CURRENT MISSION

Couch Surfing created so many warm and positive memories in 2009-2013 and I was saddened to hear now in 2021, it may close. I'd love to be a part of breathing new energy into the Couch Surfing experience and culture, show others my new part of the world and expand my own horizons. I'm excited to be back on Couch Surfing.

ABOUT

Hiker, runner, winemaker and lover of nature. I plant trees, I garden, I work lots but take time to myself. I want to leave the planet better off.

PHILOSOPHY

Just do it. Enjoy yourself, take the day off. Live for now. Life is too short to drink bad wine. Lose the map. Never read parenting books. Always recycle.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I have up to three single beds to offer when my kids are away so travel dates/times will be a 50:50 acceptance!
I can provide great local advice on nature walks, taking part in day hikes along the Heysen Trail, winemaking, local wineries, beaches and more.
May be able to assist with pick-ups and transfers.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

With a previous partner we couch surfed around the Arctic in Finland and Norway. Meeting incredible people such as an Ice Hotel designer, a Sami reindeer herding family, slept on the shores of a frozen lake and watched the northern lights dance overhead, crashed a hire car on the edge of the Arctic ocean and were even interviewed on regional Norwegian TV about... couch surfing!
We 'paid it forward' and hosted several couples and travellers before our trip and I'm really looking forward to spreading good Couch Surfing vibes again.

Interests

Swapped the mountain bike for a solid set of hiking gear, I regularly hit the vibrant and interesting Australian trails - hiking up to 30km per day. There's something about the fresh cool air at sunrise, 4km from another person with only the sounds of the surf or the bush.

I am a local winemaker of 15 years and love exploring and discovering new wines, vineyards and regions.

I strongly believe in sustainability and leaving the earth in a better shape than when I found it.

• culture
• environment
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• gardening
• tv
• outdoor activities
• hiking
• beaches
• art
• travelling
• sustainability
• museums
• bush walks

Music, Movies, and Books

Brian Thacker, he set me on my couch surfing way. He surfed around the world using this incredible Couch Surfing platform, couch by couch and wrote a book about it. Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman with their antics across Mongolia and Russia... expect a very wide range of CD's in the rack...lots of books, travel, and many an atlas.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I don't think sliding a hire car off an icy road 20km from the northern-most point of Norway is 'amazing'... but it certainly created unique experiences! We were trapped, with freshly ploughed snow up to the windows in a snowbank, in an arctic blast with a 10 month old child. Rescued by an elderly Norwegian lady. She dropped us at the home of a Swedish couple who could understand Finnish but only speak some Norwegian, with some paper and pens we communicated. They knew a lovely local Finnish-Norwegian couple who ran a nearby holiday park in the Summer. They had a daughter the same age as ours where we stayed, played, ate and slept. The Northern Lights danced overhead. The next day were interviewed (ambushed, more likely) by the local television presenter for Alta TV and stayed with a Norwegian champion Ski-Doo racer.
I don't think you could make this up!

Teach, Learn, Share

I know the Australian wine regions well, may be able to get you behind the scenes in a winery or even a few months work at a local winery. I would love to learn how to play the guitar, or failing that, maybe the ukulele. And I'd love to learn some international cooking tips!
I would love to be able to share some of the eye-opening experiences Couch Surfing offers.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Local knowledge.
Great wine.
A modest home with great views.
Food. Well, cheese mostly.
Hiking gear.
A bike.
My wi-fi.
Horror parenting stories.
Great parenting stories.
Cilantro, because I always plant too much.

Countries I’ve Visited

Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Finland

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