I'm Olivia, now officially a nomad for the past 14 months. I've been travelling with my partner around India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, now we're in Japan and. In April we will visit Thailand, then Malaysia and beyond...

During our travels we have done quite a bit of couchsurfing and met a lot of interesting people! We also do lots of volunteering, mostly in farms and communities as this is our passion and our plan when we return home is to begin a self sustainable (as much as possible!) community.

We love to explore slowly, and are not fussed if we don't visit the bit tourist sights, as long as we get to absorb the culture, meet local people and try lots of local foods! This year we have learned to cook Indian curry and chapati, and amazing momos 😊

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I'm a hospitable person and have been hosting friends and strangers for a long time before using couch surfing. I have also helped host couch surfers that my housemate invited and really enjoyed it. In a shared house of 5, we have hosted up to 6 people in one go, and I've often cooked for more than 10 people! I enjoy hosting but currently don't have a home. When we return from our travels we hope to build a beautiful place where there will always be space for lots of guests!

I also love to travel and have so many places I want to see! I had my first couch surfing experience in Norway and I believe it's the best way to visit new places, meet people and get local tips. Generally avoiding the tourist path is the way I hope to travel, and staying with people is a great way to do this!

Interests

I enjoy making and listening to music and playing the piano, accordion and most recently bamboo flute. I do many crafts (crotchet, sewing, macrame, drawing) to various degrees of proficiency. Travelling has given me more time to develop writing and learning languages, which I really enjoy but need to build confidence! My favourite language so far is Japanese.

I can be quite shy, especially in big groups, but I do love meeting and talking to new people. It is so fascinating how different people can be and it is amazing to hear everyone's different stories and opinions about life. I also enjoy learning about and experiencing different cultures and languages.

Nature keeps me peaceful, playful and teaches me humility. I love gardening and farming, growing healthy, organic, delicious food. Being outside is always fun (even in the rain but mostly in the sun!) walking, running, cycling having picnics... I also am a keen yogi, although travelling has made my practise very sporadic!

I trust anyone who includes food and drink as an interest! I am always excited about the next meal time and I love cooking, baking, tasting new foods and drinking good coffee and beer. Also, being British, I do love a good cup of tea, preferably with biscuits 😊

• diy
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• yoga
• walking
• drinking
• crafts
• gardening
• traveling
• music
• piano
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• surfing
• languages
• nature
• gardens
• sustainable living

Music, Movies, and Books

My music taste is very varied: western classical piano, psytrance, Indian classical, reggae, dub, folk, acoustic...

I love to read more the more I do it! My favourites so far include Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robins, Captain Corelli's Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff and Leaf in the Bitter Wind by Ting-Xing Ye.

Movies are fun, especially with plenty of snacks and beer! I don't like horror or chick flicks but enjoy pretty much everything else. I particularly like studio Ghibli animations, or something historical so I feel like I'm learning. Films that are inspiring or make you think are always good, like Pay it Forward or The Prophet. The best film I've seen in the last few years, maybe ever, is Victoria.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Walking 50 miles in 19 hours over night with no sleep...

Teach, Learn, Share

I'd love to share stories with any traveller or host, and hopefully share a good meal as well. I will always offer to cook for you! Languages are really important, so maybe we can teach each other something.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a tidy guest so I will keep everything clean. I would love to cook for you, and I even enjoy washing up!

Countries I’ve Visited

Belgium, Denmark, France, India, Italy, Japan, Nepal, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

England