CURRENT MISSION

To get back into CouchSurfing - both as a host and as a surfer.

ABOUT ME

Hey there! I'm Scott, a self-confessed and thoroughly unashamed geek with a passion for travel, the outdoors and new experiences. Hobbies include hiking, kayaking, fencing, cooking, reading, writing, spending way too much time online, playing board, video and roleplaying games and discovering new ways to unintentionally avoid sleeping. I've also recently been bitten by the fitness bug, though this is more of an occupational hazard than a hobby.

I live with my partner Claire in Bristol, and have recently introduced her to Couchsurfing during a trip across Europe. Check out her profile as well - https://www.couchsurfing.com/users/2006658447. We also live with our extremely spoiled cat Nala, whose approval you will need in order to get a good night's sleep!

I'm a chronic procrastinator, and have loads of awesome ideas for things I plan to do when I get round to doing them. These often change on a whim, although wanting to scuba dive with Great White Sharks has been on the list for quite a while. I am also a huge fan of the history and science of polar exploration, and REALLY want to get to Antarctica!

PHILOSOPHY

Do everything once, and make a story out of everything you do. Talk to everyone who's willing to talk to you. Never pass up an opportunity to help someone out or make a new friend, always treat others how you expect to be treated, remember that no-one is better than you and that you are no better than anybody else...

And this above all: To thine own self be true.

Oh, and listen to that Sunscreen song. That pretty much sums everything up too.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Having discovered CS as part of an epic cross-North America roadtrip in 2011, I hosted a lot between 2012 and 2015, before space in the flat became an issue. My partner and I are now firmly ensconced in our new place in Bristol and ready to invite CSers to come hang out again!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Three weeks Couchsurfing through Canada and the US in the summer of 2011, and a regular host since Jan 2012.

Interests

Anything remotely outdoorsy, but particularly camping, hiking and kayaking;
poorly-thought-out but impressively spontaneous life decisions;
reading;
writing;
cooking;
talking to people (be it fast furious debating or just chewing the fat);
travelling;
storytelling;
getting in to ludicrous situations;
folklore;
anthropology;
fencing;
roleplaying, board & videogaming and general geekery;
thwarting the machinations of the Living Dead

• writing
• folklore
• design
• cooking
• fitness
• reading
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• scuba diving
• fencing
• anthropology
• geology
• philosophy
• tourism
• polar research

Music, Movies, and Books

Books are the Devil's own spawn, designed to entice me away from actually doing what I'm supposed to be doing and spend far too much time reading them. I wish they weren't so bloody good at their job...

I have a weakness for authors who are goofy and random. Terry Pratchett, Douglas Coupland, and Max Barry take up far too much space on my bookshelves. Raymond E. Feist, Brandon Sanderson and David Weber head the rather large and diverse collection of sci-fi and fantasy (there's the whole 'geek' thing again...) and Lee Child, Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum round off the 'escapist bloke fiction' section. Classics-wise, I'm a huge fan of George Orwell. but also read a lot of Alduous Huxley, Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson and H.P. Lovecraft. I tend to read a lot of non-fiction as well, but celebrity autobiographies make me want to vomit. In short, I'll read anything remotely mind-expanding.... any suggestions would be greatly welcomed!

Favourite movies include The Dirty Dozen, Spaceballs, Super Troopers, Baseketball, Hitch, Independence Day, Clerks, Cool Runnings, Serenity, and Anchorman.

The day I don't giggle like an idiot at Disney's Robin Hood will be the saddest day of my life.

Regularly appearing on my playlist are artists like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Kenny Rogers, Reel Big Fish, the Ink Spots, Green Day, Ella Fitzgerald, the Andrews Sisters, Jimmy Buffet, Kaiser Chiefs, Alan Jackson, the Offspring, Danny Kaye, Paramore, the Bloodhound Gang, The Wurzels, Louis Jordan, Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin.

This list is by no means exhaustive. I go through music in fads - I will listen to most music once, and if I like something, I will explore further. As a result, my musical tastes change on a near-monthly basis. Always open for suggestions!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I once wrote and published a travel guide to Sichuan Province, China.

Teach, Learn, Share

Travel tips, outdoor skills, British folklore, how to zombieproof one's abode, editing and proofreading advice, friendly ear provision!

Countries I’ve Visited

China

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, United States