CURRENT MISSION

Chilling in Canberra

ABOUT ME

I'm just an Aussie gal from wee Canberra, the capital of Australia. I would describe myself as a person with a can-do attitude who enjoys doing just about anything fun and interesting - my closest friends would descibe me as crazy, but with the kindest regard, I'm sure!
And when I say fun and interesting I mean just about anything. I enjoy sewing, designing, embroidering, painting, writing and cooking and all that jazz but at the same time I feel just as content doing things such as dancing all night, reading all day, cycling, motorbiking, hiking, traversing cliffs at the beach or building forts in the park.
I was born in Australia and have lived there most of my life but have travelled quite a lot. My father's parents are Hungarian and my mother's parents are Dutch so I've got a bit of a European connection.
When asked what I wanted to be when I grew up my reply would always be "I want to be a professional bum." I think I have been somewhat successful in my pursuit of this career.
I studied humanities. Very interesting but not a pre-determined vocation per se.
But that doesn't matter, enjoy life. Learn. Do what you're interested in, and what needs doing, and your calling will find you.

PHILOSOPHY

Kindness.
Appreciate the now and make the most of whatever is thrown your way, be it good or bad. Truly and thoroughly engage with and enjoy where you are and what you're doing in the present. Some are more lucky than others, this is true, but in the end we all make our own luck.
Be open to everything and everything will be open to you.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I spent a year travelling in 2009-2010 and joined up as an official couchsurfer then. I was hosted by many wonderful people in France, Italy and Spain. Now I offer my home to fellow travelers stopping by Canberra when I can and have met wonderful people along the way.
I am so impressed with the global couchsurfing community; the generosity, knowledge, kindness and joviality.
I want to offer the same greatness for visitors to Canberra.
I love to show people that Canberra is actually a cool little place. Stuff happens here, I swear!
I offer my friendly folie to the kind members of couchsurfing and, I hope, some interesting travel tales and lessons I have collected along the way.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Always EXCELLENT! AMAZING!
The first couchsurfers I ever stayed with, a French couple, were lovely and made me feel very at home. Not once did I feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Quite the opposite, I felt like a part of the family.
There is a great balance between doing things together (eg. meals and cooking together, jogging, seeing the town/area etc.) and being allowed to have your own space to do other things. I said to my hosts "I'm very lucky to have you as my first couchsurfing hosts." and they replied, "No. This is just the normal couchsurfing experience. It's always great. You'll see."
I have seen.

Interests

Well, I love travelling. But then again, lots of people do! I love maps! I love to sit down with a good map and look at a place and imagine what it is like there. The people, the buildings, the geography...the life. I'm lucky because I am able to travel and see these faraway, countless destinations. I also love cruising around on bikes (must be the Dutch blood!). I find the bike offers such a great freedom to see and discover new places.
In Canberra I ride everywhere on my bike. I really do feel so happy and carefree on a bike. That said, I like walking too...and cruising around on scooters and rollerblading and...well, I guess just about anything fun like that! I'm not too fussy. I'm a big fan of all things good in life. I love languages, people, literature, cinema, museums, music, festivals, cuisines, cultures and places of all genres.

• arts
• humanities
• writing
• books
• literature
• festivals
• dancing
• cooking
• walking
• partying
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• painting
• music
• jazz
• guitar
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• cartography
• geography
• languages
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

Music? I'm interested in all types be it Hungarian folk, Latin, Funk, Big Band, Hip-Hop, Pop, House or anything in between. I really do like just about all types of music except for heavy metal. Sorry if I offend, but it just sounds like noise to me. If you want, be my guest to show me otherwise!
'Peace train' by Cat Stevens never fails to cheer me up. I don't have a favourite band/artist (although Manu Chao is really cool!) and I won't even pretend that I know all the rockin' ones out there. There are ALOT! One thing is certain, however, I dig music.

One of my favourite films is 'Amelie'. Another, 'The Big Lebowski'. Also 'The Lion King', 'Cool Runnings', 'The Third Man', 'The Sound of Music', 'Tokyo Drift', 'Pulp Fiction', 'Star Wars', anything by Monty Python etc. I also like 'Total recall'. "Consider dat a divorce!"

'How I met your mother' is also hilarious. Just as good, if not better is 'Community'. Also, 'Arrested Development', 'The Office' (American version), 'Mad Men', 'Stargate SG:1', 'Firefly'...the list goes on.

My favourite tale is the 'The Old Man and the Sea.' I really enjoy modern American fiction (Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Lee etc) and European classics such as 'Anna Karenina' and 'The Metamorphosis'. Albert Camus, Paulo Coelho, The Brothers Grimm, Roald Dahl, Patrick White, Helen Garner, David Malouf, Shakespeare etc. The list goes on.
'The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy' is also great of course.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Well, I'm not sure really...I once bought a scooter in Marseille and had a crazy plan that I would cruise on it from there all the way along the Mediterranean coast to a friend's place in Rome. I don't know if that's amazing but it was a beautiful dream while it lasted. Alas, it was too much to keep up with all on my own. That and it kept breaking down!
I was amazed to see 'Le tour' in real life in July 2009 from the Col du Tourmalet. Seeing 'le tour' itself go past was amazing enough but I was also surprised at the amount of people who camp on the Pyrenees to see 'le tour' days ahead and the party ambience they all create there. There was very much an atmosphere there that can't be conveyed on camera nor recreated on demand. And to think that happens everyday for three weeks every tour. Just amazing!
I also went on a 60km, three day and two night (camping) hike in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia in March 2012. I found it challenging but so beautiful. It was just me, a good friend and beautiful scenery and wilderness for 3 days; we saw no-one else the whole time. Very humbling.
More recently, the Inca trail trek to Machu Pichu in April 2013 was as amazing as you imagine it to be. The hype is valid.
Even more recently I cycled from Canberra to Perth (distance of about 4200km) mostly by myself over the course of ten weeks in June, July and August 2015.
I've also written a book which is ok but not good enough to publish. But, maybe I'll write a better one some day.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm quite well versed in the use of the "That's what she said" art form.
Can show you how to make a pretty darn tootin' good paella, and most other dishes as well.
Beginner bicycle repair and intermediate sewing.
Keen to learn new languages and how to play the guitar and ukulele.

Countries I’ve Visited

Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, France, Spain

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