CURRENT MISSION

cycling!

ABOUT ME

I cycle every day, and I like to speak to people. I am extremely fond of caffeinated beverages, especially coffee, tea and yerba mate. I think bikes are sexy. I own a hat made from panels of contrasting tweed which I wear almost invariably. Very little else about me would be considered stylish: for example, I like wearing bicycle shorts inordinately much. I am a South African, but I cringe whenever people bring up Cricket and Rugby, topics of conversation which I secretly consider beneath my dignity. I like interesting beers, and I am fond of guinness stout. Some people are peculiarly fond of me, and I myself am fiercely fond of some people; the match between these two groups is a great source of satisfaction and frustration to me.

PHILOSOPHY

trying to speak less, say more.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I try to spread the message of love, understanding and courtesy in my cycles across North America, and The World. I have hosted people when I have had a home.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Totally Positive! As a host, I have found that couch surfing is like a form of traveling where you don't have to quit your job and sell all of your stuff (though I still plan to do that again...)

As a surfer, and a cycle tourist, I have come to be amazed at the kindness of strangers. People can be quite charming, given the chance.

Interests

Sleeping in the woods ( especially cedars ), Cycling with gear, sliding down mountains through snow, shibari, other peoples' cooking, beers of the pacific northwest ( and Guinness ), training and being trained ( I am housebroken, and I have a University Degree), Saunas, walking, the things that people think but don't say, city streets at night when they are full of people, People on Bicycles.

• cooking
• beer
• coffee
• walking
• traveling
• cycling
• surfing
• cricket
• rugby
• history
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

A very long engagement, eliott smith, war and peace

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I dove through a cloud.
I saw the end of Apartheid, and the first free elections in South Africa.
I cycled in the tweed ride in San Francisco; a ripping good time!
I hobo-camped in an abandoned missile site in the Marin headlands on new years eve in the freezing rain.
I cycled from Jasper, AB to San Francisco, CA.
I lived in a soviet era apartment in the St. Peterborg suburb of kupchino, home to the famous russian mathematician, Grigory Perelman.

Teach, Learn, Share

I used to teach reasoning skills to first year philosophy students. If you like random bits of useless information, I am usually a good source. I can show you how to bake sourdough bread, and make rotis. I know a lot more about South African History than the average person. I like discussing philosophers like Nietzsche and Wittgenstein, and novelists like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. I am interested in learning about African History and other cool stuff. I am learning how to read Simplified Chinese, and how to speak Cantonese. Would love to meet Cantonese speakers.

Countries I’ve Visited

Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Mozambique, Netherlands, Sweden

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada, Russian Federation, South Africa, United States

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