CURRENT MISSION

Travel the world, meet new people and experience new things

ABOUT ME

I grew up in a small town in England. During my teens my desire for a more fulfilled life took me to the bright lights of the city, the place I now call home. My adventurous and inquisitive spirit, fuelled with a determination to achieve my dreams has got me to where I am today. Travelling solo around the world, experiencing things I never knew existed, meeting amazing people everywhere I have been. I now have a list of lifelong friends spread over 6 continents, friends who have inspired me, who have shared their lives with me, who have created wonderful memories which I will cherish forever.

I love to help others. I have participated voluntarily in charity projects in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Anyone who knows me will know that I will always make time to help out a friend. I am extremely compassionate and generous. I love to make other people happy, whether it’s words of wisdom, a thoughtful gift or a helping hand I will always try to put a smile on peoples faces.

As much as I love to chill out I am at my happiest when I am doing something. I love travelling, hiking, cycling, exploring, cooking, talking, beaches, jungles, mountains, children, animals, sunrises, sunsets, culture, history, anthropology, dancing (although badly), having fun and laughing as well as many other things. Although my crazy partying days are behind me I do like to have a good night out every now and again.

I am laid back and easygoing. When I travel I like to get down and dirty with the locals. I don’t expect air-con, power showers, everything to be spotlessly clean, things to run on schedule etc. The majority of my travels have been through developing countries, sometimes with no electricity, no running water and many times sleeping under the stars with no facilities at all. For me the most important and rewarding aspect of travelling is the people I meet. I am a firm believer that happiness is about the people you are with rather than anything else. I have been in some difficult situations however having amazing people by my side has made everything so much better. For me, the hardest part of travelling is having to say goodbye.

I am a humble girl, I appreciate the small things in life. Every day I am grateful for everything I have, everyone I have met and every opportunity I have been fortunate to experience. Life is a journey, I have no idea where this journey will take me. I take each day as it comes and try to make the most of every moment.

PHILOSOPHY

Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I like to be able to help anyone who has any questions from visiting my home city to travelling the world.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I am new to couch surfing however over the years I have met with many people during my travels who have since stayed with me at my place or I have stayed with them at their place. I have hosted friends/fellow travellers from all over the globe.

Interests

Travel - meeting people from around the world, learning about their culture, their people, their way of life and the way they see the world. Experiencing new things, making the most of all of my senses to appreciate everything that is new. The way that everytime I go away it prompts me to analyse my own life.

Learning new things - every day I try to learn something new. I love asking people about their lives.

Photography - I love to show the world through my pictures, there are a few people on facebook who follow my pictures religiously. These are the people who will never travel but are intrigued to see the world as it is, not through the photoshopped pictures in the glossy mags.

Teaching and inspiring - i.e. through my photos. Also trying to open peoples minds.

Trying out new things - brilliant!

Company - there is only so much of my own company that I can bear. I love being around people.

My family and friends

My independence

Sunshine - everything appears so much better when the sun is shining

Laughing - amazing!

• animals
• wildlife
• culture
• photography
• dancing
• cooking
• running
• walking
• partying
• flying
• boating
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• equestrian
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• whitewater rafting
• surfing
• scuba diving
• skydiving
• skiing
• rock climbing
• gymnastics
• anthropology
• history
• beaches
• mountains

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Living my dreams rather than just dreaming them

I cannot just give one example as I have experienced so many amazing things.

Some of the most amazing things I've seen in nature:

Witnessing the lava flow inches from my feet on the active Volcano Pacaya outside of Antigua, Guatemala

Walking between the steam plumes of the fumaroles near the salt flats in Bolivia

Heading upstream in a boat towards Angel Falls, Venezuela and seeing thousands upon thousands of giant sapphire blue dragonflies during their mating season

Violent thunder and lightening storms raging over the Amazon

The mesmerising torrents of water raging at Iguassu Falls

The spectacular sunrise's and sunsets I've witnessed all over the world

Seeing the snow capped peaks of the highest mountain range in the world rising high above the clouds in the Himalayas

The Andean Condor gliding peacefully through the stunning Colca Canyon in Peru

The largest collection of dinosaur footprints in the world in Sucre, Bolivia

The marine life around the world's 2nd largest barrier reef, Caye Caulker, Belize and in the worlds largest barrier reef in Australia

Seeing the abundance of wildlife and "the big 5", during my many visits to African countries.

The smiles on the faces of the poorest people in the world

Some of the amazing things I have experienced:

Exploring the stunning scenery by horseback in Terelj NP, Mongolia

Skydiving in Namibia

Cage Shark Diving in South Africa

Climbing the Great Wall of China - twice

Aerobatics above the nasca lines in Peru

Flying over the Okavango Delta and seeing the amazing nature below in Botswana

Cycling “Death Road” in Bolivia

Hiking to Everest Base Camp

Hiking the Inca Trail and seeing Machu Picchu

Diving all over the world

Sandboarding in Peru, Namibia, Egypt and Australia

Spending weeks in the Amazon surrounded by nature in Ecuador and Brazil

Riding in a Gondola in Venice, Italy

Being in Rio De Janeiro for Carnival and seeing the parades at the Sambadrome

Riding into the Thar desert by camel and sleeping under the stars in India

Riding the Trans-Siberian railway

Full moon parties in Thailand

Living in Melbourne, Australia

Kayaking around Halong Bay, Vietnam

Driving a 4x4 around Fraser Island in Australia

Teaching English in Guatemala, Uganda and Thailand

Whitewater rafting in Uganda

Spending a morning with a monk in a wat in Laos

Skiing in Austria

Travelling solo around the world to 75 countries and still going

Teach, Learn, Share

I like to meet people from all over the globe, from different backgrounds, from different faiths. I love to learn from people first hand rather than reading about it.

Countries I’ve Visited

Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United Kingdom