I am a 35 years old, easy going, well travelled person comfortable with cultures from around the world. Have lived in three continents and have travelled to more than 35 countries. Have hosted and have been hosted. On the professional front, I am an Engineer-MBA working as a Product Manager in the E-Commerce Industry building consumer software applications.

I am also a Youtube Travel Vlogger (my Youtube Channel - Akshat Discovers The World - https://youtu.be/hpxTDf-wKW8). I love travelling, exploring new cultures, trying new cuisines and meet new people. The purpose of my travel and the videos is to discover and show the unique history, places and traditions of the place and to spread a positive message about the country and its people and encourage others to travel to that place and bridge the cultural gap and understanding.

I have studied in India, Hong Kong, France and the USA and can speak English, Hindi (my mother tongue), Punjabi (another Indian language) and French and learning Spanish, Russian and Arabic. I can make a lot of things from Parantha (Indian Flatbread) to Pancake and Pasta! :)

I am very simple and humble person, grateful for everything I have and thankful to God for whatever He gives. I believe strongly that Everything happens for a reason and What we attract is a function of how we think.

I wish to save and then take a break from work for a year or two and hitch-hike from Eastern Europe to Portugal, take a cargo ship to Brazil and then go around South America on a bicycle (yes, you read that right!), without taking a single plane ride. I wish to show the kindness and beauty in the people and cultures and also exemplify that you don't need to break a bank to travel. A smile and an open mind is all that it takes to experience the best of the whole world.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

To meet interesting people, make new friends, create memorable experiences, host and be hosted!

The tag line of my Youtube Channel is - The friends you make, the experiences you share and the memories you create, make the journey worthwhile.

You haven't "seen" a place till you have experienced how the people live there, how they think, what they do, how they do it, what are their challenges, what makes them happy, what do they appreciate or they don't! And I am on a mission to find that out.

A humble couch and a good conversation are enough for me from a host! :)

Interests

I am a published author of a best-seller, a travel YouTube Channel host and an awarded singer! :)

• singing
• photography
• videography
• cuisine
• writing poetry
• writing stories
• travelling and meeting new people

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - Indian Contemporary Fusion (Bollywood).
Books - Voracious reader, reads at least 20 books a year, everything and anything under the sun - fiction, self-help, motivational, economics and finance (my favorite), geo-politics (I dare say I know a lot about it, perhaps the domestic politics in your country too, it interests me a lot and is a part of my videos as well), history (I would have been a historian, if I would have failed to get into Engineering!). BTW, I am a professional author mself and have penned a best-seller!
Movies - Have probably watched every Hollywood, Bollywood, Korean, Iranian, French and Japanese movie that is at least 7 or above on IMDB. Romantic flicks are my favorite (I hail from the land of Bollywood ofc!)

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One will be too short! I have been lucky enough to have done many interesting things! :)
1. Topped the University Entrance Exam in India (super hard, trust me, my most cherished achievement)
2. Authored a best-seller book (available in online and offline stores - "Indian Innovators", inspiring journey of 20 young Indians building products of global appeal out of India and changing the world for good)
3. Did the highest bungee jumping in Macao
4. Visited the natural wonders of Pamukkale Salt Baths
5. Did the world famous Capadoccia Balloon Ride
6. Overcame the fear of water to scuba-dive and meet the aquatic life in Antalya
7. Lived in a village in Georgia
8. Hosted totally unknown stranger for a huge Indian Buffet meal (I coo decent!)
9. Supported the education of a very talented but impoverished kid and got him to India's best University
10. Saw New York City from above in a helicopter
11. Achieving all-India recognition award for my poetry in Hindi (a dyeing art unfortunately)
12. Planted a barren land and traded the carbon-credits
13. Contributed to strengthening India-France research cooperation
14. Volunteered on an Organic Farm in India and learned the virtues of the vegetarian diet and meditation
15. Met some Bollywood celebrities at an International Book Summit I was invited to as a Speaker on the book I authored

Teach, Learn, Share

I wish to teach Indian culinary art and learn preparing awesome food from other cultures. Wish to improve my Arabic, Spanish and Russian.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Place to stay, local exploration and lovely, enriching and interesting conversations :)

Also, I can contribute with a LOT of good food and travel stories!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

France, Hong Kong, India, United States