sofasurfers

After some mixed messages from my host in Xi’an (I’ll meet you off the
train/get a bus to the centre of town), and no response to my sms, my
couch was clearly looking a little shaky in Xi’an. I called him, I
texted him, I called him…. “Sorry, the subscriber is not reachable”.
But it’s only 9am, and I’ve taken refuge in a youth hostel (which for
a traveller who wants their ear to the ground, it’s the next best
place as there’s a constant flow of stories, tips). Plus they have
wifi. So I jump straight in, and join the Xi’an couchsurfing group.
And look! They’re all having dinner tonight. Soon I will have local
friends, even if I don’t have a couch. I also make some last minute
requests, on account of Plan A going awol (I later receive a text from
his number saying, “Jack forget phone. He went old hometown. He maybe
tommorrow come back. What can I do.”). And lo, some hours in, I get a
response, from the city ambassador no less, who hosts with his
girlfriend. Moral of the story: don’t make snap judgements.