Our Preferred Travel Lodging

So Josh and I had hoped to spend more nights on people's couches than in hostels or hotels for our European trip.  That is turning out harder than expected but I thought it was still time to introduce all that don't know to couchsurfing.  

For the last 3 years this is how Josh and I have done most of our traveling and in college this is how I traveled before I had a profile or knew anything about it. Couchsurfing is a network of people who open their homes to fellow travels for no compensation other than good conversation. Here are the questions we often get asked about it

1. Are you crazy?

Isn't the awareness of your craziness the proof that you aren't? Either way we'll leave you to answer that one.

2. You actually let people stay at your house? Strangers?

Yes! We have travelers about once a month. Really, it is a great way to make the world small and get a flavor of travel without leaving Nashville. We have had France, Ireland, Denmark and many more countries on our couch (spare bedroom). How often can you have dinner with Danish reporters that just show up at your door?

3. You actually will go stay in someone else's home? Strangers?

Sure! Who knows a city better than people who live there. They know the cool things happening that weekend and they also know the cheesy tourist traps to skip. Plus, you get such a better feel for a city living in a neighborhood rather than in middle of a row of hotels.

4. Aren't you afraid of psycho killers?

You know our first couchsurfers helped me out with this question. Think about how much trouble it would be for them to set up a profile and have so many good feedbacks and then what makes me so special that they choose to kill me. I mean really, you have a better chance of the plane that carries you there crashing.

So this is how Josh and I hope to see Europe-with the help of locals. We are having trouble finding available couches but we are hoping our luck will change soon.