<img style="float: left;" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2015/sep/the-guide-logo.gif" alt="" width="150" height="36" />City-based entrepreneur Mulchand Dedhia created a profile on Couchsurfing.com back in 2010 but became active on the social networking platform &mdash; that annually supports four million surfers &mdash; only in 2012. Since then, the avid traveller has ticked off Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Poland, Amsterdam, France and Austria from his bucket list.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/mar/03travel.jpg" alt="" />
For each visit, he used the help of the portal to find that perfect couch and a host who would act as his local guide. "In Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), I ended up spending a day more because of host who helped me explore the city like a resident," says 30-year-old Dedhia, who will share his experiences at a travel meet-up, Around The World In A Backpack, this Saturday.
Also read: <a href="http://www.mid-day.com/articles/6-points-plan-to-pull-off-a-budget-trip/71884" target="_blank">6 points plan to pull off a budget trip</a>
<img title="Mulchand Dedhia with his host Zsuzsa Bakonyi at a restaurant in Budapest" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/mar/03Mulchand-Dedhia.jpg" alt="Mulchand Dedhia with his host Zsuzsa Bakonyi at a restaurant in Budapest" /> Mulchand Dedhia with his host Zsuzsa Bakonyi at a restaurant in Budapest
Hosted by Dedhia and friend, Rodrigo Canelas from Portugal &mdash; who is also the founder of Tribe In Action, a community supporting long-term travellers &mdash; the event&rsquo;s main attraction is a talk by Emily Zanier, a French travel blogger who has visited 65 countries and attended 100 events, including the Olympics, for free. "The idea is to inspire people to travel. Couchsurfing will be a part of it too," informs Dedhia, who has hosted 45 couchsurfers at his studio apartment in Bandra.
Why couchsurfing works Though not a new trend, couchsurfing remains a go-to option for many travellers, even in times of cheap accommodations on portals such as Airbnb. Dedhia reasons, "You might want to book a hotel if you are looking for a three-day stay. Couch-surfing works wonders if you are keen to travel for a longer duration or if you&rsquo;re on a budget because it&rsquo;s completely free. Plus, you get an opportunity to make lifelong connections." He cites an instance: "Recently, Zsuzsa Bakonyi, a Hungarian lady who had hosted me during my travel to Budapest, couchsurfed at my place for 15 days.
<img src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/mar/sea-rest.jpg" alt="" />
I ended up conducting a photography workshop with her because we share a common interest, and even made money out of it."
On: March 5, 6 pm At: Radio Bar, ground floor, Hotel New Castle, Linking Road, next to Satguru, Bandra (W). Entry: Free and open to all
Smart tips &gt;&gt;&nbsp;Study a host&rsquo;s profile before sending the request. Read the testimonials too. &gt;&gt;&nbsp;Do not expect five-star treatment and don&rsquo;t misuse the property just because the stay is free. &gt;&gt;&nbsp;Allow the host to show you around. &gt;&gt;&nbsp;Avoid accepting requests from travellers with incomplete profiles. Also, crosscheck their social networking profiles via Google. &gt;&gt; Often, people use couchsurfing as a pitstop when they have connecting flights. That&rsquo;s not the objective of the experience.
I hosted a traveller from Cura&ccedil;ao. Until then I hadn&rsquo;t heard of the country Couchsurfer: Frazan Kotwal Couch count: Hamburg, Gothenburg, Berlin, Prague, Verona, Milan, Barcelona and Vienna among others As an Opera singer, 23-year-old Kotwal has lived out of a suitcase and has couched in most parts of Eastern Europe for the last few years. 
<img title="Frazan Kotwal with Bulgarian friends in their traditional attire" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/2016/mar/Frazan-Kotwal-with-Bulgaria.jpg" alt="Frazan Kotwal with Bulgarian friends in their traditional attire" /> Frazan Kotwal with Bulgarian friends in their traditional attire 
He observes, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to get a couch in bigger cities during peak season but in smaller towns, people are more welcoming. A host in Bulgaria invited me to his 2,000-metre high mountain cabin, 50 kms away from the capital, Sofia. I trekked a mountain and stayed there for four nights. It was surreal.&rdquo;
 Having hosted surfers too, he shares, &ldquo;Once I hosted a traveller from Cura&ccedil;ao. Until then I hadn&rsquo;t even heard of the country. It was a learning experience.&rdquo;

Travel Calendar: (March 2016)

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Mumbai's couchsurfers share tips on how you can travel for free

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