网际旅游

Budget Travel Online 五月份登出一篇文章, The ultimate guide to free travel(免费旅游的终极指引), 介绍了许多免费旅游的另类方法, 很有意思, 摘引如下, 算是个资料参考.

1. House-sitting (替人看房)

Caretaker.org
posts more than 1,000 house-sitting openings per year, most of which are in the U.S. ($30 per year to see listings).

housecarers.com
listed 226 opportunities, including 82 in Australia ($32).

housesitworld.com
homeowners can search for registered sitters with availability and skills that match their needs ($40).

sabbaticalhomes.com
the houses are all left behind by academics on teaching assignments (free for house sitters, from $25 to post a home).

2. Hiking trail volunteers (义务维护远足小径)

cdtrail.org
The Continental Divide Trail Alliance runs two-to-seven-day trips with catered meals at A-list national parks such as Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone and Glacier.

pnt.org
the Pacific Northwest Trail Association focuses on a path leading from Washington’s Olympic Mountains into Montana

appalachiantrail.org
From Maine to Georgia, volunteers can join one- or two-week trips organized by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

3. Sister city exchanges (姐妹城市交换计划)

sister-cities.org
With a primary goal of promoting cultural understanding, Sister Cities International is a nonprofit network that partners hundreds of U.S. cities with international “sister” cities that have similar climates, industries or populations

4. Home swapping (住家交换计划?)

Home exchange services charge $35–$80 per year, and by joining more than one club you obviously increase your chances. Reputable companies with listings worldwide include:

digsville.com
gti-home-exchange.com
homeexchange.com
intervacus.comext
ihen.comexternal link
swapnow.com

5. Hospitality exchanges (借宿)

Couchsurfing.com
In business since 2004 and already home to 50,000 members, has the most technically advanced search ability.

HospitalityClub.org
currently has more than 100,000 members. It features the most comprehensive security procedures; before being accepted as guests, travelers must provide full names and passport numbers.

Globalfreeloaders.com
with nearly 35,000 members, pushes the idea of hosting as much as freeloading, advising members not to accept a free stay unless they can host within six months.

6. Workampers (开着RV打零工)

workamper.com
more than 500 employers posted summer jobs aimed at RVers

7. Trade a day in the fields for room and board(农场工换吃住计划)

wwoof.org
Nonprofit organization World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms compiles a country-by-country list of participating farms.

8. Network your way to somewhere exciting(利用圈子人际关系)

rotary.org
Rotary Club is huge and international, with more than 1.2 million members and 32,000 clubs in 168 countries

呵呵, 相信你看了之后一定拍拍脑袋有些失望地说, 没有免费午餐啊? 当然,要不怎么说有些另类呢. 我不知道大家是否有机会利用以上方式”免费”旅游, 不过如果你年轻有时间有精力想交朋友畅游世界的话, 不妨考虑一下, 因为这世界上还有许多和你一样的人. 如果你象我一样不年轻没时间拖家带口精力不足怎么办? 起码你可以YY一下如果自己年轻的话, 然后现实点, 更珍惜一下如今流逝的时光.