CURRENT MISSION

To see places I have never been before

ABOUT ME

After the hustle and bustle of two very busy and crammed years at law school in London, I am on a break before starting work in March 2010. It's not really a 'gap' year, but more taking time to have the time of my life.

Something I 'discovered' in the past few years was the amazing experience of exploring a country by bicycle. Freed from the constraints of the bus, train and rip-off taxis, it has enabled me to get to some quite fantastic places that would have been quite a hassle to get to otherwise.

Most recently, I spent 3 months in late 2009 cycling from Kazakhstan, through Kyrgyzstan and across China to Shanghai. With little idea what to expect, my eyes were opened to the sheer good nature and generosity of the majority of people.

Aside from cycling adventures, I help to run the small farm we have in Northamptonshire, and have a great love of music. Much of my spare time at school, university and law college was spent doing some form of music, be it singing, playing the viola, or something else.

PHILOSOPHY

Keep calm and carry on

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I had never really heard of couchsurfing until about a year ago. Chatting with another guy on his bike, going through the back roads of France, it sounded like an absolutely amazing idea. It was not until my last bike trip, across Central Asia and China, that I got chatting with a bunch of cyclists in Bishkek about the experiences they'd had with CS through Europe. Although I have not yet 'surfed', the amazing exchange stories that I have heard from them have given me the inspiration to get on board this amazing project.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My experience of couchsurfing from this site has been limited to second hand stories from cyclists I've met on the road. However, I've had quite a few experiences, not too dissimilar to the ethos that is aimed for on here. One of the most memorable was in Kazakhstan, in Almaty. Arriving into a land and a city that I had never before been to, I had a map and directions to a guesthouse. It turned out to be what I would imagine a CS situation to be like (though it wasn't CS) - a bed in someone's apartment, with an amazing host (a Korean lady called So Young). She showed me around the city, to the cafes, markets, on a night out, and swinging back by some guys playing chess and having shisha in the square. Her hospitality was so great, that I ended up staying for longer than I'd anticipated. It is this sort of experience that I'm so looking forward to on CouchSurfing. It's not just about a bed for the night, but getting to know both people and places in the areas you travel to, rather than simply taking pictures of the 'must see' sights.

Interests

Cycling, hiking, adventures, attempting to make music, eating exciting food (normally lots of it if I can justify it with a bike ride), reading vast historical tomes, and not taking myself too seriously.

• singing
• dining
• running
• chess
• reading
• traveling
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• law

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A bike trip across the USA was one of the best things I have done, as I was able to experience the vastness of the country and the generosity of the people was quite incredible. It comes tied in top place with a recent trip around Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China on my bicycle. That was something quite special, and I took from it so much more than I ever thought possible. I think it has taught me that, no matter where you are, people are generally amazingly generous, kind and helpful.

Countries I’ve Visited

China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan

Countries I’ve Lived In

United Kingdom