Everyone loves the thrill of going on vacation.
It’s a time away from home, a well-deserved break from work and, most of all, a great time to explore what the world has to offer.
There are always those little unexpected occurrences along the way, though, that tend to make every vacation a little less “vacation-like.”
A delayed or missed flight, the crazy prices and restrictions on renting cars and, of course, the obscene prices of food around the world can put a damper on things.
Probably the biggest expensive for the average traveler is the price of lodging.
Ranging from $50 to hundreds of dollars a night, a hotel room is sure to be the most expensive part of any vacation.
A new social network called “Tripping” has set out to change just that.
Built off of the model of Facebook, Tripping allows travelers to find and meet fellow “explorers,” to set up events, coffee dates or even arrange for lodging at a native’s house.
You can specify if you are looking for males or females, choose an age range and even select which language you are looking for in a host home.
Tripping also allows Facebook users to login to their account through the website so all their information is already set into Tripping’s servers.
Currently, the Tampa Bay Area has eight hosts, each of whom can decide to broadcast on their profile whether or not they are willing to “host” or not at the moment.
Similar to the design of Facebook, the user can add a profile picture, include photos, have friends and even include references to verify their intentions.
Heidi, a “tripper” right here in Tampa, has included a brief description of herself: “I have a passion for film and a love of cultures — I’m observant and inquisitive, knowing that pursuing any itch for adventure brings an opportunity to learn, to teach, to become aware, to unify.”
A member since November 2010, Heidi has made everything from her workplace to education public for other trippers to see.
Requests can range from meeting up and discussing favorite vacation spots, to inquiring into somewhere to stay during a trip.
Tripping describes itself as “a global community of travelers,” and says, “We believe that cultural exchange makes the world a better place and we use Tripping to connect with each other.”
Justin Justice, a University of Tampa freshman says, “There is no way I would let a stranger stay in my house; the world is too dangerous for that nowadays. Nice thought, but I couldn’t handle it.”
Currently in its beta version, the developers of Tripping acknowledge that there are bugs and fixes that need to be worked around, but are open to suggestions from users on how to improve as they develop and expand Tripping into a popular website for travelers around the world.
For more information, visit http://www.tripping.com.
Todd Sanborn can be reached at toddalan@me.com.