With this post I share my experiences with some of the platforms of the “shared economy”. Being part of the infamous “generation Y” which puts great interest and emphasis on sharing things & services instead of buying them- I also tried out several apps and I was amazed by the outcomes- where one of them is a close frienship. I’m also curious about your stories! Who did you meet with any of the plaforms and did they have a negative or postiv impact on you?
Great friendship thanks to Blabla car!
What has this picture to do with the car-pooling app “Blabla car”? Here you can offer your car ride and others can join you and you share the costs for the ride.
I met Angie on my way from the Dutch town where I currently study because she was offering a ride from there to Hamburg. Perfect for me! When I entered her car I already noticed her stickers on her vehicle which were all related to horse-riding. So my opening phrase was that I asked her if she would be an equestrian-just like me. As you can imagine if you place two horsey girls in car together for a car drive of 4 hours, things solve themselves. From this moment onwards we have been friends, now I consider her as one of my closest and most beloved friends. Back in the Netherlands as we both lived there she offered me to ride her horse (Angie? Thank you so much again for all your patience and trust, I loved looking after Chapeau!) We partied together in Germany and the Netherlands, went on outrides and had numerous laughing-attacks toegther!
We always joke around that it has been destiney that we met, of course it all could be coincidence but I strongy believe that sometimes we “have to” meet people along our journey because the teach us certain things or we are supposed to share a speficic period in our life with them.
Couchsurfing host- Offering me a shoulder to cry on
My first couchsurfing experience I had during my first solo-travel where I visited Uruguay.
On this platform you sign up and offer your couch or extra bed as accomodation possibility for travellers, without any costs! There are also always plenty of events organised by members of the community where you meet up with others in different cities. I also used it once in Paris to spend some time with nice people.
I was super excited but also a bit nervous to stay over at Daniel’s home, he lives on the country side on a farm. But he had so many good ratings and lovely comments of people who have stayed at his place- I had to go there as well 🙂 He helped me so much with the further planning of my trip I cannot thank him enough! I was basically stranded at his place as the next day there was a national holiday where the busses only ran irregularly. But I had to be at the horse farm where I booked a room and wanted to ride for 2 days. Overwhelmed by all this I started crying, while we were sitting on a bench in his home town. And he did the thing which I needed the most: he gave me a big hug and told me that he will help me figure this out! Several calls and a few visits to the local bus companies offices later and he saved my trip! When I wasn’t crying (:P) we cooked an amazing Spanish rice dish together with another couchsurfing girl from Spain, drank Mate and cruised around on his motor cycle!
I can only recommend and ecourage my fellow travellers to join and try out those lovely online communities which are out there- they will for surely enrich your life as a traveller, and who knows maybe even beyond.
Let me know your stories with any of those plaforms 🙂
“Wherever you go-go with all your heart” <3
