space and travel

Hobo Traveling: The New 'In' Thing?

Not five minutes after talking to a dear friend about hosting some hitchhikin' travelers this weekend, this article is featured on the front page of NYT. Not only that, but the dude has a damn reality show about his "frugal" travels.

I too have relied on the kindness, openness and hospitality of total strangers. I'm a couch surfer through and through, and I met some wonderful folks while doing it. In fact, I'm going to live with some of those kind almost-strangers at the other end of my plane ride in two weeks. The kindness gives me faith in other people, that PEOPLE, collectively, are inherently good and want to help. If you remove the monetary aspects of relationships, it still comes down to an exchange: a bed to sleep in, an open home, in an exchange for strange new music. A bottle of Southern whiskey. A few French lessons, the promise of a tour guide later on in my own traveling. Sometimes, it's a more emotional exchange; admittedly, there is a level of attraction present in couch surfing. But I won't delve into that quite yet.