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Nomads With a Couch

The Journal

Real stories from the road. TravBuddy spirit, alive again.

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What a spare room in Alfama taught me about trust
Tariq Mousa
Tariq Mousa Lisbon, Portugal
June 2023

What a spare room in Alfama taught me about trust

Sofia asked me to help with her Instagram for six days in exchange for a room in Alfama. What she actually gave me was a crash course in what it means to share a life, even briefly, with a stranger.

Community 4 min read
Two designers, one client, three weeks in Medellín
Camila Torres
Camila Torres Medellín, Colombia
January 2024

Two designers, one client, three weeks in Medellín

The collaboration I was looking for turned out not to be with a developer, but with a copywriter from Beirut who arrived in El Poblado with a single backpack and a very good eye for what text should do.

Work on the Road 5 min read
Finding Ubud before it finds you
Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
September 2023

Finding Ubud before it finds you

Everyone warned me about Ubud. Too touristy, too expensive, too Instagram. They were right about all three and also completely wrong.

Places 7 min read
The WooCommerce bug I fixed in exchange for a week in Chiang Mai
Diogo Ferreira
Diogo Ferreira Chiang Mai, Thailand
February 2024

The WooCommerce bug I fixed in exchange for a week in Chiang Mai

Aarav messaged me through the platform on a Sunday. By Thursday I was on a plane. Here is what the exchange actually looked like.

Work on the Road 4 min read
Six weeks in Tbilisi and why I nearly didn’t leave
Lena Müller
Lena Müller Tbilisi, Georgia
October 2023

Six weeks in Tbilisi and why I nearly didn’t leave

I came for two weeks. I stayed for six. This is the thing about Tbilisi that nobody quite prepares you for.

Slow Travel 5 min read
The man on the bus from Mysore
Tariq Mousa
Tariq Mousa Ooty, Tamil Nadu, India
March 2019

The man on the bus from Mysore

On the bus from Mysore to Ooty, I sat next to Thomas — eighty-eight years old, carrying a small bag and a lifetime of stories.

Human Connection 6 min read