If ive asked to come and stay its because i want to hang out, get to know you and your area ... After having grown up in East Africa, I would describe myself as a gregarious loner interested in all the wild places in the world. I'll explore a city, but briefly... a day or two!

I'm active (no early morning jogs please!) Love my plants (that's the botanist in me), well read and un-musical in all ways except listening to good tunes (Michael Franti, Matisyahu, Little Birdy, Mumford and Sons and good old Roger Whittaker). I love dance and am up for any lessons ... and I love exchanging stories.

I'm a (wannabe) writer (https://www.clippings.me/holliemgog) and have published two books, one of which we have done an audio version too. The second is a children's book: Elombe the Ugandan Hippo from Congo.

I am in the thesis writing stage of a masters in Biology and Conservation Ecology which I will take back home to Africa, and am trying to travel and write the thesis .... so I'll be planning to sit tight on my laptop working for at least 5hrs a day... sadly

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I travel a lot and spend lots of time meeting new people so couchsurfing is a natural follow on. When I finally do get my own place I'll be open to host people too.

Interests

I try to take one dance lesson in each new place I visit. I try to always visit botanical gardens. I enjoy an evening at home with a home cooked meal and a game. I love listening to podcasts, being amongst those who love to banter and tell stories.

• writing
• dancing
• reading
• traveling
• kayaking
• wilderness
• wild camping
• exploring nature

Music, Movies, and Books

World cinema, documentaries, biographies and autobiographies, non-fiction

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Lived life to the full and lived in Uganda, truly the best country in the world! In fact for 2 and a half years I lived on my own on an island on the White Nile on a dollar a day. Here I learnt to whitewater kayak and wrote the first draft of my book.

Teach, Learn, Share

In the end you will conserve only what you love
You will love only what you understand
And you will understand only what you have been taught

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm interested in all sorts of things from white water kayaking to swing/jive dancing, politics to conservation, the wilderness to city socialising . . An easy personality that melds well with hosts.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Cambodia, Canada, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Nepal, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Botswana, Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia