Do you want to stay with someone who can tell you about that place and who offers you a couch or room for a night or two for free? Stay with a host family/person - no money exchanged and no expectations of services from your host. In some cases you may just get a place to stay from a nice person and in other cases you will make a great friend!
Couch Surfing Couchsurfing.org
A free service - just create an account. Once you have an account you can choose to be a surfer or a host. If you want to surf, you choose your destination, tell what you hope to do there, and see possible hosts. Anyone can offer to host, but you can see if the host has positive References from other couch surfers, you can read what the host writes about him or herself, then you can correspond over the couchsurfing website.
I've been on this site for over a year and am impressed with it! I hosted one couch surfer and it was a very good experience.
From their website: You have friends all over the world, you just haven’t met them yet.
Couchsurfing is a service that connects members to a global community of travelers. Use Couchsurfing to find a place to stay or share your home and hometown with travelers.
Global Freeloaders website
Similar to couchsurfing but word has it that a quiet, possibly older crowd prefers this site over couchsurfing.
It's easy to make a free account. They offer free accomodations with hosts all over the world!
From their website: GlobalFreeloaders.com is an online community, bringing people together to offer you free accommodation all over the world. Save money and make new friends whilst seeing the world from a local's perspective!
Hospitality Club website
I haven't joined but it sounds similar to the two sites above.
From their website: The Hospitality Club is the world's largest hospitality exchange organization. We are thousands of friendly members world wide who offer each other free accommodation when traveling. Membership is free and joining just takes a minute - we would love to have you onboard!
Servas Home Stay site Servas.org
I have no experience with Servas, but it sounds like you apply to be a traveller or a host, you get interviewed, and if approved you are put on their list. The host is only obligated to offer 2 nights of hosting if they agree to take a traveller. It says "a small fee will be involved".
From their website: Servas is an international, non-governmental, multicultural peace association run by volunteers in over 100 countries. We operate through a network of Servas hosts around the world who are interested in opening their doors to travellers , and of Servas travellers who want to get to know the heart of the countries they visit.
Host Lists are provided for the countries a traveller will be visiting. A deposit is required for Host Lists, and this is refunded when the lists are returned, together with a travel report.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Overseas Work Exchange Sites
What is a work exchange? Do specified work for someone in exchange for room & meals. Time commitments vary. See info & sites in this post.
I met with Francoise from Boulder, who has made travel her top priority for her entire adult life. She just returned from over 6 months of travel, most recently on work exchange to Ireland (did a website for the castle she lived in), Scotland (worked at a bed & breakfast), New Zealand (made a video), and some months seeing the U.S. She's recently done 5 experiences through Workaway.info and says they've been amazing!
Francoise (www.differenttrails.com) also reports that she travelled more inexpensively than ever because by exchanging her work for living accommodations and meals, she had very little to pay for. And, she made some lifelong friends at each work exchange experience. What skills do you have that you could exchange for foreign hospitality?
On work exchanges, you pay a subscription fee to the website you sign up on to find a placement, but you don't pay for the work exchange itself. You exchange your labor for room and board, usually including food. Below are some work exchange sites.
Workaway.info http://www.workaway.info/
Create your profile and look at work exchange opportunities and select those you'd like to do. Those offering the work can then choose you. Search for opportunities in many different ways. Read reviews from others who have done the work for a certain business. Days and times for the work exchanges vary. This is the site Francoise has used and has been very happy with her experiences.
WWOOF. http://wwoofinternational.org/
Work exchange on organic farms.
WWOOF organisations connect people who want to live and learn on organic farms and smallholdings with people who are looking for volunteer help.
WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. Volunteers give hands on help in return.
Help X. http://www.helpx.net/
HelpX is an online listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation.
Team Rubicon http://teamrubiconusa.org/
Go to the site of a disaster to help immediately after the disaster happens.
From the website: Volunteers help at sites of natural disasters through this organization immediately after the event happens. "Bridge the Gap" refers to Team Rubicon's primary mission of providing disaster relief between the moment a disaster happens and the point at which conventional aid organizations respond. The "gap" is primarily time.
I met with Francoise from Boulder, who has made travel her top priority for her entire adult life. She just returned from over 6 months of travel, most recently on work exchange to Ireland (did a website for the castle she lived in), Scotland (worked at a bed & breakfast), New Zealand (made a video), and some months seeing the U.S. She's recently done 5 experiences through Workaway.info and says they've been amazing!
Francoise (www.differenttrails.com) also reports that she travelled more inexpensively than ever because by exchanging her work for living accommodations and meals, she had very little to pay for. And, she made some lifelong friends at each work exchange experience. What skills do you have that you could exchange for foreign hospitality?
On work exchanges, you pay a subscription fee to the website you sign up on to find a placement, but you don't pay for the work exchange itself. You exchange your labor for room and board, usually including food. Below are some work exchange sites.
Workaway.info http://www.workaway.info/
Create your profile and look at work exchange opportunities and select those you'd like to do. Those offering the work can then choose you. Search for opportunities in many different ways. Read reviews from others who have done the work for a certain business. Days and times for the work exchanges vary. This is the site Francoise has used and has been very happy with her experiences.
WWOOF. http://wwoofinternational.org/
Work exchange on organic farms.
WWOOF organisations connect people who want to live and learn on organic farms and smallholdings with people who are looking for volunteer help.
WWOOF hosts offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about organic lifestyles. Volunteers give hands on help in return.
