Twitchhiker: How One Man Travelled the World by Twitter

One man’s attempt to travel the globe in 30 days, depending solely on the generosity of strangers through Twitter

There were five rules of Twitchhiker. I can only accept offers of travel and accommodation from people on Twitter. I can’t make any travel plans further than three days in advance. I can only spend money on food, drink and anything that might fit in my suitcase. If there is more than one offer, I choose which I take. If there is only one, I have to take it within 48 hours. If I am unable to find a way to move on from a location within 48 hours, the challenge is over and I go home.

Bored in the bread aisle of the supermarket one day, Paul Smith wondered how far he could get around the world in 30 days through the goodwill of users of social networking site Twitter. At the mercy of these rules, he set his sights on New Zealand—the opposite point on the planet to his home in Newcastle, England. All he had to do next was explain the idea to his new wife. In an adventure wrapped in nonsense, he traveled by road, boat, plane, and train; slept in five-star luxury and on no-star floors; schmoozed with Hollywood A-listers; and was humbled by the generosity of the thousands who followed his journey and determined its course.