms if somebody stayed with me, but if I went somewhere else I'd be at risk of doing something wrong or just being a cunt. Insecurities

[snikks]

I think as a male, I'd happily stay with any host who didn't come across as a potential axe murderer.

If it was my sisters or girlfriend, I'd be worried if they were staying with men, but pretty okay with it with female hosts.

There really aren't that many people around who would attack someone violently for no reason at all, and you can usually get a "vibe" at least from the ones that do exist. On the other hand the percentage of men who might want a little "thank you" for letting a lady stay over is probably quite high, and it's entirely possible that some of them might turn nasty if she refused.
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- CBT: 02/01/11 Theory: 26/04/11 Mod 1: 19/05/11 Mod 2: 19/08/11
- 2007 Honda XL125V Varadero (Sold), 1999 Yamaha FZS600 Fazer (Sold), 2001 CBR600F

[P.addy]

I think I'd be an awesome couch host

Sick mothers get a laptop to use, internet, TV and a pizza.

I am some sick son of a bitch

[Rogerborg]

If your host holds strong opinions on snowboarding or fish fingers, bail.

I couldn't stay without feeling indebted, I'd end up chopping wood for them for hours, even if they don't have a fire or any lumber.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[smegballs]

Had an indian couple stay over for a day or two last may. They'd finished their uni here so were working here for a year before heading back to india.

They were on a little south-west tour so had come up on the train from cornwall. Within 10 mins of arriving they went out to get beers, after a while we found out each other smoked weed and they proceeded to skin up.

Next day we got the bus up to dartmoor and I showed them all the cool places that I go to normally. Next day they headed off back up to Leeds on the bus.

tl;dr - got to spend a sunny day on dartmoor with really sound people, who kept me topped up with beer and spliffs. Not much to complain about really. 10/10 would host again.

[Alpha-9]

I thought this would be able tying a couch to the back of a car and surfing it down the road like I saw on a few videos

I am disappointed
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Fzr-600 1999

[Minty]

My surname is Couch.

Come surf me.

https://www.themeparkreview.com/forum/files/quagmire_884.gif
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My fingers smell of your mum.

[Clanger]

[Yoyo]

Plenty of people have stayed at my gaff for nothing. Even our very own 999kid.

Done it a few times myself. Most of the people are more than happy to lend a sofa for the night, in exchange for a beer or 2 down the local pub.
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Joe: I don't wish to floccinaucinihilipilificate your choices, but the best word in the world is gaylord.

[hmmmnz]

ive lent out the spare room in nz quite a few times to couch surfers,
all been pretty good value people, i quite like having a full house, the mrs not so much
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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

[ocatoro]

i'm planning to give it a go around september time, couple of us are going to go to southern portugal, surfing.

we're taking my van, so could feasibly camp etc, but after looking at it, seems quite a few decent folk offering spare rooms etc.

just treat it as you would a hostel, don't leave anything valuable hanging around.
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CBT - 17/09/12 * Theory - 23/10/12 * Mod1 - 05/03/13 * Mod2 - 25/03/13 * BOSH!
Current - None but shed project H100 (first bike )
Past - ER5, '93 ZZR600, '92 CB400 SF, ZZR600 (again), yellow Monster 620, Blackbird - black Monster 620ie - '96 ZZR600

[yaigi]

It's really nice that there are more positive stories coming out here than I thought there would be, I thought maybe my friends were in some minority that hadn't had a bad experience and I'd find out that actually it could be quite grim.

Awww, see, the world aint as bad a place as the TV would have people believe eh?!
____________________
What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?
Currently own - Fazer 600, 2000, Red. (But no riding as baby on board atm)

[smegballs]