Toronto: CouchSurfin' Safari

I'm still experimenting with nomad-ery, trying to find what works best. During my stint in San Francisco, I rented rooms that I found through CraigsList. That worked well, but for Toronto, I wanted to try something different. I decided that for the month, I would couch surf -- stay with locals and move every few days or so.

Why? This may sound cold and calculating, but I wanted to expand my friend network. Traveling is easier and more fun when you know people in the places you're going. The more travelers you meet, the greater chances that they'll know someone, who'll know someone, who can put you up and show you around a new town. I met some really good folks in San Francisco, but in Toronto I wanted to really up the ante. More people!

With my friend Gail, I hit the jackpot. She knows everybody, is active locally and globally, and has extensive knowledge of ... well, everything travel-related. I've stayed with her and with friends of hers. She's shown me around and introduced me to a ton of people. Score.

I also posted a message to CouchSurfing.org's Toronto Couch Needed group with a few questions. A very decent and well-traveled fellow named Rob followed up with me, and I'm currently staying in a guest room in his peaceful feng shui home. Like me, he's a remote-working professional who spent a year traveling the world. His walls are covered with beautiful photographs that he took all over. Color me impressed.

Gail and I decided to road-trip to Montreal last weekend. We got on the CouchSurfing website, found a host there for 2 nights, and had a really fabulous experience. (Hi, Nathalie!) Our host took us in at 3am Friday night, then immediately took us out for fresh Montreal bagels! Nathalie told us all the best restaurants and cafes, things to do and see, and where to get the best poutine (La Banquise, mentioned by name in the Wikipedia article about poutine). Gail and I both have open invitations to stay with her the next time we're in Montreal.

 
Mont Royal in Montreal.

Couch-surfing hasn't been all roses, though. Late last week I was suffering from extreme exhaustion, and I began to feel that couch-surfing wasn't agreeing with me. But after a few days, it became painfully obvious that I had just caught a stomach bug, and once that cleared up, my enthusiasm for couch-surfing returned.

Even so, I can see that while on the road, I'll need to mix my surfing up with rentals. Sometimes it's just really nice to have your own space. But for building a friend network and getting the most out of a new place, it's hard to beat couch-surfing.

Surf's up!