Sleeping Around: A Couch Surfing Tour Around the Globe

Brian Thacker, the author, strikes me as an adventurous party animal. Either that, or alcohol is one of the only ways that all the cultures around the world can relate to each other, because he drinks with his hosts in every country. It's something I both envy and don't care for, because I'm sure that alcohol tastes different depending on the chemicals and the various ways it's made, so it really is a cultural artifact, but I can't drink, so it's not something I can partake in.

Still, aside from the drink connoisseur-ism of this global trek, there's also the different ways in which a couch surfing host can entertain his guest, and vice versa. To be a good guest, Brian must relate to the stories that his hosts are telling him, and sometimes try foods or practices that he may not be a fan of. There was that rancid shark from Iceland, which smelled bad and didn't taste great. There was also the practice of speaking of women as barter items in the poorer parts of South Africa.

This was easy and relaxing to read. He narrates his experiences with a witty sense of humor that most people versed in English would relate to, and he speaks of the different versions of English you can find in England, Australia, America. There are also other countries that have English as a second language, and therefore would also have their own versions of English simply due to some cultural barrier that can create hilarity or gross misunderstandings. I've been through some of that.

As travel writing goes, I think he makes each country he visits sound welcoming, even though he stays honest about the experiences that he'd rather not go through again. He also touts couch surfing as a great way for citizens of the world to connect, and while I agree with him, the world is probably safer for some citizens rather than others. Still, maybe one day I'll do something like this with a friend in mid life or after retirement.