Coffee while spectating the sunrise is something I love.

I'm lost in the worldly pleasure of traveling and capturing the most beautiful moments in my camera. I aspire to meet people from different countries, know about their cultures and learn how to greet them in their own language. I'm also working on a photography project to capture people of 200 different ethnicities. I'm actively working on becoming a DIGITAL NOMAD by end of 2022. This is also an year, I'm targeting to achieve Financial Independence and retirement.

Software development & the Stock market puts bread and butter on my table. This is a good exercise to my logical brain. I do photography to unleash my creative mind. After 2012, I decided investing in experience is the best investment one can have. I'm an Engineer as well as an artist.

You can see my photographs here - https://gurushots.com/photontraveller/photos

Most of my travel pics or on my FB profile - https://www.facebook.com/A.G.Balaji

A recent experience has made me change my lifestyle. I started meditating and being mindful to live in the present. In order to achieve that, I've stopped drinking alcohol. I even gave away an expensive scotch collection. So, I'm not interested in partying, pubs/ bars with loud noise. However, this doesn't mean we can't have interesting conversations. I'm very interested in quality conversation about what other individuals have experienced / learnt in life. Life is short and none can experience everything. This is a way I seek those experiences. Else we could play chess in silence. I find this more valuable than spending time drinking. I travel to seek experience. And all my travel has a photographic purpose.

I love long walks and hikes. It doesn't matter whether it is a bustling city or a remote forest.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

A Friend of mine has hosted many travelers from different countries. The experiences he shares with me intrigued me into trying Couchsurfing. I do cross country road trips on my car. Spending time with the locals on my long journey will yield me a lot more experience than staying at a Hotel. Further, I get to gain experience by hosting people even when I'm not traveling.

One of the interesting experience happened with my second Host Laura & Kebb. They're a couple who travelled many countries. I stayed with them in Texas, USA. A year later, I ended up hosting both in India and we all travelled together to the Great Himalayan Ranges.
This was never planned. It's like 2 years later the universe brought us together. Only this time, I'm the host and they were the guests. This is one among the endless reasons I'm on CS

Interests

• photography
• perfumes
• reading
• travel

Music, Movies, and Books

Music - SUDUAYA [ Listen to SUDUAYA - NOMAD fully with headphones. Maybe you'll feel what I feel ]

Books - Dan Brown (Angels & Demons in particular), The Intelligent Investor , Ponniyin Selvan (Tamil), Sydney Sheldon( Master of the Game in particular), Jeffery Archer ( Kane & Abel in particular ).... [ This is an endless list too]. Seven habits of highly effective people, The eighth habit.

Perfumes I love : The list used to be a big one. Now, I use only natural essential oils.

Movies - Interstellar, [ I'm more into independent movies and documentaries]

Series - Office, Game of thrones, House of Cards, Person of Interest, House MD, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Homeland

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Rode my Motorcycle to the Highest Motorable road in the World - Khardungla, Leh (18,386 ft above sea level)

Driven to the Highest motorable road of the United States - Mount Evans Summit, Colorado, USA (14,265 ft)

Driven the World's most dangerous road - The Million Dollar highway during a winter storm.

Driven all across the Beautiful land of Buddhist monks in the Himalayas - The SPITI VALLEY

Hiked 3 mountains in New Hampshire and 1 mountain in India.

Teach, Learn, Share

Chess, Photography, Experiences.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Chess, Photography, Experiences.

Countries I’ve Visited

Hong Kong, India, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

India, United States