CURRENT MISSION

To shake off some of the rust I've been carrying since 2019 by dipping my toes back in the travel world. Take a break outside my usual grind and gain renewed perspective from different places. Adopt some new skills I desire to take back to Australia with me and pivot my life/career direction (ideally in the realms of permaculture, holistic health, mindfulness/spiritual exploration, sustainable landscape- and architectural design (I love tiny homes), or similar). Make new friends from different cultures around the world. Reclaim simplicity, remember what's important to me and how to live without fear, forget the rules of the game. Wake up a little more; see more sunrises.

ABOUT ME

I'm Lauren! I write, photograph, draw, rock climb, eat lots of plants, attend music festivals (doofs, if you know the lingo), travel obsessively, and am allergic to complacency and getting stuck in the comfort zone. Love savouring experiences (i.e., slow travel, slow food - preferably eaten on the street or in someone's home), animal welfare, tattoos, red wine, pizza, chocolate, being out in nature, and sitting on high things whilst staring pensively off into the distance.

PHILOSOPHY

Say yes, ask questions later. Have fun without harming anything.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My ex-boyfriend and I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for a week with an amazing host. We learned a lot about his Muslim faith, ate at some amazing Indian/Malaysian restaurants we'd never have discovered otherwise, and saw the Petronas Towers at night! An awesome week I won't forget about, and I hope to gain more experiences like this all over the world.

Have also Couchsurfed in Ypres, Belgium with two great hosts and cycled around WWII sites; Hobart, Tasmania, where I hitchhiked for the first time; and one experience in Cape Town I'd like to forget (let's just say: single guy, liked wearing only his underwear around the house, talked lovingly about his water purifier, and invited me into his bed one night. Yeah nah thanks).

Most recently (though sadly still pre-covid), I Couchsurfed throughout Europe, and some of those stays were hands-down favourites from all my time using this service. (Goska from Warsaw, Iva from Vienna, Laurent from Paris, Roberto from Rome, Rene from Leipzig, and Luigi from Milan; I'm looking at you!)

Can't wait to experience more! Thank you all.

Interests

• arts
• photography
• music festivals
• environment
• wine
• vegetarian
• yoga
• meditation
• reading
• painting
• drawing
• music
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• rock climbing
• solo travel
• adventure travel
• travelling
• sustainability
• permaculture
• people watching
• vegan food
• ayurveda
• travel writing
• vegan cooking
• spiritual practice
• regenerative agriculture

Music, Movies, and Books

Music: hard rock, punk, hard dance/electronic/glitch funk/bass, world, classical...

Movies: Big Fish, Life as a House, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones...

Books: The Book Thief, Shantaram, Marabou Stork Nightmares, the Harry Potter/His Dark Materials series, the Arrival, anything by Bill Bryson, Eat Pray Love, and more.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Worked as a tour leader in seven African countries. Weirdest/most incredible four months of my life.

Once bribed a Tanzanian cop with a carrot.

Hiked the Norwegian countryside with two soap opera stars.

Scootered part of Highway One in Vietnam.

Toured Spiti Valley (most isolated place in India) in a jeep for ten days. Probably my favourite place in the world.

Got thrown into the Nile without pants on.

Volunteered with rescue elephants/street dogs in Thailand, more rescue animals in Udaipur, and taught conversational English to Tibetan monks in McLeod Ganj.

There are more I'm forgetting...but will divulge more with very little prompting (and a cheeky wine or two)! Gotta save some stories for in-person, eh?

What I Can Share with Hosts

Lots of stories, and conversation about all kinds of topics.

Really enjoy cooking and would love to help prepare meals (though I do have dietary restrictions...hope this isn't a problem!). Some of my favourite memories of Couchsurfing have been accompanying hosts on market trips and preparing delectable meals with the bounty we found.

I love learning new things/absorbing and imparting wisdom. Will gladly partake in new experiences and/or assist with things that need doing around the home.

Finally: I'm an old-school Couchsurfer. I like to actually interact with and get to know my hosts/their locale where possible, and won't ask you for the wifi password within seconds of walking through the door. You've offered up your home, your sanctuary, your hospitality, and I will never take that for granted. You will have my respect and undivided attention. Thank you in advance :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Morocco, Mozambique, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Thailand, United Kingdom, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe