We are taught that holidays need to be prepared for. They need to be booked, they need to be organised and they need to be rigid. That way there is no room for error, no leeway for mistakes – because mistakes are bad, the unexpected is bad and spontaneity is bad. These things are all, of course, untrue. Yes the world has changed; but what ever happened to those great backpacking stories? The adventures of writers like Hemingway or Jack Kerouac? They travelled without a care in the world, writing and living life. Why can’t we?

Couch surfing may sound dangerous, but if you know people in towns and cities, or meet them online, why not give it a shot? Throw some personal belongings into a giant backpack and just go; you can wash clothes elsewhere, you can find food along the way. Bring your passport because who knows where this adventure might take you. Bring a pen and, who knows, you could be the next great travel writer.