ABOUT ME

I don't know anyone who finds this 'about me' part easy to write but here we go...

Hi. I'm Louise. When I'm working I'm a teacher and when I'm not working I'm travelling.

For now I am quite happy living out of my bag and am determined to see what I can of the world, hopefully meeting some great people along the way!

PHILOSOPHY

When I was a kid my dad said something to me that I'll never forget. He said that if you ever have a chance to travel, do it. Don't pass up on anything.
If I have a philosophy, that's it.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Because I don't just want to see a place, I want to get to know it. And I really believe that you can only do that by getting to know the people who live there.
Back in the UK I was an English teacher so I've found that for me, one of the most interesting parts of this trip is language. And not only language itself but people and interactions... culture. What I've learnt, and am learning, about myself and about people is so, so valuable. For me, Couchsurfing gives the opportunity meet people willing to share their culture and experience, learning from the inside.

Interests

Traveling. Travelling. Travelling.

I also love hiking. There is nothing I love to do more than to take a walk into the mountains or in the countryside, climb to the top of a hill and see a new place. The feeling of looking down on a town, seeing it sprawl out below you is wonderful.

I also love cycling, you can see as much as walking but travel a lot further in your day!

Geocaching is a hobby I have that kind of goes hand in hand with hiking. If you don't know what it is I'll explain it!

I also love reading dystopian fiction and historical novels. Infact I just love reading.

• culture
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• walking
• board games
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• cycling
• hiking
• teaching
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

I love jazz and funk. The type of music that makes it impossible to sit still. I love live bands, of any genre. I'm not musical so I envy the talent of musicians and also love watching then perform.

Books are wonderful. I've got a great imagination so find books extremely easy to get into, not just into but enthralled by. I enjoy historical and dystopian fiction but also travel stories.

Movies and tv aren't really my thing. I've not had a tv for maybe 10 years now and can't say I really miss it.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I traveled for 2 years through through South East Asia, Australia, the Balkans and Europe so did many amazing things...

In Indonesia I spent a day on a volcano. Walked inside sulpherous crater, hopping over pools of boiling water and feeling the ground underneath rumble.

I've swam with turtles on the Gili Islands
I bought and drove a tiny motorbike 2000km from Chiang Mai to Koh Phangan
I've stood on top of the Aiguille du Midi and walked inside a glacier
Hitch hiked across Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Turkey, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Israel, Albania and the Baltic countries :)
Been to the Grand Prix 5 times and Moto GP once
Inter Railed around Europe
Trekked in Myanmar and Thailand and all over Europe
Seen the Last Supper at Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan
Camped in the Malaysian rainforest with locals and seen tiger prints
Watched shooting stars in the Jordanian desert
Climbed up 3 volcanoes: one in Indonesia, one in the Philippines, one in Italy :)

Teach, Learn, Share

I love to share travel stories and learn about the culture of the country I'm visiting.
I'd like to share geocaching with people wanting to learn and begin to play the game :)

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm a great lover (and player) of games... not the computer kind but card games and other board games. I'm always ready to share a game I've learnt and be taught another.
I'm also happy to cook, vegetarian food especially. Vegetables can be interesting, I promise! I'm not strictly vegetarian but I prefer vegetarian food if it is a convenient option.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Myanmar, Netherlands, Palestine, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Thailand, United Kingdom, Wales