CURRENT MISSION

Living life to the full, even in retirement. Keeping my mind open and youthful.

ABOUT ME

I am a retired teacher who is enjoying life in Melbourne, Australia. I spend my time travelling, reading, writing, walking, meeting people, helping overseas students with essays, assignments etc. I am broad-minded and open to all kinds of people and ideas; that is why I am on groups like Queer Couch-Surfers, Clothing Optional and Naked Sleepers). I am young at heart and enjoy hearing about people's dreams and plans.

PHILOSOPHY

Live life to the full; keep open to new experiences

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Civilised, friendly, sociable, thoughtful; interested in people, current affairs, politics, cooking, wine, travel. PLEASE NOTE THAT I CAN ONLY HOST ONE PERSON AT A TIME.. (but curiously I still get lots of requests that begin "Me and my friend..." which I have to decline). I also generally host each person for a MAXIMUM of THREE NIGHTS only. My preference is for guys aged 18 - 30 but this is not inflexible. I am very happy for couch-surfer guests to be out on their own all day as long as they do not return too late in the evening.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have had quite a number of young people staying with me from time to time (see references) and always enjoyed hearing about their adventures. I also travel a lot myself, and often undertake house-sitting assignments.

Interests

Travel, cooking, reading, music, ideas, politics, people. My own politics are not Conservative, Socialist or Social Democrat, but Libertarian. However, I enjoy interacting with people, especially young people, whose views may be very divergent from my own. Universities in the English-speaking world are increasingly intolerant of divergent views, with their "no platform" policies, "trigger" warnings, safe spaces etc. My home is a "woke- free" and non-politically correct (PC) zone, where everyone is welcome to express any view and have it taken seriously.

• culture
• literature
• cooking
• wine
• walking
• politics
• reading
• traveling
• music
• teaching
• history
• psychology
• gay friendly

Music, Movies, and Books

Very eclectic in tastes but I do prefer singers who do not need a microphone, i.e., classically trained! For me, folk music died when Bob Dylan went electric.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Visiting the Soviet Union in the old days as a member of a university student delegation. This convinced me for all time that, even if I were not religious, there is such a thing as Original Sin! I became a Libertarian as a consequence. Attempts to create some kind of utopia on earth are doomed to fail and will cause untold suffering, and the presumption that we can do so is a contemporary form of the old Gnostic Heresy.

Teach, Learn, Share

English language; English literature; philosophy; psychology; current affairs; cooking skills

What I Can Share with Hosts

Anglo-Australian culture, politics, history. A glass of wine and/or Scotch whisky!

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, England, Scotland