The Ultimate Guide To Couch Surfing Like A Pro
The Ultimate Guide To Couch Surfing Like A Pro
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If you're a frequent wanderer of exotic coastlines you've likely learned some valuable lessons on how to best travel the world and be a respectful guest. If you've mastered these lessons than you are already skilled at navigating the biggest obstacle to such epic travels--the cost, aka "dolla dolla bills y'all..."
Hotels and Airbnb's in places like Hawai'i and Tahiti are f*cking expensive, ain't no way around it. Same goes for California, Australia, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and any other developed destination with a wave-rich coastline. Sure, places like Bali and Mexico can still be "affordable" if you're willing to rough it, and there are plenty of hostels in the aforementioned countries that can bring your costs down. But if you're not keen on running the risk of bunking with a bunch of kooks, like the Brazilian guy who once doused himself in Axe body spray in the room he was sharing with me and 9 other people at the unlicensed North Shore hostel where beds cost $20 a night, you're better off staying with locals (or sleeping in the car, which is exactly what I did after that Axe bloodbath).
So if you are new to the game of surf travel, or have had one too many instances like mine, then treat the following rules as if they were Scripture and you'll never run into the problem of dropping big $$$ on places to stay again.
Make a good first impression and always bring something to the table.
Chris Dodds
First Impression. This goes true for anything in life, your first impression is a crucial element of being a welcome guest. Not to say that it is impossible to recover from a bad one, like that time that Brad's parents came home to their Newport Beach house while I was vomiting off the balcony--note to self, don't smoke a blunt by yourself after drinking sake bombs all night. That was a bad look, thankfully Brad's mom is a saint and didn't kick me out of the house, she actually made us all pancakes the next morning (thanks Jenean!). A good first impression can be achieved by doing things like offering to take your host out to dinner, or bringing them a unique gift, doesn't have to be expensive, that shows you put some consideration into the fact that you're being welcomed into someone else's home. Basically, don't be sloppy drunk, look them in the eye when you greet them and express sincere gratitude.
Bring Something To The Table. You can take this literally, as in, bring food to share. Even if it's not needed, offering to feed your host is always the right thing to do. Huge bonus if you have cooking skills (more on this below) but, even if you don't, buy extra granola bars or let them know if you're grabbing some pizza. Beyond that, offer your skills, whatever they may be! Good with a camera? Take some photos of the family or help support their business with product shots. Good with kids and/or dogs? Play with the kiddos! Take the dog for a walk. Literally, be willing to do anything that can help their daily life and you'll be a welcomed guest as long as you wish to return.
Be Mindful. I can't stress this point enough. If the word "mindful" is beyond you, well, then you may be a long way from being a pro couch surfer. To put it differently, read the room. As in, don't FaceTime your girlfriend from the living room if there are other people around, no one wants to hear your conversation in a foreign tongue--whether it's Hebrew, Japanese, or even English--your host doesn't want to hear you speaking to some person they'll never know. Don't listen to the audio on Instagram while someone is working, I shouldn't even need to say this, but it's distracting AF. Get some headphones or go outside and be mindful of the common space. If you snore loudly, I'm sorry to break it to you but this is a royal pain for others. It's actually the #3 cause of divorce. Good news is that there's a book called Breath that can help even the worst cases of sleep apnea. So if your sleep rhythm sounds like a dubstep concert, tape your mouth shut and force yourself to breathe through your nose. It's either that or bring your own tent to pitch in the yard.
Bathroom Etiquette. If there's a common bathroom, be sure to check in with other people before you hop in there for a shower--especially if you tend to be in there for more than 10 minutes. Plan on shaving your legs or maybe having a wank? Don't do it in your host's shower. Honestly, that should be a rule in itself, don't take 20-30min+ showers under any circumstances. Water is precious and most areas have limited supply--California, Bali, Australia, Baja, and even Hawai'i, (or any island for that matter) have to conserve. The population is growing, the water tables are running low throughout much of the world. Need to take a dump? Ask if anybody needs to use it quickly before you go in there and unleash the fury of your post-surf burrito.
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