By: Lindsay Hogg

Find Out How the Amazing Interactive Site, Trourist, Got Started!

For those of you unaware, Trourist is an interactive site for travellers. You sign up, add friends, share travel destinations and read others tips on what to do when you go somewhere. Trourist also has sweet ass projects going on all the time that you can get involved in.

1. Firstly tell us a bit about Trourist. Where did the idea for your interactive site come from? It wasn’t just a hoax to make online friends was it?

The idea of Trourist came up while we were drinking a few beers. We were discussing what our plans for a university exchange program were going to be and we discovered while surfing on the Net that no web site existed where people could check out travel experiences with an international slant.

You could say that Trourist is more than just a mere travel social network; it’s a meeting point for those who want to link up with persons and those cultures and destinations they are travelling to.

2.  Who works at Trourist? Share an embarrassing fact about each employee… I don’t know if that’s legal, but do it anyways!

I have a pretty poor sense of direction. In big cities, even when I have a good map handy, I still get lost. Several times I’ve passed the same place I was at 20 minutes before. Even though … I won’t admit it …I prefer telling people I was just trying to keep in shape  ; ) -Imanol-

During a trip to Mexico I was arrested by local police, an experience which allowed me to spend a long night in a Monterrey jail getting to know a motle crew of inmates. The worst part? They took my beer.  😉 -Mikel-

Any time I’ve had a couple of beers and there’s a djeme (drum) handy, I won’t hesitate to leap on stage and jam with the band that’s playing.  -Jokin-

3. What is your new project ‘My Story to Tell’? Did you know there was going to be so many awesome people contributing?

“My Story to Tell” is an initiative launched by Trourist aimed at creating a collection of anecdotes describing cool journeys which represent a before and after in people’s lives. A Moleskine notebook published by Trourist will travel around the world for four months and record the anecdotes of 26 travellers.

We’re thrilled with the response we’ve gotten and the group of people who will be participating in this initiative. We all share a passion for travelling and are convinced that these anecdotes will be shared by people writing straight from their hearts.

4. What will you do if someone runs off with the Moleskine book? Will you break their legs? Or just write profanity on their blog?

Losing this small treasure would be a pity for everyone. We’re taking steps to prevent this from happening, but no one can guarantee against a notebook full of memories being left behind or forgotten at customs.

5. If I could buy you a beer anywhere in the world, where would it be? (This is a hypothetical question, don’t show up at that bar expecting a free beer, you might get kicked out for not paying).

I think I would head straight for that pub in the middle of nowhere in New Zealand where you’ve been serving up some pretty inviting drafts. Everyone I know who’s travelled there has come back raving so it’s in my Top 5 of places to visit. I’m particularly interested in crossing “Abel Tasman National Park” in a canoe.