Tourists Blog
Thursday, May 17, 2012
- 20
Jan
2010 -
Insure Your World Travel on a Couch
Filed Under:
You probably know it makes sense, but missed purchasing tourist insurance on your previous international trip. Don’t make the same mistake this time around. But have you heard of people making international trips without booking a hotel? And it’s not just backpackers who are doing it—it’s regular tourists too!
The new wave in international tourism (and local) is called “couchsurfing.” The concept basically tries to create a community of people who would like to share their experiences with others—by offering a couch in their house for a visiting tourist. The nearly 1.7 million couchsurfers come from nearly 70,000 cities in the world, making for a wide network.
However, before accepting a couch or offering one, remember that your safety and that of your belongings is entirely up to you. If you are a tourist, remember to bring something from your home country for your host. It is meant as an opportunity to build bridges, so don’t treat the couch like a hotel bed, coming and going as you please, without any contact with your host.
Try and get to know your host better. Living with a local still means you must be extra careful about your health. You can ask your host about nearby hospitals and check which ones are known for good healthcare. And don’t forget to drop a thank you note to your host once you get home.
