Whenever I read these blogs, and the comments that follow, I'm amazed at how much money people spend doing this!
Has nobody heard of www.couchsurfing.com?
Why travel all the way around the world to pay money and sit in a hotel room/private apartment?
I've done travelling and couldn't recommend it enough. It's a fantastic experience but by far the biggest benefit, and most memorable moments, were from the people I met (even though I'm not really a 'people' person). Couchsurfing allows you to stay for free with a local host.. think AirBnB but FREE and where you can actually speak and interact with them. Most of the hosts in the more remote countries are fellow American's doing Peace Corp. It's interesting to hear their different perspective on their host country, and they enjoy the contact with another 'westerner' too. Lots of other hosts will happily invite you sailing, climbing, hiking, BBQing with them or their mates too.
If you're happy to sleep on the floor occasionally (rarely in my experience) then I highly recommend any travellers (particularly solo) give it a go.
If you're really adventurous, or want some even more amazing, serendipitous encounters with incredible people, stick out your thumb ;-)
As a former couchsurfing host, i implore you, couchsurfing is great, but do couchsurfing because you want to meet new people and have cultural interactions. Do NOT use couchsurfing just to save money - that might be a nice side effect, but that shouldn't be your primary goal.
The worst guests are the guest who treat it as a free hotel and/or are so cheap that they aren't willing to go out for a pint of beer with their host or do anything that requires a few dollars. And if you are working working while travelling, then that is a sign you both less willing to interact with your hosts and that you can easily afford a hotel.
That's the main reason I used airbnb instead. I like meeting the locals, but I don't like the uncomfortable feeling of being in their debt or feeling compelled to hang out with them.
I love traveling but I avoid couch-surfing like fire. I think is down to the kind of person you are.
Hostels are my time off. I can sleep in my bed as long as I want, I don't have to talk to anybody, I can pay and not ask/talk. Socializing is huge energy consumer. Hostel time is when I don't have to worry about a thing, relaxing and recharging.
Especially since the OP is working on the road. I would feel shitty being a CouchSurfing guest and immediately asking for the WiFi password because I need to fix something.
Has nobody heard of www.couchsurfing.com?
Why travel all the way around the world to pay money and sit in a hotel room/private apartment?
I've done travelling and couldn't recommend it enough. It's a fantastic experience but by far the biggest benefit, and most memorable moments, were from the people I met (even though I'm not really a 'people' person). Couchsurfing allows you to stay for free with a local host.. think AirBnB but FREE and where you can actually speak and interact with them. Most of the hosts in the more remote countries are fellow American's doing Peace Corp. It's interesting to hear their different perspective on their host country, and they enjoy the contact with another 'westerner' too. Lots of other hosts will happily invite you sailing, climbing, hiking, BBQing with them or their mates too.
If you're happy to sleep on the floor occasionally (rarely in my experience) then I highly recommend any travellers (particularly solo) give it a go.
If you're really adventurous, or want some even more amazing, serendipitous encounters with incredible people, stick out your thumb ;-)