Help X. http://www.helpx.net/
HelpX is an online listing of host organic farms, non-organic farms, farmstays, homestays, ranches, lodges, B&Bs, backpackers hostels and even sailing boats who invite volunteer helpers to stay with them short-term in exchange for food and accommodation.
Team Rubicon http://teamrubiconusa.org/
Go to the site of a disaster to help immediately after the disaster happens.
From the website: Volunteers help at sites of natural disasters through this organization immediately after the event happens. "Bridge the Gap" refers to Team Rubicon's primary mission of providing disaster relief between the moment a disaster happens and the point at which conventional aid organizations respond. The "gap" is primarily time.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
House-sitting and Pet-sitting opportunities in the world
Below are 5 house-sitting/pet-sitting websites to find house-sits in the US and internationally. The descriptions are from a very good travel blog (www.hecktictravels.com) that is not mine.
- The functionality of
the site is one of the best out there. And even though they are fairly new to
the game, they are working hard to be the number one site out there, of which
we are sure they will get there!
- This is the first
website we signed up to, and got us our wonderful house sitting job in
British Columbia. While this site doesn’t have as many listings as others, it
is very easy to use and has the lowest subscription cost.
- The home owner here in
Honduras saw our profile online and contacted us directly through this website.
We have since gotten other home owners tracking us down on here as well. It has
one of the bigger networks of home owners, but the layout and functionality of
this site needs some improvement. The majority of listings on this website are
for Australia.
- This is the only one of
these four websites that doesn’t allow you to peruse all listings for free- you
have to become a paid member to get in their database. It is a popular one though, and also includes
opportunities to take care of and operate functional properties as well (i.e.
bed and breakfasts, etc.)
http://www.sabbaticalhomes.com -
From me: This site is for educators and says it's for all types of housing - house swaps, exchanges, sharing, and rentals. You can also use it if you're not in education. House-swaps are available for $45 fee for 14 months on the site for educators ($65 non-educator). House sits are free to set up for educators. You can see all the listings before you pay the fee.
From me: This site is for educators and says it's for all types of housing - house swaps, exchanges, sharing, and rentals. You can also use it if you're not in education. House-swaps are available for $45 fee for 14 months on the site for educators ($65 non-educator). House sits are free to set up for educators. You can see all the listings before you pay the fee.
Two short articles about housesitting from a great travel blog.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Thinking about the next travel adventure....
Hello to my friends,
I'm still in beautiful Longmont, Colorado and have no big trips planned because I'm working until the first of June, 2014!
I am going to be posting on this blog again, but not travel stories - travel resources. It will be the place where I post ideas for traveling for those who don't want to spend all their time with tour groups.
If you don't want to receive these posts, you can UNSUBSCRIBE to my blog. When you read this in your email, go to the bottom of the screen and click on the Unsubscribe link.
The picture is from my hike today with Cousin Dean at Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park - beautiful!
Happy Holidays to all. Love, Kim
I'm still in beautiful Longmont, Colorado and have no big trips planned because I'm working until the first of June, 2014!
I am going to be posting on this blog again, but not travel stories - travel resources. It will be the place where I post ideas for traveling for those who don't want to spend all their time with tour groups.
If you don't want to receive these posts, you can UNSUBSCRIBE to my blog. When you read this in your email, go to the bottom of the screen and click on the Unsubscribe link.
The picture is from my hike today with Cousin Dean at Rocky Mtn. Nat'l Park - beautiful!
Happy Holidays to all. Love, Kim
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Goodbye Africa
As rafiki yangu Ann wrote to me, this has been a "bad-ass" adventure. It ends today and I am sad to leave but what great memories and new friends I have!
I highly recommend Kenya and Tanzania , Zanzibar, and Mama Rahma's house to anyone who can afford the airfare here. Although I have many more places on my bucket list, I will return to Africa if possible.
Photos: the guys who sit in front of the Zanlink building where I can use free internet. We talked today in Swahili and sometimes used Google translate when I didn't understand.
Some photos from my walk around town this morning.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Return home starts Sunday
Today, Saturday, I leave Abuso Inn in Stone Town to walk to Mama Rahma's home for one more night and it has rained buckets all morning! It is just after noon and it has slowed way down and I can see some blue sky. Yeah!
I would like to enjoy my 1.5 more warm and sunny days here of walking around and sitting by the Indian ocean. I have to be at the Zanzibar airport tomorrow by 2:30 pm and then about 32 hours of getting to Denver will start.
There is a 9 hour time difference between here and Denver also. I will be all mixed up for a while when I get home!
After Tuesday I will have my cell phone and may be awake during normal Denver hours!?! I hope to hear from all my friends, to catch up and to help you if you had flood damage and could use help.
I hope to take photos today at Mama Rahma's and post again but may not because I don't know where I will get to the internet again. Goodbyes are too hard and I have had many of them and they don't get easier.
I will miss the many food places with ocean views where I go in the afternoon to drink a coca cola and study Swahili (photo). And many people, of course.
But I look forward to the hello part of returning home!
Around the island
The pictures:
Ruins of the Old Fort in downtown Zanzibar town. Includes the site of a former slave market.
Kwenda beach in north part of island - every vista looked like paradise. Absolute ly beautiful! But, it was so hot that I stayed in the shade all day except to take a couple walks on the beach.
Red colobus monkeys in the Jozani Rainforest in the east part of the island. the red colobus are pretty but not as big or as showy as the black colobus. That rainforest is protected now. Most of the rest of the island's rainforest has been cut down for a long time. I also went to a turtle sanctuary and a mangrove nearby. Good stuff!
A view of the Zanzibar harbor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)