Hi

I've just finished a cycling trip that started in Almaty, Kazakhstan through Kyrgyzstan into China and over the Karakoram Highway to Pakistan. I have then travelled through India and Bangladesh by foot. I’m currently in Nepal, heading to Myanmar, Thailand, and back into India.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I've met loads of people that have done it when travelling, and have a few friends that do it. For some reason I've never got round to doing it, I usually stay in hostels where I can meet lots of people at once or in tent/bivvy bag/random hovel. I've been a member for years but never got involved, one of my New Year's Resolutions is for this to change.

Interests

Travel (obviously)
- I've currently been to over 75 UN recognised countries and a few self-declared republics.

Art, Design, Illustration and Photography
- I've kept a travel sketch journal for my travels since 2012.
- I have a small collection of old Soviet era film cameras including a Kiev 30, a Zenit ET and a Lomo Lubitel 166B.
- I recently got a new DSLR after my other one was stolen in Kosovo.

Sport
Sport is a huge part of my life.
I currently enjoy participating in powerlifting and olympic weightlifting, cycling, running, hiking and rock climbing (mainly bouldering but also a bit of alpinism).
I also enjoy watching both codes of rugby (I had to give up due to injury.), cricket and...

Football
-My love of football has led me to stadia around the world and made me witness games that make Huddersfield Town (the team I support) look world class. Highlights include seeing the 'Yellow Wall' in Dortmund, a Champions League qualifier in Tiblisi, Georgia, an El Salvadorian Primera Division game and watching Huddersfield getting promoted to the Premier League at Wembley.

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: A wide range, from Wes Anderson to Ridley Scott, Werner Herzog to Ingmar Bergman. At the moment I'm slowly working my way through My List on Netflix.

Music: A very eclectic mix of genres and styles, from Finnish Downbeat Ambient Electronica to Icelandic Reggae, Australian Hip-Hop to Zamrock (Zambian Rock) and Dutch Techno to Classical. I've probably got some obscure songs that you love and some that you detest.

Books:
The pile of books I have somehow accumulated on my shelf that I have yet to read include:
-The Odyssey by Homer
- The Man Who Cycled The Americas by Mark Beaumont
- Jupiter's Travels by Ted James

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I can't decide which one to put, I've been very fortunate because I've done some amazing things. These include:
- Paragliding over Lago di Atitlan in the volcanoes of Guatemala
- Eating a bit of the face from a goat while in a yurt in the Tien Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan
- Cycle touring Europe, skiing and mountain biking the Alps (France, Switzerland and Austria)
- Climbing the highest mountain in Western Europe, Mont Blanc 4810m.
- Facing a Haka before a rugby game in New Zealand
- Attempting to converse with a border guard of a country that doesn't exist (Abkhazia)
- Run the Bulls at San Fermin, Pamplona, Spain
- Go swimming in a glacial melt water lagoon at Jokulsarlon, Iceland
......the list goes on.

Teach, Learn, Share

Not really sure... I can juggle, does that count?? I can also weld but I can't see that being much use while Couchsurfing.

What I Can Share with Hosts

My travel sketchbook journal usually generates a lot of interest, I'm more than happy to leave a drawing or two behind with my hosts.
A multitude of stories from my past adventures such as a walking through minefields in self declared republics, going for an after work pint and waking up in Belgium.

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guernsey, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Jersey, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Northern Ireland, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Wales