(27th July 2023)
I've been away from Couchsurfing for quite some time. The usual story - got married and had kids, and crammed in a small apartment it wasn't great for hosting guests, nor was the idea of invading someone else's space with a baby + baby stuff very appealing. Now I'm back, and since we actually moved out of the city a couple of years ago and now have a bit of space that we can host travellers again. Looking forward to seeing who comes through the door, and hope it inspires the kids about travelling and different cultures.

ABOUT ME

Back in 2008 I signed up to Couchsurfing when I went riding my motorcycle from London to New Zealand. I managed a fair bit of couchsurfing along the way and loved it totally.

Before that trip I've worked in India, Thailand, California (San Francisco) and Germany (Munich). After the trip I returned to London to create a start-up, which ultimately didn't get off the ground, so my (now) wife and I returned to her native country Germany, and settled in Munich, where we are both running our own small businesses and raising two amazing girls (6 & 8).

I used to be a motorcycle designer before switching to providing design sculpture services as a clay modeller, which I spent a good 15 years doing. This has never felt like a job to me, and some describe it as playing with plasticine all day - Pretty fun! Now I do most of my work using a VR headset, helping some of the world's most notable motorcycle brands create their new designs. Again, this is so much fun and not at all like a real job.
Probably this is why I'm mostly happy.

I love anything with two wheels, and travel more by bicycle these days than by motorcycle. I love being out in nature and go mountain biking with my beautiful dog most days.

You can find more about me at https://www.claymoto.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/claymoto_design/

I'm not verified, as I think there should be enough info here for anyone who doubts my veracity, without me paying €60... Please ask if you have doubts!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

Probably like most, I love to travel and meet people. I've stayed with people and been to meetups all over.
The cost of hotels is bonkers these days, so being part of a network of reciprocal kindness just makes sense to me.

Interests

I love anything that allows me to move through the world unimpeded. It's why I like 2 wheels over 4.
I'd like to start paragliding also and intend to learn this year.

• design
• motorcycles
• traveling
• cycling
• snowboarding
• mountain biking
• comedy

Music, Movies, and Books

Shawshank Redemption and Lock, Stock and 2 smoking barrels are still my 2 favorite films after many years.
I listen to a lot of podcasts and audiobooks while I work. These are some of the ones I love:

How I built this with Guy Raz
Armchair Expert Podcast
Lex Fridman Podcast
Next Big Idea Podcast
Conan O'Brien Needs a friend podcast
TED

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Ridden my motorcycle for a year from UK to New Zealand.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'm pioneering the use of VR technology to replace a lot of the clay modelling process for the automotive industry. This is opening up huge new possibilities for the clay modellers whose careers have been in decline for the last decade.
I teach VR modelling using Gravity Sketch.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I'm highly practical and can fix most things (with the exception of electrical circuitry)
I love comedy, so we can share a laugh.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Russian Federation, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Zambia

Countries I’ve Lived In

Germany, India, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

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