Blue skies at the touch of a button without breaking the bank

Travel might broaden the mind, but it also has a sneaky tendency to lighten the wallet. Travel writer Clare O’Reilly fills you in on how you can use the powers of the internet to plan a holiday with a difference.

Ah, the internet. Where would we be without it? When it’s not leaking government secrets, it’s making gods out of cats. And for the adventurously-minded among us, it’s also making it easier, and cheaper, to go out and explore the weird and wonderful world that lies outside our smart phones.

Here are three websites that promise to broaden your horizons without sending your bank balance into NAMA territory.

1. Airbnb.com

Airbnb (pronounced Air B&B) was founded in 2008 when three enterprising young men, struggling to pay the sky-high rent on their San Francisco apartment, decided to kit out their living room with air mattresses (thereby putting the ‘air’ in Airbnb) and turn it into a bed and breakfast. Airheads they were not, and though the mattresses have long been put to bed, their website now hosts over 34,000 members’ properties in over 192 countries.

How does it work?

The Airbnb website connects you to local people who are renting out their spare bedrooms, and in some cases, spare apartments and houses.

Why do it?

It makes some extra cash for the occupants, and can save quite a bit for the guests too, since most of the lodgings are self-catering. The beauty of Airbnb lies in the fact that there’s often an option for every price range. So if you want to live it up in a castle, you can, or if your travel needs extends to an overnight stay in a box room in the suburbs near the airport, that’s there too, and priced accordingly.

How likely are you to wake up without a kidney?

Not very likely at all. To use Airbnb you must register with the website and create an online profile.

You can verify your profile by linking it to your Facebook account or by scanning in official identification documents.

Every Airbnb user is asked to leave a review of their experience and these reviews are linked to the listings, so make sure to consult these reviews before booking to avoid any nasty surprises.

It’s also possible to exchange messages with the owners of the properties, giving you the opportunity to ask lots of questions.

Anything else I should know?

The prices look great on first reading, but remember that Airbnb charge a 6% to 12% surcharge on top of the quoted nightly fee. There can also be a cleaning fee on top of that too. If you love gawking at the interiors of people’s homes but not the restraining orders that come with such a pastime, the very swish website is also good for a daydreaming binge.

2. Couchsurfing.org

What’s it all about?

There are over a million active couchsurfers in over 100,000 cities all over the world. The original Couchsurfing website was founded in 2003. Its motto: “Participate in creating a better world, one couch at a time.”

How does it work?

The idea is simple, if a little terrifying-seeming on first reading. As a couchsurfing host, you open up your couch or your spare room to the world. Potential guests (or surfers) will email you to ask if they can come and stay. You can agree or disagree at your discretion. No money exchanges hands.

Why do it?

Couchsurfing can be a great way of travelling cheaply, but the fact that it’s free should not be what motivates you to try it. It is really about making new friends and escaping the tourist traps. It’s a way of seeing a city through the eyes of a local. You’ll need to like people, and have a very open mind.

I’ve used couchsurfing a few times and only have positive things to report.

My first and most memorable couchsurfing experience was in Toulouse. My host was a 28-year-old architect called Alice. She made myself and my travelling companion, Katie, a delicious dinner, invited her friends around to dine with us, and then, after a bottle of wine or three, gave us a crash-course in the filthiest French words she knew. We finished the night at the local bar, where I tested my newly expanded vocabulary to trés mixed results.

Will I wake up sans kidneys?

If you do your homework, ask lots of questions and are choosy about who you let stay with you and whom you ask to stay with, there’s a very high chance you’ll come away with not just your kidneys, but a good story, and maybe even some new friends too.

3. WWOOF.org

I can’t really pin this one entirely on the internet, as the work-exchange programme WWOOF has been around since the 1970s.

WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It was founded in England by a young secretary called Sue Coppard. Coppard, a secretary living in London, wanted to arrange a way for city dwellers to go out into the country on weekends to learn about organic farming principles. Today, there are WWOOFing hosts in close to 100 countries worldwide.

How does it work?

With organisations like WWOOF (and non-organic work-exchange organisations like HelpX and Workaway) you volunteer for a set number of hours a day in exchange for food and lodgings.

Why do it?

It’s a great way to get off the tourist trail and live the life of the local farmers. If you’re interested in organic farming, it’s an invaluable way to pick up skills, and the meals tend to be pretty delicious as well. I’ve used WWOOF and HelpX to travel in France and Spain and as a result can add ‘Exotic cat-sitter’ and ‘Proficient in milking cows’ to my CV.

Chances of waking up kidneyless?

If you’ve done your research and asked lots of questions in advance, you’re more likely to wake up with a sore back and a farmer’s tan.

Words of Caution

With all of these online ventures, in order to stay safe, it really is important that you do as much research as possible. When I’m travelling alone, or with another female, and I want to couchsurf, I’ll only contact females hosts. Over the top, maybe, but it makes me feel that bit more secure. Another travel tip is to make sure your family or friends know exactly where you will be saying and that they have the name and contact information of your host.

Now go out there and enjoy yourselves

Of course if you want to come across as extremely adventurous, you can always keep these safety precautions to yourself.

You wouldn’t want to ruin the mystique, would you? So when casual acquaintances inquire as to where exactly you are staying, and who with, feel free to answer breezily, “I have no idea, I just go where the wind takes me,” and then float mysteriously off into the distance. Bonus points if you float off in the direction the wind is blowing at that very second (I keep a mini weather-vane in my pocket for just such a situation).

Bon voyage.

WEBSITES:

airbnb.com; couchsurfing.org; wwoof.org; helpx.net; workaway.org