Well… Our road trip came to an abrupt stop.

Our car began experiencing problems on I-35 while we on our way out of Kansas City. The engine made some not so friendly noises and the check oil light came on. We pulled over and called a tow truck. Verdict, the engine is shot.

We’ve spent today researching alternative modes of travel. It looks like we will be boarding a Greyhound Wednesday.

Ashley and I decided to stay in Kansas City for the weekend on our way to Montreal. We spent the afternoon at the Power and Light District watching the USA vs Ghana World Cup game. It was a blast. An estimated 12,000 fans took part in the festivities. At times, the crowd made it seem like you were really at the game (except for the hot weather).

On the eve of our departure, we are still finalizing where we will be staying in Montreal.

We’ve decided to shun the traditional travel housing and instead find sanctuary through a service known CouchSurfing.org. CouchSurfing.org is the online home of the International Couch Surfing Project. This project aims to further cultural awareness by creating a meeting ground where people from different cultures and backgrounds can host guests in their home. There are many benefits to the service. First of all, it is free to stay at any user’s home. But most importantly, it separates the tourists from the traveler.

Through our couch surfing experience, Ashley and I hope to learn what it is like to be a Quebecois. The people we stay with will be able to show us more of “real” Quebec than any travel book. Not to mention we have the added benefit of being fully immersed in the French language.

If you have the opportunity to travel, or want to learn more about different cultures, I recommend setting up a profile on Couchsurfing.org.