How it all Started

In 2013, Ingrid Hedman published the book The Whole World on My Couch ("Hela världen på min soffa"). It tells the story of the six months during which she invited 35 tourists from all over the world to stay in her two-bedroom flat in Stockholm and interviewed them. Why had they chosen to holiday in Sweden? What did they know about Sweden and the Swedes? Why did they want to stay with a local person rather than in a hotel? And what mattered most to them about travelling?

The book sparked a desire to make a reverse journey — one in which Ingrid herself would become the tourist, staying on other people's sofas and hearing their stories about themselves, their country, and their culture. And naturally, the journey would be made together with Ingrid's son, who had been growing in her womb back in 2011, when her living room had been transformed into an international commune.

The trip was planned for the summer of 2020. The route had been mapped out, train tickets booked, and hosts arranged. But then something happened that nobody had anticipated: a global pandemic. The journey had to be cancelled and the plans put on hold.

Four years later, the trip finally became a reality — this time together with Ingrid's colleague, the photographer Ylva Bergman, and her 12-year-old son.

Why Eastern Europe?

Spain, France, England, the Netherlands — we had all travelled to these countries and were eager to experience something new and different. None of us had spent much time in Eastern Europe, and we wanted to explore it: major cities, but also smaller towns, villages, and places less affected by mass tourism.

The journey therefore took us to Berlin, Kraków, Budapest, Kanal ob Soči, Muntić, and finally Kněžmost. 

We wanted to experience bustling city life, the countryside, and the sea.

Why Travel by Train?

Travelling by train is not merely a means of transport; it is a way of experiencing the journey with all your senses. There is a sense of freedom in being able to get off wherever you please, to meet people along the way, and to travel with a clear conscience — trains are, after all, a far more environmentally friendly mode of transport than flying or cruising.

Waking up in a foreign country, with unfamiliar landscapes rushing past outside the window. Enjoying a good meal in the dining carriage. Leaning back in your seat to listen to an audiobook, or letting the rhythmic clatter of the rails lull you to sleep on a night train. We love all of this, and for us the train was the obvious choice for our journey.

Why Couchsurfing?

For me, Ingrid, the charm of travelling has always been about meeting people. It is through encounters with local people that you truly get to know a country and its culture. Moreover, the concept of Couchsurfing and similar platforms is brilliant — no monetary transactions are allowed; the only exchange is cultural, and that creates a sense of community and connection.

Through so-called social travel, you have the opportunity to expand your international network and, at best, make friends for life. It is an experience shaped by mutual learning and respect.

By choosing to couchsurf rather than stay in hotels, we also wanted this book to show that even in these troubled times, marked by mistrust between people, it is still possible to form bonds across geographical and cultural borders. The vast majority of people are, in fact, kind, generous, and well-intentioned.

Why WWOOF?

As city dwellers, it felt like a privilege to have the opportunity to end our travel adventure on a farm. Through the international network World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), we found a farm in Kněžmost in the Czech countryside. There, we learned about permaculture and sustainable living, which proved both inspiring and deeply educational. It was also perfect for us as budget travellers — in exchange for a few hours of volunteer work each day, accommodation and meals were provided free of charge on the farm.