Staying with far-distant relatives?

I mentioned to a family member that I'd been stuck in L.A. overnight, due to a missed connection (the airline's fault, not mine) when coming back from Seattle to Brisbane last August. The family member proclaimed that **this** is why I should get in touch with various and sundry relatives third-cousins, my dad's aunts' and uncles' kids, etc.) -- so that I'd have a place to sleep when such things happen.

I replied that I'd rather just find a hotel; that is seemed rather ''utilitarian''(?) to go look up people ahead of time, just so I have a free place to sleep. And that I wouldn't feel comfortable staying at such a person's place, anyhow. Nor would **I** want to host a distant relative overnight, having only met them once or twice. (Among other reasons, there's one or two distant relatives on one side of the family who are a little shifty; and on the other side, a semi-distant relative recently married a convicted child molester. So, just because they're distant relativies does **not** mean I want them staying at my house!!!)


Comments/opinions/insights?


--GG




--GG