My name is Brooke, and I have been traveling for the past 3 years, mostly through Southeast Asia (most recently for 6 months), Europe and North America. I settled in Melbourne for the past 4 months and now its time to set off on my east coast adventure in Australia! I grew up in Southern California (Orange County), went to university in Sonoma County (yes, I'm a total wine-o) and traveled as a consultant for the two years in the US and Canada. I love punny jokes, meeting new people, Scuba diving, and exchanging crazy stories (yes, I've been on a boat that got struck by lightning). Feel free to check out my blog at www.travelingwillingandabel.com or Instagram at @brooke_abel if you're interested! Hope to meet you soon :).

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I love connecting with new people and am very chatty, so I love that Couchsurfing lets me get to know people outside of hostels, where I normally stay. I've found that some of my most meaningful memories traveling in SE Asia have been during homestays and CS, so I want to continue with the unique experiences in Australia :). I even recently stayed with my 75 year old friend in Jervis Bay (met her on a dive boat in the Philippines), which was AMAZING!

Interests

• culture
• scuba diving
• beaches
• different cultures
• diving
• meeting new people
• meet new people

Music, Movies, and Books

I am a huge bookworm! I love bookstores and as a solo traveler, I always have a book handy. There's nothing like reading a physical book instead of a Kindle, and it can be a great conversation starter. I'm currently reading Life of Pi, and recently finished a book on the Vietnam War, as well as another by Chum Mey, one of the two living survivors from S-21, the torture prison ran by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia from 1975-1979. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series, A Thousand Splendid Suns and all of Malcolm Gladwell's books are other favorites of mine!

I didn't grow up watching many movies, so there are a ton that I haven't seen. I like action and comedy movies more than chick flicks :). I recently saw Train to Busan (Korean film) in Myanmar, which I thought was a great movie, considering how cheesy I think zombies are!

Spotify is the greatest investment ever! I love finding and making new playlists, and love everything from classic rock to "ElectroNow" .

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I recently went on a two day trek in the deep jungle of Laos and it was incredible! It included 13 zip lines (one was 650 meters long), rock climbing, abseiling down waterfalls and off platforms hundreds of feet high, eating local food from the market, sleeping under the stars and waking up in the clouds. Amazing!

Teach, Learn, Share

If you ever want to plan a trip to California/the U.S., I'd love to help you out!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I wish I could say I can cook, but I actually got a callback for the reality show "Worst Cooks in America", so I can't help you there! Happy to exchange travel stories, get to know you, eat food, and drink a few beers!

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Cambodia, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Italy, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United States