My name's Paddy, I'm 29 and originally from the Isle of Skye in Scotland.

After reaching a turning point in my life I decided to take myself off to the states to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail which is without a doubt the most incredible thing I've ever done. I reached the end of it with a new found outlook on life and since then I've been trying to follow my dreams and simply enjoy life.

Since then I've spent a season snowboarding in the Alps and worked at an outdoor centre back in Scotland where I've developed an unreasonable addiction to windsurfing.

Currently travelling Australia on a Working Holiday Visa and keen to see a different side to Australian life and meet interesting people.

I'm a really laid back kind of guy. I'm very clean and tidy and respectful of others personal space and property.

I prefer chilling out with a coffee or one or two pints in a nice bar or going for breakfast on Sunday mornings. I've been vegetarian for the last 7 months and hoping to stick to it.

I also happen to be gay which isn't always immediately obvious to people so I like to be upfront about it. Any hosts/surfers I meet would need to be LGBT friendly. :)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

After living in relative comfort and security in Sydney for six months I am now travelling by myself in my car and starting to learn that I find it hard to approach people in a hostel environment where it can sometimes be a bit intimidating. Having recently just started couchsurfing it feels like a great way to instantly have contact with someone in a new place as well as feeling at home while away.

Interests

Understandably as an outdoor instructor I have a lot of outdoor interests but I'm mainly hooked on windsurfing and snowboarding. Having said that I'm also not averse to occasionally spending a day binge watching netflix with a bunch of junk food. It's all a balance!

• coffee
• video games
• reading
• traveling
• hiking
• canoeing
• kayaking
• windsurfing
• sailing
• snowboarding
• rock climbing
• languages
• food
• biking

Music, Movies, and Books

I have a pretty eclectic music taste although mainly enjoy indie kind of bands and a bit of electronica.

I'm a huge fan of sci-fi books and movies especially the Culture series by Iain M. Banks. I'm also partial to the odd arty, thought-provoking films as well as German language movies so I can brush up on my German.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I thru-hiked the Appalachian trail in 2016. It was amazing in every sense of the word and I'd be more than happy to share my stories from it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I love languages and I can speak German to a conversational level as well as some basic pleasantries in French. I'd be more than happy to help someone learn English if it's not their first language.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I don't really know what to say here. I'm a friendly person who can teach you how to windsurf or snowboard. I can share stories of my travels and would love to lend an ear to hear about yours too.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Germany, United Kingdom