CURRENT MISSION

to get to every country in the world. But just a few more will be ok! To sing Delilah at Mauerpark in Berlin on the karaoke. To see the Northern lights. To dive below the ice in Antarctica. To go to Kazakstan with a mankini. To create a catch phrase.
STOP PRESS- I did the mankini! One down- three to go! (If you're observant and inteligent you'll realise how that's an example of my lack of education!)

ABOUT ME
CONGRATULATIONS! You've got further than London, Bath, Oxford and Edinburgh and are a real traveler! So, now you've got this far it's time to be really obscure and visit the wonderful land of Bolton where I live. Don't panic- it's really easy to get from Bolton to the centre of Manchester- often quicker than staying in the suburbs of Manchester itself.
If you're addicted to white/ beige/ magnolia or gentle, tasteful interior decor of any description... this is NOT the house for you. If you are a minimalist or if you are overwhelmed by clutter, colour and intensity... you had better run for your life right now.
I'm easy going- a wannabe jester with a cunningly concealed heart of gold. (That will give your google translators a challenge!)
My (typically British?) sense of humour is naturally a bit sarcastic and dark so over-sensitive people might be confused but don't worry- I'm usually gentle with strangers!
I can always find some common conversation ground when I meet people and I'm quite happy to talk nonsense anyway. I would say open minded and adventurous are my middle names and I've yet to encounter anything that shocks me into submission. American sitcoms nearly do it though.
I like taking photos and making videos and practising my face painting and playing cards and connect 4 so that could be something to do during one of those rare English rainy days. ( Hint for newcomers- that was sarcasm)
I'm a drummer but play guitar and have a beaut 12 string that guests can have a tinkle on. I like making cool or idiotic movies and have a You Tube channel: misterparsnip57. If you watch the cookery demo and the caffeine shampoo it will give a pretty good idea of my stupid sense of humour.
Sometimes I can hang out, sometimes not, it depends on work so an ideal guest would be happy to explore alone if I'm tied up. If I'm literally tied up when you get home remember it's 999 in this country not 911. If you get home and the place looks like it's been burgled don't ring 999- it quite often looks like that. If you get home and I'm lay on the floor dead just give me a beer- it usually works.

And.... please make sure you read the MY HOME INFORMATION

PHILOSOPHY

to try anything new. Basically I'm a Yes man which has not always ended up like it did in the movie....
I think we should live our lives with passion, try to make the world a better place in some way but not take it too seriously. After all, it's just a game and a short one at that and the planet will really be better off when we're all extinct and the ants have their turn.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING
I wasn't sure how I'd like it but I realised I kinda like looking after people and although I criticise my home town all the time, I'm strangely proud to show it off.
And it works- it almost makes up for not being on my own travels!
STOP PRESS 2- I have created a facebook page to show just how nice and scenic/ historic Bolton can be and well worth investigating: https://www.facebook.com/Bolton-its-not-all-crap-innit-118064003387353

Interests

playing music, art, counting my ears, photography, cycling, film making, being an idiot and durrr- travel!

• arts
• photography
• film making
• movies
• socializing
• painting
• music
• guitar
• karaoke
• rock climbing

Music, Movies, and Books

My heart and soul is still with rock n roll- from the Beatles, Led Zep, Yes, through to grunge, Terrorvision, Rage against the machine, Gong and Kings of Leon but life has introduced many new styles and my collection is pretty eclectic now with a lot of music from all over the world of time and space from Lady Gaga and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to Gotan project and a collection of Finnish christmas carols!
I've always had a penchant for strange and dark (usually foreign) movies. Man with chicken, Sightseers and A pigeon sat on a branch reflecting existence, for example
I like movies that make me laugh- Hangover and Four lions were pretty top and movies that make me think like Butterfly effect and movies that are exciting like Unknown.
Terminator and The Matrix are still pretty much the bees knees for sci-fi.
Back to the Future kinda ticks all those boxes for me
But best movie maybe of all time- Withnail and I.

Breaking Bad, Ideal, Lost, misfits and Family Guy tick the TV boxes.
I can't read books- it makes my fingernails bleed.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

too many to narrow down to one but sunrise at Bromo in Indonesia, Machu Picchu, US road trip, sunset over Rio, adrift on a canoe overnight on the Amazon, standing breathless because of the altitude ( and the view) and gazing at Everest, diving amidst huge tuna and sharks with a current like an express train trying to pull me from the rocks we were clinging onto, sleeping on top of a new mini volcano spewing lava in Congo, sailing through towering icebergs in Antarctica with the magical light that makes it hard to tell sky from snow from water and standing alone by the magnificent Kaiteur falls in Guyana under a full moon are definitely up there.
I sincerely hope that doesn't sound like I'm showing off but it's really hard to think of one!
Oh and getting carted off by the police for climbing that big green bridge in Budapest...

Teach, Learn, Share

i know a cool card trick..... stop press 3- two now!

What I Can Share with Hosts

tea nd biscuits. Beer if you're very good

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Andorra, Antarctica, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, San Marino, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom