@soulturtle I have thought about trying to contact you in the past, before @notconvinced and I worked on this, just thinking that maybe when my fella and I travel to india we might have the opportunity of knowing someone local that can help us with travel tips, finding cheaper prices on goods etc.

One thing about this concept of 'hosting' is that the 'host' really is just the local connection in need of help. The things you have to offer can be quite endless, especially if you are communicative and engaged with the travelers before they arrive. Some people might be happy to help out for a while in trade for simpler offerings than accommodation.

And like @notconvinced said, a place to pitch a tent is often quite enough! That's how I was able to stay in a beautiful town in Spain actually, a friend knew someone who lived in Cadaques with a simple flat hill behind their home and a small tent to share. My brother and I slept on the hillside and explored the town for a week-- requesting nothing else from our hosts but a few sweet+simple conversations in Spanish. It was MAGIC!