Great thread! Considered CS for my trip ... unfortunately still living with family so hosting may be off the books until I'm free in my own place.

definitely going to check out the site and more than likely become a verified member ... it's always reassuring to see that sort of thing :)

Hopefully saving the money that would be spent on hotels/hostels/campsites will make the trip last a little longer as well as getting to meet awesome people and get the inside scoop of the local areas.

Hi Liam,

You don't have to reciprocate. That's not the point of couchsurfing.
You can use couchsurfing, be hosted etc. without being able or willing to host someone yourself, I have hosted younger people who were still living with mom and pop.

The only problem is that it's easier to find a host with a good profile (have some friends, be a verified member, etc.) so people can see that your not a shady person who will try to steal things in their house, or worse.

Try to join an event or an activity organised by some members, meet people, fill out the blanks in your profile.

Have fun

couch Surfing
 

I have hosted on a few time now. It is a nice thing to do and my daughter gets to meet all sorts of different people from around the world too!

would recommend it if done with care!

Planning on selling a few bits on ebay to get the £16 in my paypal and then I'll get verified :) ... after all if and when I am able to host I would prefer verified people myself!

Thanks!

Maybe it could be nice/interesting to know from eachother the names on CS and here.

First: For newer members of CS you could actually get a reference or two from other members from here....
Second: For us (and others) it will be a quicker way to connect with people who share the same passion! Travelling by 2/4WD.
Just saying as we'll be out again from June for a few months and we could use a place to stay for a night or just meet up and share stories and stuff... bier

Our profilename on CS is SEB-KIM for those who are interested.

I am Brendan from Manchester / Salford! and I have the kit to fix most bike stuff in an emergency!


Brendan

aachen/aken/ aix-la-chapelle/aquisgran
 

I'm registered in Couchsurfing under my real name, Bernard Gillet.
I live in the south-east corner of Belgium, next to Luxembourg and France.

I'm servicing my bike myself, so I have a few tools too.

I'm also on the Tent Space Mag in ADVRider.

With Seb in Antwerpen, Geri in Aachen and me, maybe we should think about some kind of a rally or meeting, with a good beer in mind.

:thumbup1:
But that will have to happen "quickly" then, as I'm out again in June for a few months and then emigrating to a warmer place.... :Beach:

I have mainly used couchsurfing to meet new people. They often offer CS meetings in the place you visit, which is really nice.

HU Communities!
 

don't forget the HU Communities are a GREAT way to meet other motorcycle travellers - not just backpackers who may have no clue what we need - e.g. safe parking! :)

I've had people come back from major trips around the world and tell me that the "best part of the trip was the people we met through the HU Communities" :clap:

They have workshops, know where the bike shops are and have local connections to get bike related stuff done. And, they'll take you on great rides in their area, places you'd never find on your own.

Join your local Community, and contact them when travelling!

HU Communities would be even better if the contact system worked like CS.

I've had mixed success with HU Communities - some you hear from 3 or 4 people and others you don't get any response at all - even to the simplest question.
It's a little hit and miss at times.

I think HU is now big enough to think about developing an app for direct contact.

Not only useful for planning accom, but also for instant meetups (I'm here in Melbourne, anyone free for a coffee?) or rescue missions (I'm in Geelong with a busted water cooler - anyone close by got a trailer?) or finding travel companions (I'm heading off to the Flinders Ranges, anyone wanna tag along?).

We had a Pizza Night at the Film Festival in Bright and a few HU members didn't know about it and missed out.

The level of involvement could be set by the user - so no-one need be overwhelmed with requests or messages.

Just a thought...

Jacqui, thanks for the thought!

Mixed success - yes, that's always going to be the way - some communities are only one person after all, and they could be travelling or just think they can't help and so "assume" someone else will help.

re "big enough" - well, yes and no. Big as in loads of page, and lots of people involved - but very very tiny in the budget department - and no spare time.

We'd love to have an app developer work with us, but we have no big budget to do so.

We DO want to do some work on the Communities, and have committed to spending some money on them, so an app will certainly be in the "planning and deciding exactly what we're going to do" phase.

thanks again, we're always looking for good ideas!

:DI put a request out on Horizons community Oregon a few years back, asking if any one would be able to store my bike.. Got 4 offers within 24 hours.
Ben.