CURRENT MISSION

I work hard to play hard, thus my mission is to see as much of the world before I return to dust... let it be known that I actually do live each MOMENT as it comes thus Carpe Diem is not a cliche but an actual philosophy

ABOUT ME

I am 6ft4 (so I am tall)
Love to keep healthy and fit (thus in my spare time you'll either find me in the gym or on a multiday hike)

Travelling is a huge passion of mine and it is not about experiencing the world on a first class journey but rather my best experiences have been as a 3rd class traveller... and as much as I love backpacking, I sometimes find myself planning my entire trip and sadly sticking to the itinerary - perfectionist and OCD at heart :) However, I am always open to being challenged out of my comfort zone. Just no bug eating competitions 😉
I believe that knowledge is the key to all wisdom and you can only gain knowledge from experiencing! Those experiences ultimately come from witnessing it with all 5 of your senses (that is why my occupation is a researcher)

PHILOSOPHY

Living life to fullest and not taking every moment for granted - Carpe Diem
Existentialist
Perseverence
Being true and honest to yourself
Remain positive (always seeing the positive side of everything)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Meeting others and growing my networks and if you're ever in need of a treat, I can make your experiences where ever, so much better

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Best CS host destinations: Montreal, Canada AND pretty much all over Iran
Best CS community get togethers: Istanbul, Turkey (alcohol is a bit expensive though)
Most unique 'couch surfing' experience: not through CS though and was not planned at all - by real chance though... I stayed in a rural village in Laos - best experience ever, I will never trade that moment for anything else in my life
But overall, I have stayed at hostels, apartments, friends' flats, Couchsurfers' homes and hotels on my journey across the globe

Interests

Formula 1

Basically most sports
Travelling
Keeping fit and healthy (thus going to the gym and running)
Reading (especially non-fiction)
Movies

• wine
• beer
• bbq
• running
• walking
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• backpacking
• bungee jumping
• sports
• craft beer
• star wars
• formula 1
• gin

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Pink Panther (Peter Sellers only), James Bond, Breakfast Club, Gladiator, Indiana Jones, St Elmo's Fire, Dead Poets Society, Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013), etc
Books: mostly bios and autobios, Spud, Lord of the Flies, The Velvet Rage, Left Behind series, Harry Potter series, Ben Mezrich books, The Hobbit, Song of Fire and Ice (game of Thrones series), Oh! The places you will go, etc
Music: Rock, Punk Rock, EDM (Coldplay, Parlotones, U2, Alesso, Lost Frequencies, Avicii, Galantis, Kygo)
TV Series: Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, South Park, 70s Show, A-Team, Game of Thrones, Desperate Housewives, House of Cards, the Amazing Race, Braindead, etc

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro
Swam with dolphins off the coast of Zanzibar
For cricket lovers: was at the game where SA scored 438/9 to win the match and series against Aus
Stayed in a rural village in Laos
Experienced the best soccer match in my life (WC qualifier for Argentina vs Peru, Oct 2009)
Bungee jumped off the Orlando Towers in Soweto
Iguazu Falls from Argentina's side (from average flow on the one day to overflow the next)
Hiked alone through Hale'akala National Park in Maui - AMAZING!!!
Chernobyl... and getting the red alert light for contamination on one of my shoes afterwards
Patriotism from Kiev residents still stationed in Independence Square til post the elections
White water river rafting down the Zambezi
Jet ski'ing at sunset in Babolsur on the Caspian Sea

Teach, Learn, Share

One thing that baffles me is how lazy people are to walk when they travel... forget the taxi and instead follow your feet, you'll see and experience more (e.g. I discovered the most amazing bakery in Prague by just walking and not taking any public transport)
For me travelling is really about the memories and if you have the cash, I believe you should spend it on that plane ticket and see the world
One rule - never argue with a customs officer at an airport
Go rustic if you can, avoid following the crowd because the real experiences around travelling happen when you become a little spontaneous
Always travel with a pocket knife, head lamp and flint
And when you can't speak the language, drawing in the sand works like a charm (I learned that from a villager in Laos)
Take a moment to look around you and watch how the crowds and world just passes by

What I Can Share with Hosts

You will have your own bedroom with a bed. Plus, if you are around during the weekend, we will spend time together somewhere in Gauteng, whether it is me taking you to my favourite spots in Soweto/Jo'burg/Pretoria; to having an awesome night out in Jozi; to getting to see some of best views in the province.

In addition, the ideal is if you love meat and I have the time ... I'll treat you to a great BBQ (or as we call it, Braai / Tshisanyama) with wine / beers / whiskey / gin.

Countries I’ve Visited

Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Serbia, Seychelles, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City State, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Countries I’ve Lived In

South Africa, Sweden

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