The term "couch-surfing" may conjure up some crazy images of furniture on the high seas but the reality is no less exciting for those in Hawke's Bay who are taking part in the movement.
Couch-surfing is an international system where hosts provide a couch for visitors from around the world to
sleep on and in Hawke's Bay there is no shortage of willing hosts.
Local fans of the cheap and adventurous way to travel gathered at a coffee shop this week to welcome the Family Couch Surfing ambassador, Winfried Deijmann, from Norway.
In Hawke's Bay, there are 92 people who either "surf" their way around the world or offer "surfers" a place to rest when they come to New Zealand.
Napier couch surfer Lorna Brindle had found it a great way to meet people. She has surfed in Eastern Europe, staying with her partner in a flat so small she called it laughable, and also managing to share it with other travellers.
Local host Max Neumegen said the system worked on trust.
Travellers and hosts had profiles on the internet and people could check them out before making plans.
Couch-surfing also offered people a chance to meet like-minded people and hosts were often willing to give their guests a peek into the real heart of their hometown.
Napier couch host Anneliese Hough had seven couch surfers stay with her family over Christmas.
"I'm building up credits," Ms Hough said.
"My house has been named The Mad Hostel."
The visitors had never experienced a summer Christmas and had to take part in the traditional family water fight, she said.
At this week's coffee meeting, Mr Deijmann told the story of how he had become a couch-surfer.
He had planned to travel with his son but when he was ditched for the son's new girlfriend was left wondering "now what".
"I remembered this couch-surfing thing and I thought 'why not give it a try'," Mr Deijmann said.
His best couch surfing experience was at a home in Brittany, France. "I found this area and thought 'this can't be right'. It's a big villa right on the coast. The couch was in fact a fantastic suite."
For more information, check out www.couchsurfing.org.
