COUCH SURFING - Participating in creating a better world, one couch at a time. Connecting travelers with members of local communities, who offer free accommodation and/or advice.

It is the newest thing in the world traveler's vocabulary. Hostels are passé and B & Bs are positively out of the question for many in today's economy, but couch surfing opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It is a win/win situation for the couch surfer and the couch host, not to mention the benefits of sharing knowledge of the world and connecting to other cultures in a most organic way.

We have joked as we have traversed the country staying with our family and close friends that we have joined the ranks of couch surfers united, for we have been making the most of free places to stay and participating in some unusual activities, such as knife making, fox hunting, polo support team, Fringe theatre audience, competitive cycling and racehorse training (again). In exchange we try to give back by cooking meals, gardening, dog walking, home repair work and telling some choice yarns from our past two years at sea.

We have slept on some couches as well as beds of every description. We were actually prepared for sleeping on the floor where ever necessary and packed sleeping pads and sleeping bags in the truck. We are not accustomed to a high degree of comfort; our double berth on MANDY is on the narrow side, but is firm and cosy. In a rolling sea we have the pilot berth where the lee cloth holds one person cradled in safety while asleep. It is with some pride that we can both sleep anywhere we lay our heads but, it is especially sound sleep when it all comes free.

The population of today's Couch Surfing Culture appears to be solidly in the under thirties age range, so including ourselves may be pushing the envelope somewhat. Before long (9 days) we will be in Maryland and we will be able to choose a bed for the next couple of years in the Inn Keepers apartment. I also plan to get a comfortable sleeper sofa for our family or friends who come to visit. When we eventually reach Galicia, Spain to renovate our farmhouse there, I am seriously thinking of signing up to be a couch surfing host. Until then we will be practicing our hosting skills for the future in the old fashioned B & B industry.