Couch Trip

There's a lot of talk about how the GFC (it's got its own initialism now so it must be serious) will make 09 the year of the naycation. But smart folks will always find ways to travel. Take the ever enterprising Brian Thacker who is about to launch Sleeping Around, his rip-snorting account of couchsurfing the world.

Brian heads off around the globe to see how far he can get by lobbing on people's sofas and asking them to show him around. Thanks to some great couchsurfing sites, Brian doesn't have to ask some bloke he met in an Iceland pub to let him doss, but he does meet some great characters along the way. Good couchsurfing sites let you browse the profiles of people who are offering their couches and include comments from previous guests. few of these comments say hosts are axe murderers.

Brian's launching his book as part of the Melbourne Couchsurfing Festival tonight. And if you find yourself too boozed-up after the event, he can suggest plenty of places to crash afterwards.