Mooching off Friends

Now here is the ideal accommodation if you can find it. Trading addresses and invitations is very common among travelers in Europe, and it may be worth changing your plans to accept an invitation. You will probably end up well off the tourist trail and get a glimpse into the real everyday life of your host’s country. If you do accept such hospitality, remember that your hosts will probably be working or going to school and may not have the time to show you around. Plan to arrive on a weekend.

It is also a nice gesture to spend some of the money you’ll save on accommodation to take your friend(s) out, bring a gift when you arrive, or buy a truckload of beer and throw a party that destroys their apartment. It is considered bad form to be given an invitation and then arrive in town six weeks later and expect to be welcomed immediately. A postcard and/or phone call in the interim to alert your future hosts as to your intentions is both smart and polite.