CURRENT MISSION

To make my way up the west coast of the US, experiencing as much as possible and making as many friends as possible without bankrupting myself and having to sell my kidneys in the process.

ABOUT ME

I'm a 27 year old British guy, currently running from responsibility in whatever form it should take.

I've spent the last year working and bumbling around Central America, making a half-arsed attempt to learn Spanish and trying my best not to get killed in the process. So far I've only had to visit the Emergency Room once, the doctor once, and the dentist once, all of which were done in Spanish so I'm not doing too bad on either count!

Back in England I work in finance (which is why I try and avoid being there as much as possible). I do love the place otherwise; and without it I wouldn't have an accent that gives me an air of respectability that I don't otherwise possess.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

WHY I'M ON COUCHSURFING

I spent my formative uni years exploring Europe hitch-hiking and generally bumming about off the beaten track. I quickly found that it's a hell of a lot more fun to attach yourself people that live in and really know the places you're visiting.

The most memorable, exciting and well frankly just plain stupid stuff I've got up to whilst travelling didn't come with a listing in Lonely Planet or Trip Advisor - examples:

*Drinking 4 bottles of (very cheap) vodka between 2 Polish truckers, my friend and I in a highway truckstop in -5° temperatures before all too quickly resuming a 150 mile trip in a truck carrying 100 recently slaughtered pigs. (although I would really like to see some Trip Advisor reviews were this to have a listing!)

*Waking up in a tent so desperate for the toilet that all other concerns were irrelevant, but upon exiting said tent realising just in time that it had been pitched all too close to the edge of a cliff overlooking a loch and nearly falling to my death.

*Accidentally jumping roughly 20 feet pretty much directly into the plunge pool of a rarely visited waterfall, nearly drowning, and then immediately realising that I would have to climb back out of said pool up a sheer cliff face (Tip: when someone says something's fine, its not always fine).

All of these 'adventures' came from, perhaps inadvisedly, putting myself at the mercy of people I met whilst travelling and then silencing the voice in my head saying "now this really is a stupid thing to do". You don't meet these people by checking in at the local hotel/hostel and walking in herds with the other tourists and backpackers. Hence couchsurfing.

Having read the above back to myself I feel I may be looking at being a future winner of the Darwin Award, but I will have had a good time doing it!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My housemates and I ran a joint account throughout uni, and so had a steady flow of backpacking vagabonds coming through our door - mostly fantastic people, but always memorable nonetheless! Almost had our tenancy agreement cancelled as a result which was fun... Have done a fair amount of bumming around the UK and Europe in return (although haven't as of yet done much using this account).

Interests

Playing hamfisted guitar, drinking in a charming but irresponsible manner, meeting 'interesting' folk, sarcasm, anything film or documentary related (the stranger the better), music in all its forms, pedantry, small animals wearing knitted clothes, silly walks.....

• animals
• documentaries
• cooking
• running
• walking
• drinking
• clothing
• traveling
• billiards
• music
• guitar
• hiking
• backpacking
• track and field
• medicine
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

MUSIC

Anything from the 60s, Motown, Northern Soul, Ska, Folk, etc. etc. etc.

MOVIES

My favourite film is American Beauty. I used to run my Uni's students union cinema, so I don't think there's enough room to really capture (or that anyone would have the patience to read) more than that here.

BOOKS

Anything that looks good at the time, is free and doesn't have a pastel-coloured cover.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Pissed into an active volcano in Nicaragua. True story.

Teach, Learn, Share

In ancient Greece the word 'Idiot' meant anyone that wasn't a politician, which reassures me greatly.

It’s unsafe for travellers to rely on St Christopher any more: he lost his sainthood in 1969. St Patrick is still the genuine article though so don't fret.

Under extreme high pressure, diamonds can be made from peanut butter. I think I still prefer the peanut butter.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Good old fashioned British alcoholism (booze provided), a guitar and and a modest array of tunes (depending on standards), a dry sense of humour, stories of travels and stupidity, some general cooking skills (developed at uni, so minimal ingredients required!), a deeply ingrained 1950s standard of cleanliness in the house instilled through regular childhood beatings, and general goodtimes.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United States, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

England, Guatemala, Nicaragua