I believe in karma, traveller’s karma – a destiny or fate, following an effect from cause.
If you’re in the backpacker / traveller space you will be aware of websites such as ‘couchsurfing.com’. It’s a volunteer-based worldwide network connecting travellers with members of local communities, who offer free accommodation and/or advice. In short, if you have a room, space for a tent in your garden, or even a couch, you can offer it up on the site for backpackers. In exchange, you have access to a worldwide network of free accommodation ready for your next backpacking trip. No money exchanges hands and providing you have a good experience, whichever side of the fence you’re on, everyone’s a winner.
Over the last 10 years we’ve helped out a number of fellow travelling friends, and friends of friends. In St Albans our lovely Aussie mates came and crashed for a few weeks whilst they got acquainted with the area and subsequently decided to stay and found work. In Mumbai our friends friend from America completed his 3 month backpacking trip around India with a 4 night break with us, complete with guided tours and lots of good food (the poor guy had lost over 13kg during his trip and looked in desperate need of being nourished) and on another occasion a friend of a friend crashed with us for a few nights on her way back from Goa.
When we’d settled in Kuala Lumpur we invited a backpacking family, who I’d met through my 2011 travel blog, to come and stay with us for some home comforts. When they had completed their backpacking adventure they invited us to stay with them in Sydney. A friendship was formed, strengthened by our love of travel.
But is certainly hasn’t been one sided. When we were backpacking on our extended trip we received a huge amount of generosity from our friends in Asia and Australia, even more generous as we came with a baby. We could no longer claim to be the guest “you won’t even notice we’re here,” particularly as our son was teething or leaving a trail of destruction with his newly found walking skills and inquisitive hands.
But in all of these scenarios, the sentiment has been the same; nothing is expected in return, instead the goodwill is passed to someone else.
So if you would like to get involved and host a travelling tribe who are visiting your home town/city, then add your details to the 2018 travel post, which can be found below (click the button). The thread is also linked at the top of the pinned post in the Facebook group.
It allows families who are backpacking to tap into local knowledge, to enhance their travel experience, and gives the host family the opportunity to meet like minded families who LOVE travel. And who doesn’t enjoy having a good conversation about travel destinations?
So what are you waiting for? Let’s keep the goodwill moving.
