COUCHSURFING

Couchsurfing International Inc. is a Delaware C corporation based in San Francisco that offers its users hospitality exchange and social networking services.

Couchsurfing was founded in 2004 and sold to the private for-profit corporation Better World Through Travel in 2011. The website provides a platform for members to "surf" on couches by staying as a guest at a host's home, host travelers, or join an event.

As of January 2012, the website had 3.6 million members. In March 2013, the website had 6 million members in 100,000 cities worldwide.

Free to register. Members are encouraged to provide information and photos of themselves and of the accommodation they offer, if any. More information provided by a member, and other members, improves the chances that someone will find the member trustworthy enough to be their host or guest. Security is measured in a variety of ways, including member references, verification and the vouching system. Members looking for accommodation can search for hosts using several parameters such as age, location, gender and last login.

Homestays are consensual between the host and guest, and the duration, nature, and terms of the guest's stay are generally worked out in advance. No monetary exchange takes place except sometimes for compensation of incurred expenses (e.g. food). It is common practice for guests to seek non-monetary means to show their appreciation, such as bringing a gift, cooking a meal or teaching a skill.

Couchsurfing provides groups where members may seek travel partners or advice. Members organize activities such as camping trips, bar crawls, meetings, and sporting events.

The website features a searchable database of thousands of upcoming events organized by Couchsurfing members.

Establishing trust

There are three methods Couchsurfing that increase security and trust, which are all visible on member profiles for potential hosts and surfers:

1. Personal references, which hosts and surfers have the option to leave after having used the service to comment on what their experience with person they are leaving a reference for was like. It is also possible to leave neutral or negative references if it is deemed appropriate and negative references are taken very seriously.Negative references are sometimes removed by the site when they are deemed to have been done in a retaliatory or unfair manner. Members tend to rely heavily on references when trying to determine whether another user is "safe" or not.
2. An optional credit card verification system, allowing members to "lock in" their name and mailing address by making a credit card payment under any name and entering a code that Couchsurfing mails to an address of their choice. The verification program is the principal source of revenue for Couchsurfing. In an effort to increase economic fairness, the verification fee is based on a sliding scale, taking into account the Purchasing Power Parity andHuman Development Index of the country of registration. The verification system is widely viewed as heavily flawed and often ignored, since in the end, it only verifies that there is a name attached to a credit card and mailing address. No background safety check is ever performed and information does not need to be updated when someone moves.
3. A personal vouching system, whereby a member that had been vouched for three times — originally starting with the founders of the site — might in turn vouch for any number of other members he knew or had met through Couchsurfing, and can trust..

Here is an example page from Sweden 

https://www.couchsurfing.org/n/places/gothenburg-sweden

Rafters

Rafters- located on Old Mammoth Rd, in Mammoth Lakes CA. With eloquent American cuisine this mammoth landmark has refined the mountain life's pallet, and given the locals a taste of the good life, serving the best happy hour in town, in the laid-back bar and lounge. From $2 Rafters Honey Blond beer, brewed just for Raters by the Mammoth Brewing Co. to half off appetizers and selected dinner menu items. Chef Kerry Mechler has his best foot forward with his exquisite menu paired with an extensive wine list sold by the affordable glass to the aged and refined bottles. Come check out this Mammoth Jewel and rock out every Friday and Saturday night with its live music and rocking staff.

Fruits and Markets of Thailand.

In order to taste my way across Thailand I have happily picked off street carts (and once passing by some locals in a tree) prickly fruits, smelly fruits and indescribable by sight and smell foods. At the top left you see Durian... a fruit so pungent most wont dare open it indoors, It taste like a mushy mango with a stringy texture. On the bottom right you have Snake fruit, the street name for Salacca, due to its unique outer shells texture and feel. it has a funky aroma but with a unique sweet and sour taste that I can not possibly compare to anything well known.   

 On Koh Phangan, the island of the famous Full Moon party, they also have the Night Market on the northern part of the island just a short walk from the main pier....where local vender's come together and cook the local and fresh cuisine, drink, and sell their creations from sculptures made from car parts and unique handstiched bags. Its locals that cook for locals so it is by far the most Baht friendly food and people.

 Longan, it comes on a vine like a grape but you have to peal the tough skin back to reveal its juicy insides that remind me of a tiny Honeydue melon but with a more translucent meat.                       

Mangosteen, its the purple fruit that you should cut open very carefully no not ruin the meat inside or have a go at peeling it just make sure your not wearing white. It has a grape flavor that's light and refreshing but with an, already pealed grape texture, and like grapes look out for the bitter seeds.

