CURRENT MISSION

to finish my quest to see the whole world that was stopped in 1981

ABOUT ME
The following is an unusual upbringing as a teenager and shows how we should follow our dreams no matter what path and risks we take: As a young Canadian boy I loved to play tennis and persuaded my parents to allow me to leave home at the tender age of 16 where I based myself in the famous Bondi Beach area of Sydney, Australia to pursue my dream to be a professional. I had to find my own place to live and was lucky enough to live with a tennis family in Bondi. But after becoming homesick I returned home only to quickly move to San Diego to continue my training. After graduating in high school in San Diego, I took a break from tennis and hitch-hiked from Canada to Panama, then re-bounded and took up a tennis scholarship in Pensacola, Florida for one year. After Pensacola, I hitch-hiked through Europe and the Middle East and North Africa and ended up writing a book called "Europe on 84c a Day" in 1981. The book was so popular I ended up on the US College lecture circuit for 23 years telling students the value of travelling, learning about the culture, meeting the people and getting a great education on a 'budget'.
I am a two time Canadian National tennis champion in the over 40 and 45 age groups. In 2012 I travelled through about 40 countries including an adventurous climb to the top of Mt. Kilamanjaro with a guide of course. Leap frog a few years and I am now 62 ready to travel more extensively each year for many of the remaining years of my life.

PHILOSOPHY
Okay, so the following sounds a bit corny, but it's very accurate as to who I am and how I feel about the world:

Planet Earth is a very special place and I feel it would be a crime not to see all that this planet has to offer before I die. It would be a shame not to visit the beautiful coves, mountain vistas and villages harboring hard-working, honest people. Travelling is like a rainbow - as it just dares me to try and walk under it, but even though I know I never will walk under it's splendid colours I will at least travel towards each horizon with the same purpose like a traveller should... to explore and satisfy my curiosity about what this wonderful world has to offer - surprises are always around the corner and that is what motivates me to travel. This is what I live for.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I think the obvious answer is people like to meet people from different cultures because we are so different from each other in many ways. But by reducing travel costs through couch-surfing it allows more people to travel that otherwise couldn't afford to travel. The more people that travel the closer this world becomes as we learn to understand and appreciate our differences.
Personally, when I am offered a bed or couch in somebodys' home i want to show the host that I come from a great country. And most important of all, bringing together complete strangers is the ultimate test of trusting one another which in turn increases our faith in people and as i said, it brings the world closer together.

Interests

Of course, I like to travel, but now I want to take travelling to the limit, but wisely and safely at all times. I want to build upon my past travels: I have been down the Amazon, visited Macchu Pichu, walked the beaches of Rio, climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro and much more. Now I want to travel all the way through Russia, walk 100 miles along the Great Wall of China, return to India, the list is endless.
I am also two time over 40 and over 45 National tennis champion in Canada. I am very fit as I swim, run, golf, cycle, lift weights, play tennis. I am as fit as a 25 year old and love the outdoors and waking up along the beach. Oh,I am also an enthusiastic photographer as I now have over 100 albums containing over 25,000 photos. I am old-fashioned - nothing better than opening up an album rather looking at a USB.

• culture
• writing
• books
• education
• running
• working out
• tv
• traveling
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• tennis
• swimming
• teaching
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

books - Europe on 84c a Day - author -me.
music - all Canadian artists
movies - movies starring Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Jim Carrey,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I have seen over 75 countries, hitch-hiked through 30 of them, bunjee jumped off Victoria Falls bridge, climbed the Pyramids of Egypt, climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro ( i was the 1st to the top among 3 groups of 40 people) won tennis championships, fathered two beautiful children, lectured about my travel book, designed and built homes with my bare hands......

Teach, Learn, Share

Learn to trust each other. It doesn't matter if we look or sound different, we all have the same basic desires in life...to love, to live, to give, to share, to help each other and to live in peace and without fear.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I can tell them some amazing travel stories and share theirs as well.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Fiji, United States

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