Couch Surfing a Cave in Southern Jordan

Ghassab Al-Bedoul, 42, is registered as a host in Petra on the popular CouchSurfing.com travel website.  The site hosts a community of travelers who create profiles to share their extra couches or rooms with visitors. Al-Bedoul, a Bedouin who was born in the same cave he lives in today, was taken with the idea. About four years ago he logged onto the site and posted, "I welcome you in my cave anytime”. Within the next few months, he was hosting more than 15 people, sometimes 20, a month at his cave in the mountains of Petra.  "Since I started, I think I've had over 1,200 people come stay at my cave," said Al-Bedoul.  “It's a pleasure to have people from all over the world to learn our culture”. The cave, which is no larger than 150 square feet, is uniquely modern. A row of solar-powered lights, a gift from a couch surfer, encircles the front of the cave entrance. When the sun sets past the Petra Mountains, they are the only visible lights. (Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/11/travel/petra-jordan-cave-surfing/index.html)