7 ms·
How I Travelled Across The World For Free Using Nothing But Google+
- petercooper 13y agoI know a guy called Ramon Stoppelenburg who did this back in 2001 using the then similarly new medium of blogging without spending a penny: http://letmestayforaday.com/ http://letmestayforaday.com/ .. he lasted about two years on the road just "staying for a day" at people's homes. He now runs a movie theater in Phnom Penh of all things :-)
- pearjuice 13y agoIf Google desperately needs a G+ user base, why don't they run a few text ads on all their home pages? Like a line or three right under the search bar with the localized trending posts on Google+.
- sliverstorm 13y agoHe hasn't done it yet.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- tinbad 13y agoIn general a very interesting experiment. Assuming this is not a Google PR thing, why limit yourself to only the G+ community though? There's lots of other communities to connect with interesting people (HN could be one of them).
- minimaxir 13y agoSecond paragraph: Why? Because I wanted to show the world that #GooglePlusIsNotAGhostTown and why this platform is different than all of the others. Google+ is like a baseball team, apparently. One that usually doesn't win. So the Pittsburgh Pirates, then.
- johncampbelljr 13y agoYou picked the wrong year to make a Pirates joke.
- minimaxir 13y agoHence the "usually." :P
- BrandonMarc 13y agoAssuming this is not a Google PR thing I would frankly just stop right there. This smells too much like the couple in the RV visiting walmarts across the USA and blogging about it. I smell astroturfing. Maybe it's just me.
- kaybe 13y agoEspecially since there are plenty of specialized communities like couchsurfing.org around..
- minimaxir 13y agoIs it possible to travel across the world for FREE using nothing but +Google+ and a whole lot of hugs? There's a significant opportunity cost associated with hugs.
- tzakrajs 13y agoI was going to say, I would rather just spend the money.
- OvidNaso 13y ago>Why? Because I wanted to show the world that #GooglePlusIsNotAGhostTown I'm more likely to be skeptical seeing as how there is a "Join Google+" banner following me across the entire page.
- MichaelApproved 13y agoThat's because it was published on Google+. It's part of the platform.
- Sagat 13y agoNice ad.
- jangozo 13y agoI used to follow this guy before he started begging. The title should be renamed as: Michael Lee Johnson - The Social Beggar
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- ivanbrussik 13y agoSo this guy is free loading across the world (not even for charity)...that's the deal? Havn't we already proved Google was fairly large?
- graeme 13y agoAnyone know how influential Google+ author ranking is in the SERP results for Google? This guy now has a PR 4 on his Google+ page
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- ninjazee124 13y agoSounds like a PR stunt, why else would he care so much to prove that G+ is not a ghost town? What next, Myspace?
- vertis 13y agoAfter reading for a bit, it became apparent that the title is misleading. This guy from England has indeed made it half way across Europe, but he has hardly traveled the world.
- sliverstorm 13y agoNot only does he have yet to complete his circumnavigation of the globe, his experiment was stonewalled in Athens for the gross majority of the time he spent abroad, and he then bailed back to the UK.
- ojbyrne 13y agoAlso there's no indication anyone is paying for his flights, buses, ferries, etc.
- ChuckMcM 13y agoGenerally these things feel awkward to me. I wouldn't be surprised if this guy is getting a stipend/support from Google since it is great PR for them (although I think the blogging rules would require he disclose it). I enjoyed the youtube videos of the guy dancing all over the world, that was just fun.
- thinkpad20 13y ago"London, Paris, Amsterdam, Harderwijk, Emsdetten, Munster, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Milan, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Athens, courtesy of Google+ users from one side of the world to the other." So one side of the world is England, and the other is Bulgaria?
- minimaxir 13y agoIt's a small world, after all.
- gesman 13y agoNobody uses Google Plus anymore. It's too crowded :)
- acjohnson55 13y agoNot to be a hater, but it sounds kind like mooching on an incredible scale. I hope at least he's planning to provide something in return for all the hospitality he intends to receive.
- MichaelApproved 13y agoNone of the hosts seem to be asking for anything in return, why are you?
- acjohnson55 13y agoI just think it's right to go out intending to give as much as you plan to take (or more), whether required or not.
- MichaelApproved 13y agoThe hosts are probably getting enjoyment from hosting this guy. That's their payment. Some people enjoy the company of others and might also feel this is an adventure. I don't think anyone feels like they're being taken advantage of.
- ivanbrussik 13y agoI see he is deleting negating comments.
- shire 13y agoEither this guy is very lucky or something seems fishy here, how does he manage to get free hospitality by so many people to just invite a stranger to stay with them, I can't help but wonder if google is behind this somehow.
- sharkweek 13y agoI spent a decent amount of time country-hopping after college. I can assure you, if you're friendly, the hospitality of others is endless. Particularly of note was Central America -- you could just get off at a bus stop, wander to the nearest cafe and people would be throwing themselves at you to hang out and chat. I had my guard up at first, but after a while it got so normal that it wasn't uncommon to find myself on some random person's couch/floor for a night/week here and there.
- shire 13y agoNevertheless, it's 2013 people are to concerned with security and threat, I would be nervous to bring a stranger into my home I'm not familiar with let alone a family allowing this kind of hospitality would be strange but that's just my opinion.
- jotm 13y ago"Concerned with security and threat" - not really the case in Europe... As for hospitality, people always seem to enjoy something/someone new in their daily lives - as long as you're friendly and don't overstay your welcome, you'll always find someone to show you the city and give you a place to crash for a few days. Westerners (esp. Americans) are a curiosity and don't seem threatening at all (what with the smiles and politeness) - no Hungarian, Bulgarian or Turk will ever think you're a threat when you're alone and they've got a whole neighborhood to back them :-D.