Breakfast with the Twitchhiker at the Four Seasons Austin, March 15, 2009.

by Wendy Perrin

You know how the best part of a trip is often the people you meet? I'm back from Austin, where I didn't get to see as much of the city as I would have liked (I was busy at the Convention Center), but I did get to meet some great people. One of them was the Twitchhiker.

Since March 1, British journalist Paul Smith (a.k.a. the Twitchhiker) has been testing just how far he can travel, relying solely on the goodwill and hospitality of the online community on Twitter, and raising money for charity as he goes. Yes, his journey is dictated by whoever on Twitter steps up to give him a room for the night or a plane ticket or car ride onward. Paul started out in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, swung through various European cities, hopped over the Atlantic Ocean to New York, zigzagged across the U.S. to Los Angeles, and will be flying to New Zealand tomorrow. I was lucky enough to catch up with him in Austin (right after his interview on Good Morning America Weekend) and donate a breakfast to the cause.

Travel companies, don't miss the boat on this one: Help the Twitchhiker in his mission to reach the farthest point on the globe from where he started. He needs to get there by the end of the month. To follow him on Twitter, click here.

Who else did I meet in Austin? Stay tuned ...