Hey! I'm Ben. I'm English but I've not lived there since 2008! I currently live in Kadıköy, Istanbul. When I was 22 I moved to Canada where I spent many years. I've since lived in Armenia, Lebanon and for the last few years in amazing Istanbul. I love Couchsurfing as it means meeting amazing people from across the world who are in the middle of all types of adventures. I also love coffee, tea, hitchhiking, food, cats, dogs, classic cars, hiking, more coffee, wine, cheese, kebabs, snowboarding, wine, hummus, hitchhiking, cycling, coffee, urbex, and coffee - Aaaalll that stuff... in no particular order. I love the positive energy you gain from meeting people who are doing great things in their lives. Lasting friendships are forged this way! RANDOM FACTS: The only place I've ever had a three day hangover was in Iran. I hitchhike a lot. It's a great way of crossing countries/continents and having unforgettable experiences. I once got paid $75 and a burrito to spend a whole day riding a rollercoaster in San Diego. It was worth it. If you ever watch a Coca Cola commercial on the TV in the Middle East/North Africa, there's a chance you may see me, dancing like a maniac. I'm always down for some fun times with CSers. hitchhiking trip? Cool. Going for a few drinks at the bar/cafe? Totally. Jumping off something into the sea? Sure. Hiking in the mountains, camping some place beautiful, or generally hanging out? Let's do it. Explore some abandoned, Soviet era factory? Yaaahhhh. Or we can just chill at home. That's also great. I love writing and photography. I'm a freelance writer. It (usually) pays the bills. I also love rusty old Mercedes' from the 1970s. Those certainly don't pay the bills. It's always great to hang out with those folks who are in the midst of journeys across the planet. It makes me look forward to my next big adventure - wherever that may be. All in all I do my best to provide positive energy for everyone around :D I love love love ancient history and culture. I fell in love with the Middle East - a place so steeped in history. It's breathtaking. We have a little house in Dilijan National Park, Armenia. It's now a hostel - the Dilijan Hikers Hostel. It's spectacular in the summer. Gooooo there!