Couch Surfing Report - BBC News

Report by Howard Johnson & Jack Garland on couch surfing in Japan and London
For more about the reporter please visit: http://web.me.com/howardrjohnson/Reporter/Welcome.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Howardrjohnson

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• couch
• surfing
• couchsurfing
• backpacking
• travel
• BBC
• howard
• johnson

[calmebob]

I've been using couchsurfing for over 3 years now - hosting more than surfing. This video really hits the point home that the real benefit isn't the free place to stay, but the access to locals who become immediate friends and often tour guides. You get introduced to local flavor that is damn near impossible to come by when staying in a hotel. Couchsurfing has changed my life. And I don't use that phrase flippantly.

[RagingLampoon]

When I first stumbled upon couch surfing, it felt like a dream had, quite literally, come true. I can't think of anything I would rather do than host and surf!! My life goal is to travel around the world, and CS is a great place to start!!

I can't wait until I turn eighteen and can FINALLY join the site! Only one year and three months to go! :,D

[mizzbahamas88]

how dangerous is there???

[sadhubeast]

BBC has not covered the evil's of couch surfing. Sorry to burst your bubble you idiots, CS people have been using CS for free stay and as a sex search engine.

[PVBoarding]

GOD DAMN I THOUGHT THIS WAS A SURF FORECAST!

[strengthundefeatable]

An amazing idea! Loveit! Let me know if anyone comes to Chiang Mai.. i gotta couch :)

[GoGipInc]

@RagingLampoon So that was to years ago, and now you're probably 18. have you been murdered yet?

[jarridtstube]

@ellof oh really, thats a bit shit of them! oh well my experiances form couchsurfing have been too valuble to stop because of that, as long as the people i meet through the site haven't lost their soul i'll still use it

[ellof]

@jarridtstube you don't know facts. Couchsurfing needed money in order to move the legal office from New Hampshire to other place with better legislation. But Casey Fenton and his friends have squandered donations withy exotic travels and bad admnistration. One possible solution was to ask the community to save the site with free donations (ultimately, couchsurfing is propriety of the couchsurfers...). they choose the easiest way: become millionaire! not a staff problem..lol...

[jarridtstube]

@ellof calm down dude, as the site becomes more popular it needs more staff to operate and filter the site. if you read the email it said the site was not classed as 'not for profit' organization by the US gov so they were not entitled to gov support. donations are not enough if it wasn't for the corporation there could very well be no couchsurfing. and if you stop couchsurfing because of that i think its you that has lost your soul

[ellof]

why CouchSurfing lost his soul:

a) volounteers donated much work and money in order to support a non-profit organization, not a buisness corporation;

b) WikiTravel pages and CS travel pages (probably the most ample touristic guide in the world) will be valuable, now, that the site has a price tag;

c) Now couchsurfing will generate a revenue. Me, my house, the people that i host are buisness.;

d) Personal infos are now avaible for commercial purposal

[unapolakita]

I really hate how the video presents couchsurfing as a free accomodation... :( IT"S NOT THAT! It's about meeting people, and I give you my word, meeting another person is worth much more than one night stay!