Sofa so good

The free sharing of accommodation, or 'couch surfing', is fast catching on in China where hosts see it as a great way to experience the world from the comfort of their own home, Erik Nilsson reports

Cui Lin has discovered she can engage the cultures of the globe without leaving her couch - that is, by bringing the world to her sofa.

The 24-year-old from Sichuan's provincial capital of Chengdu is among the tens of thousands of Chinese "couch surfers" who offer travelers free accommodation in their homes or stay in others' homes when traveling.