CURRENT MISSION

Learning how to eat fish with chopsticks. Finishing my travel eBooks: iPhone Travel Life, Android Travel Life + 101 iPhone Tips. (website: www.itravel.life). I'm currently living in Saigon and teaching English to young kids (mostly 3-5 years old). I'm loving it because I love learning and teaching and watching really young kids grow from crying in class to having confidence speaking basic sentences in English. I know that what they learn will serve them well in life. I like that in Saigon I can quickly get to many other cities in the region in just a few hours.

ABOUT ME

I think I could be described as a Travelgeek. I hope that's travel geek and not traveling geek :)I love all parts of the travel process... whether that be landing somewhere and seeing a country in rapid fire succession, taking my time or spending 1-2 months in a location in like a mini-retreat and really getting to know it and it's people. (Ubud was awesome for that. Hiring a private villa in nature, cooking for myself, enjoying the local life out of the rat race, no internet or TV and so on. Beautiful sunsets, perfect sunrises, frogs croaking at night, stunning views of the rice fields, total simplicity... and a swimming pool... can't ask for much more than that.) I still geek out though on finding the perfect travel app, packing the lightest configuration pack while still keeping in the luxuries, having custom made ear plugs (don't bother) or finding the perfect titanium spork. I have a pretty good idea of the sequence of favourite meals I will eat when I go somewhere familiar... like the divine durian mango desert in Singapore. I could also tell you the best beancurd I've had in Asia and how to find the woman that makes it or my favourite soymilk (pumpkin soymilk in Hong Kong - it's much better than it sounds). So I guess all of that files me into the travel geek category! (In a nice way)

PHILOSOPHY

I guess in one word... Karma :) In more words, I think life is about love and learning to love. Unfortunately mankind currently has a lot to learn :( I also align with Mr Bean's (Singapore) philosophy who likes 'life's simple pleasures'. I think the simple things in life are often the best. (Mr Bean soy milk blends, soya ice cream, beancurd and snacks are also very delicious.) Mr Bean also believes in love (amongst other things)... "Love is the recipe for happiness. Love Bean believes the power of love will make a difference to the world. It is wonderful to love and be loved." OH YES IT IS MR BEAN!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm yet to really experience CS, although I'm looking forward to meeting some people that love the same things I do... like travel!You know how when you meet someone traveling... someone you may even have been trying to avoid... and after chatting with them and meeting them you never knew they would have turned out to be so nice or that they'd end up being such a great friend given how they looked or initially presented themselves... I could be that person... or so could YOU. That's pretty much what I hope to get from couch surfing. Since one of my philosophies is to ask for what you want... and that's what I want! So I've asked! I don't ever send out random requests though. I always read the profiles of people I'd want to connect with and that I suspect might also enjoy connecting with me and then send a personal message rather than loads of generic CS spam requests... I also don't take the generosity of the time people share with me for granted.

Interests

I LOVE traveling in developing countries, adventure, trying new foods, cultures, bush walking and spending time in nature, internet geeking, reading, dogs and cooking. I love the process / journey of traveling as much as the destination so I would probably take flights just for the sake of flying. (Actually, I think I have!). I love landing somewhere, and walking or biking around back streets looking into all sorts of nooks and crannies to discover new treats.Taking really good care of body, mind and soul is probably one of the most important things in my life. So I do a form of yoga, meditation and am careful about what I eat. While I've tried saving the world, and failed, I really do deeply care about other people, the environment and the world we live in. My current quest, besides cooking, is to learn more about and change the role of plastic in my life.

• dogs
• environment
• cooking
• yoga
• meditation
• walking
• flying
• reading
• traveling
• cycling
• fishing
• swimming

Music, Movies, and Books

Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Survivorman, UP, and Planet Earth, In Treatment (I've studied counseling); Documentaries... Asian Satellite TV (especially the Discovery Channel, Nat Geo). Mainly foreign films these days especially Spanish and Taiwanese films: El hombre de arena; Secret; Island Etude;Parking;Au Revoir Taipei; The Most Distant Course. The usual travel flix: Before Sunrise; The Darjeeling Limited; Lost In Translation

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

One amazing thing... hmmm... I can't think of just one, but holding Bono up as he crowd surfed at Popmart and then him demanding my camera for the nightly onstage photo (I didn't give it to him because he looked (very) angry.... I left wishing I'd seen the show before because said camera would have been handed over!); Travel in India is always amazing - I think it's impossible to escape some kind of mystical experience while traveling there... sunsets in Bali; hanging with one of my best friends in Thailand as he set up his business there and integrating a little into the local scene (it's so nice to be in a culture that's so different from one's own); walks in nature and a really cool 4 day trek in the Cambodian jungle. Mostly though, it's simple moments with friends (often a meal, sharing about our lives), traveling and exploring new cities and horizons are the things I treasure the most.

Teach, Learn, Share

I can teach you English... and some of the vast vocabulary of slang that we Australians use without really knowing. I may even be able to coach you on you're "Gidday Mate" pronunciation or how to say 'UGG' Boots! I give a great massage and I'm working on my cooking at the moment because I like the idea that we can do simple things for other people that leave them better off for having met us.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Me.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Singapore, Viet Nam