Sunshine Coast Daily
Published on April 18, 2002

He's the world's biggest freeloader

Dutch tourist cashes in on Coast hospitality

FREEWHEELING international backpacker Ramon Stoppelenburg knows the meaning of the saying “going Dutch”.

It’s just that the enterprising Netherlands traveller makes sure he never practices the pay-you-own-way concept.

The 25-year-old journalism student, who stayed at the Mooloolaba Palace Backpackers on Monday night – for free – has made an art form of the “freebie”.

Through his website (www.letmestayforaday.com) Ramon invites people to invite him to stay with them for free for a night. He came up with the idea twelve months ago and has been bombarded with offers.

The number of “hits” on his site is “scary”. He has more than 3000 offers for house stays in 67 countries.

He spent last night in the Buderim home of Magdalena Fillmore.

Today he will move on to the Noosa home of Glenn Watson and his family, and tomorrow he will be hosted for the night by the Crocodile Hunter himself, Steve Irwin, at Australian Zoo.

“Yesterday I heard I was in a Taiwanese newspaper and today in the Seattle Times,” the world famous Ramon said.

Working mum Magdalena said she read about Ramon and his website last year and decided the chance to meet up and shelter such an enterprising opportunist was too good to refuse.

Ramon has been called a freeloader countless times in his travels and for him it goes with the territory.

“Freeloading is a term I don’t mind if it is used in an ironic sense,” Ramon said. “I am not a bludger – it’s up to people to choose to invite me.”

Ramon said he came up with the concept of travelling virtually for zip ecause he was sick of working “just to take a couple of weeks travel here and there.”

“I wanted to just keep on going all the time. 

He is the most sophisitaced sort of dependence. It’s not a case of him goodwill hunting, but goodwill hunting him.

Just about everything, from his flights to his clothing, is sponsored, with the websites of key benefactors strategically linked to Ramon’s website.

Ramon travels with a laptop and digital camera to capture all his big moments, which recently have included climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge and a pub crawl – all on someone else’s tab, of course. “I never plan anything more than a week ahead,” Ramon said.

“I you ask me how long I’ll be doing this I’d say another five years and then I’ll do something else.”