THAI MASSAGE

Something as simple as a massage, the first thought that comes to mind is relaxing orsoothing. taking from my massage experience in Indonesia I figured the same thing when it came to all of south east Asia. First day in Thailand, I reminis on the Indo price or ~$7 for an hour long full body massage, and cant wait to get one after my long flight. Too bad we decided to end up in some random part of Bangkok called Siam(the original name for Thailand) where everything was expensive and no one spoke English. It was l local business area with high rise buildings and suits that crowd the streets during the day and African pimps and Thai hookers run the streets at night. Oops, next day we found our way to Khao San rd(a Thai Bourbon street if you will) where we eventually found our way to the islands after a few days.

I finally find my massage. Same price and I think I'm in heaven... until the massage lady get started, if you are an advanced yoga student you could twist into the positions these lady's put you in no problem, but if your an unsuspecting person who wanted to have a relaxing massage it might be a bit more difficult. The massage practitioner leans on the recipient's body using hands and usually straight forearms locked at the elbow to apply firm rhythmic pressure. The massage generally follows the Sen lines on the body—somewhat analogous tomeridians or channels and Indian nadis. Legs and feet of the giver can be used to fixate the body or limbs of the recipient. In other positions, hands fixate the body, while the feet do the massaging action. A full Thai massage session typically lasts two hours or more, and includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body; this may include pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking the knuckles, walking on the recipient's back, and arching the recipient into bhujangasana (or cobra position). There is a standard procedure and rhythm to this massage.

           After having had a few of these we mat some friends while we were headed to Koh Phangan, Grant Perryman and Hei Tung M. Grant(not having had a Thai Massage before apologized ahead of time for falling asleep during the massage. When the rest of us heard this we knew it was his first time and laughed with a sarcastic "good luck" tone.... he was in for a treat.

      

          Even though parts of you will crack you didn't know could, you will feel great after just don't expect to fall asleep and remember to stay loose and just go with it.

WINTER IS OVER

WALPURGIS EVE

APRIL 30TH

Throughout winter we all tend to pack on things, from wight to objects, from house project to weeds in the gardening.  In Sweden we celebrate the coming of spring by throwing all the junk we have acquired throughout the winter on to community wide bon fires all over the country and melt away the long winter. 

The current festival is, in most countries that celebrate it, named after the English missionary Saint Walpurga. As Walpurga was canonized on 1 May, she became associated with May Day, especially in the Finnish and Swedish calendars. The eve of May Day, traditionally celebrated with dancing, came to be known as Walpurgisnacht ("Walpurga's night"). Valborgsmässoafton in Swedish, and Vappu in Finnish.

Bonfires and singingFor students, Walpurgis Eve is freedom. On the last day of April, the students sport their characteristic white caps and sing songs of welcome to spring, to the budding greenery and to a brighter future. Choral singing is a popular pastime in Sweden, and on Walpurgis Eve virtually every choir in the country is busy. In every village and neighbourhood, bonfires are lit at dusk, and everyone has experienced that rosy red glow in your face from the heat of the fire and the freezing cold at your back. The spring sun may keep you warm, but when it sets the nights are still chilly.

A dish to warm you up at a time like this is nettle soup. Nettles are, of course, a weed. They quickly appear when the snow melts, contain large amounts of iron and are best when young and fresh. 

Party or May Day demonstration?

Walpurgis celebrations are not a family occasion but rather a public event, and local groups often take responsibility for organizing them to encourage community spirit in the village or neighborhood. 
Once the fire dies, many people move on to pubs and restaurants or to friends’ parties. The fact that Walpurgis Eve is followed by 1 May — a public holiday in Sweden since 1939 — means that people are not afraid of partying into the night. 
Those who wish to can sleep throughout the following day(thats what i did), while others mark this traditional workers’ day of leave by joining one or other of the May Day demonstrations that parade through the streets of their town or village, beneath banners carrying slogans of a classical or more topical nature.

LAST NIGHT IN THAILAND

 My last nIght (and now alone) In ThaIland. 
I have decIded to do all the thIng you can't do wIth others, or If you do It's stIll and IndIvIdual thIng to do. I pamper the crap out of myself lIke the gIrl I am.
     let me just say thIs and get It out there, I almost crIed a few tImes and deffInetly screeched quIte a bIt. 
      For one In ThaIland they have a fIsh spa, you put your feet Into a fIsh tank and a bunch of tIny fIsh come and nIbble on your feet untIll all the dead skIn Is gone! It tIckled so much I couldn't help but let my joy slip out In bursts of laughter fIlled screams. although I must say after 15 mInuts my feel feel lIke a baby's ass.
 

     Next I decIded to get a full facIal, though whIch I went on a rollercoster of emotions  ThIs only beIng my second one In my lIfe(the fIrst when I was 14). I was relaxed wIth the oIl, scrub and face massage, on the verge or tears whIle they scrapped my pores for dIrt, about to drowned on land from the vapor fan they use to open up your pores and hungry once they put all those fresh cucumbers all over my face. 
      Why women pay so much for thIs I'll never understand but thIs whole evenIng set me back about $12.50. And that I don't mInd.