I'm about to set off around the world by bicycle. Why you might well ask? Well, I love cycle touring, the unpredictable nature of it, the wild flowers by the side of the road, the chance encounters and the kindness of strangers, the funny things that happen, and the sometimes absurd situations one finds oneself in! I like not knowing where I'll end up at the end of the day. I love new places, the languages, the food, the religion, the art, the music. And for some reason I experience a sense of deep joy cycling through a country: It makes me feel so alive.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

So, a trip of this nature obviously takes some planning. Part of the time I will be wild camping, but when possible I would very much like to couch surf. I imagine it is a great exchange between host and guest potentially. The host kindly providing shelter and local knowledge in return for a connection with a traveller who might entertain with a tale or two, some laughs would be shared. I am a people person, and a large part of this trip is going to be about the people I meet.

Interests

Well, I love cooking and have been recently volunteering as a vegetarian chef at a Buddhist retreat centre on a remote island off the west coast of Scotland called Holy Isle. I get off on new ingredients and ways of putting them together. So learning about local food wherever I am will be important. Photography is important to me, and I will be documenting my trip through pictures. I also want to write, so a blog will be regularly updated about my adventures. Hopefully it will all link up in one site. Watch this space...

• arts
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• vegetarian
• flowers
• traveling
• blogging
• music
• cycling
• camping
• languages
• religion
• volunteering

Music, Movies, and Books

I used to be in bands in the 90s and grew up listening to 80's synth music like Japan, early Eurthymics, The Human League. So I do have a fondness for electronica. But latterly other forms of rock and pop music too. Favourite singers include Tom Yorke, Roisin Murphy, Alison Goldfrapp, Laura Mvula. I could go on but I won't. So, movies - I'm not a movie aficionado but do enjoy film. Recent films I've enjoyed: Nebraska, Under The Skin, Philomena, Into The Wild. Books: I go through phases with reading. Always loved Graham Green esp Travels with my Aunt and Our Man in Havana. I do like good travel writing: Anything by Dervla Murphy, Laurie Lee. A recent novel I couldn't put down: 'One Day' by David Nicholls

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I was a Samaritan for 3 years in London

Teach, Learn, Share

Kindness, and humour important human traits sometimes lacking in our world. I think through travel and exposure to new places, people and the good and the bad of it all, I will grow as a person. My trip will be a pilgrimage of sorts, it will be an inner journey too. I have a strong sense of curiosity

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories, I've been told I am a good story teller, and enjoy doing it, perhaps with a few accents thrown in! I'm also told that I'm a nice person to be around. I certainly find getting on with people comes easily. Perhaps I can cook for people time permitting! I'm interested in art and music so would be glad of the opportunity to search out things of that nature locally to attend with hosts

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Brazil, France, Romania, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Scotland