It all started with a bet. In July 2014, two friends and I launched The Sharing Bros project and set off for a crazy adventure. We traveled from Vancouver, Canada to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil using only the collaborative economy. We produced 11 videos to share our adventures.
In seven months of traveling, we’ve interviewed over 70 leaders of the collaborative scene including the founder of Couchsurfing, a Brazilian maker, a Colombian farmer, a fervent WWOOFing amateur, and also the founder of Shareable. We also discovered over 40 collaborative businesses.
We've personally tested and shortlisted a dream team of travel tools for you—seven apps that will change the way you travel forever.
1. Couchsurfing – Meet locals and sleep for free
If you’re into instantaneous cultural immersion, you’re going to love Couchsurfing. You’ll be propelled into a local’s life, who will be hosting you just for the fun of sharing a good time. Authenticity: check. Affordability: check. Hospitality: check. Comfort: Who knows? You never know what you'll get exactly. Every experience is unique. In Vancouver, we ended up in a house with 30 other Couchsurfers. In Mexico, a guy took us to swim with whale sharks. The list goes on. Welcome to the hospitality lottery!
2. Airbnb – To feel at home away from home
Want to find “home sweet home” anywhere in the world? Good news—these days you can instantly rent a room or house from a peer and potential friend. Sometimes, it can simply be a matter of finding a place to sleep, but it can also be a good way to meet people. That dashing young chap in the video who hosted us in San Francisco? We met up with him for a beer when he popped by Paris. Also check out Home Exchange and Homestay.
3. Feastly – To share a good meal with a local
Let’s say you arrive in Chicago. You love food and people, but you don’t know where to start in a city of three million. Look no further than Feastly. The platform allows you to share a homemade meal with new friends cooked by a local chef. In San Francisco, Nadine spoiled us with a succulent beef “cuit sous-vide” which we enjoyed with a joyful bunch of Californians.
4. Spinlister – To rent out sports gear for cheap
Let’s say you’re on vacation and looking for a bike, snowboard, or surfboard. The bad news is that it would cost you about $80 per day at the local rental shop. But don’t panic! You can now rent your gear directly from a local. In Los Angeles, we rented out Hilary’s board for $18 or ¼ of the normal rental price and she also pointed us to the best local surf spots. Also check out GearCommons in the US. Winner winner, chicken dinner.
5. Tripda – Split the costs of traveling with a local.
If you travel to Europe or South America, you will quickly realise that bus and train tickets can be really expensive. In this case, we suggest you try carpooling through Tripda so you can share the costs, and a good time with a fellow traveler. Check out BlaBlaCar and Compare and Share in Europe. Traveling made social. #cool
6. WWOOFing – Pay your room and board with farm work
WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is your sweetest escape from the city, enabling you to work in exchange for accommodation and food. Take it from us, after a week spent milking goats, picking coffee beans, killing roosters and relaxing in a beautiful barn, it almost felt like we should have payed for such a blissful organic detox. Go for it.
7. Laboriosa89 – To find a place to work
Unfortunately, not all coworking spaces are like Laboriosa89, where everyone is co-responsible and where paying is optional. Coworking usually consists of shared office space that you can rent on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis. It saves you from the torment of working long hours in your local coffee shop. And luckily for us, they’re now spreading all over the globe. Not only will you be in a stimulating work environment, we can also guarantee you that you’ll meet open-minded people. Check out Liquidspace in the U.S., Seats2Meet in the Netherlands, and the coworking directory for worldwide coworking locations.
Intrigued about our travels? Check out our videos and follow us on Facebook.
With brothery love,
The Sharing Bros
