We got out of the bus, which drove us from the airport and we waited patiently for our host near the Royal Cinema. This moment was like from a gripping movie: who is this guy? Will he turn out to be a pervert? Boring? Desperate? Are we going to escape quickly from his house at 6 a.m. ensuring that we had a wonderful time together? Or maybe it will be this night, which we could not do without a knife under the pillow?
This is the first time, when we are meant to get our accommodation through Couchsurfing. The first time in my life. Although in theory the idea of communities of travellers hosting each other is beautiful, we cannot hide that in fact we agree to spend the night in the apartment of a stranger.
He’s coming. Smiling from ear to ear, forty years old skinny Italian. Dressed in a loos blouse with Inca patterns. Wearing flip-flops and loos, bit broken jeans – you can easily say: a pure hippy. Holds by the hand a tall brunette woman.
Both smiley, they welcome us and guide us to the apartment. At the same time, we are informed that apart from us there will be three other girls in the house – also Polish.
We entered the spacious flat in the apartment house. Decoration was overthrowing. On walls there were flags of different countries, furniture in the Art Deco style covered with antique cameras, appliances, radios. Few paintings standing in the corner, Lilian – beloved woman of the host – turned out to be a painter.
On one side of the living room, on a large table, there were decanters with few types of a local wine. We were treated with a glass. First out of many. Soon afterwards other girls came in.
I don’t know how it happened, that after half an hour we were chatting as if we knew each other for years. A common topic of conversation, which naturally was travelling, Sicily and Couchsurfing guaranteed us a logorrhea until 4 a.m. Gianni, who is a honoured senior member of CS community, brought us some souvenir bracelets, stickers and maps. He gave us professional advice on how to explore Trapani, which we trustfully followed the next day. Gianni is a founder of a tourist company, which provides accommodation and organises excursions around western Sicily. If you are going to this region, I strongly recommend his services to you. Such people are simply worth supporting, worth knowing, worth giving them profit. His website: easytrapani.com
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