UPDATE 2016

Living in Central London, can't host but happy to give tips, advice or meet for a coffee. I lead chocolate and ice cream tours in London - give me a shout and I can see if I can get you a friend's offer, also manage a luxury cookery school and a host of other things. Get in touch and let's go on an adventure together :) Haven't been CSing as much as I'd like as have been using air bnb more but would like to get back into it.

CURRENT MISSION

To experience as much of life as I can, never know when it'll run out!

ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Natasha (Tanasha is a nickname I once had, but no longer use).

I discovered Couchsurfing whilst travelling the world for 12 months in 2008/2009 learning about (and tasting) food as "work" for Sainsbury's (a UK supermarket).

I have a passion for life and learning. I love meeting new people and trying new experiences - the more unusual and quirky the better! I have a "tick list" of things I've done and would like to do and love to add to it. The joy of meeting new people is that talents and hobbies can be shared, what is mundane to one person is exhilarating to another!

As this website would indicate, I truly have the travel bug whether it be a weekend, or a RTW trip!

On a more practical level to whoever's checking me out as a potential guest: I'm fully housetrained :) (have stayed in many new places before), non smoking, will enjoy going out, but not a party animal (and if I do I don't need alcohol to have fun), non drug taking, friendly, inquisitive and considerate.

PHILOSOPHY

Some of the mottos I try to live by (some stolen):

- Live each day as if your last and dream as if you'll live forever
- Live until you die (simple but true!)
- (in the same line of thought): Evaluate at the end of each day whether you would be happy if this day was your last, or if not what you would differ and either do it then or learn for tomorrow.
- Never assume anything!
- To the best of your ability, never give up!
- If you are determined on a goal and keep focused, the universe will work towards leading you in the right direction
- Kindness and manners don't cost anything
- I'm not religious, more spiritual, but I like to learn about all different faiths and be open minded.

...and a host more, but you get the idea. I want to enjoy life and learn as much as I can during it!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

CS has changed my life so much.

Through it I meet, learn from and stay with people around the world, even better if they have cool hobbies/interests I can learn about.

CS activity:

Port Lincoln Feb-March 2009
- evening catch up and Coffin Bay day trip with Gwen Pittaway
- evening meal and yacht ride with Grant Eckermann, Jan and Francis Picken, Stella and Lukas

Melbourne March - August 2009
- CS free comedy and bar hopping
- CS pub Crawl with comedy event
- CS film night with pub attendance after
- 11 days (extended from 5 days by their generosity) couch surfing for the very first time with Faye and David Bennetto at their lovely home in Aspendale.
- Organise Bar tour courtesy of Ariel
- spontaneous pillow fight in Fed Square

Queensland trip with my friends Jessie and Nat:
- 1 night with Lorie in Coffs Harbour
- Night out with Lorie and Ross (Coffs Guy) and another CS couple in Coffs
- 2 nights with Alyce in Surfers Paradise
- 1 night with Wayne and Margot in Rockhampton
- 1 night with Lawrence (Bouncylicious) in Townsville

Queensland on my own:
- 1 night with Lorie in Coffs
- few nights with Ross in Coffs

Fiji on my own:
- 1 night with Diane (Fijilicious) in Nadi, Fiji

Birmingham:
- surfed at Janet and Tom's for 2 nights in July 2010. Janet then came to stay in London with me for a night which was great fun to catch up!

Summer 2010:
- surfed at several houses for my birthday summer holiday roadtrip with my Mum and met some amazing people!

London 2009 onwards:
- too many social events to count including scavenger hunts, foodie trips, Kiss Party, pilates lessons, free Bon Jovi gig, musical trips... and many more to come.

2012-2016: Less so, as unfortunately life and work took over. Plan to get back into the waters. I do however have good friends I met through CS that I still see.

...and constantly spreading the good word to those who I think would be a great addition to the CS community!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

See above. Very much looking forward to all the doors and possibilities which open next!

Interests

- Food - eating and learning about it.
- Travel (obviously)
- Making new friends worldwide
- Dancing (all types)
- Arty/crafty things
- Learning more about spiritual/holistic activities
- Learning new skills/hobbies
- Massage/pampering
- Board games
- Reading/TV/cinema (mainstream or arthouse)
- Doing/learning about unusual things
- I love free things and bargains, therefore op shopping (charity shopping for the Brits)
- Learning Finnish and have a list of other things I want to learn.
- ... and of course, planning my next trip!

• animals
• dancing
• dining
• pilates
• running
• partying
• pub crawls
• yachting
• shopping
• movies
• board games
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• surfing
• business
• sign language

Music, Movies, and Books

I like a lot, but especially feel good ones: Hairspray, High School Musical 1, 2 and 3, Shooting Fish, Disney and a lot of TV, including trashy TV.

I have a very varied taste in music, everything from country and western to death metal!

Bubbly chic lit, paranormal romances and children's books.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I'm fortunate to have experienced a lot, one highlight was meeting & hugging President Obama's Kenyan Grandmother at his family house.

Teach, Learn, Share

In life, work and travel be very cautious about the words "assume" (it makes an 'ass' out of 'u' and an 'ass' out of 'me'!) and "presume" - always double check to be safe.

"Feel the fear and do it anyway!"

In London there's an awesome company called "The Amazings" that promotes over 50s teaching their life skills. I love it and help when I can whether medieval tile making or tour guiding.

I'd like to learn whatever you have to teach... if that happens to be Finnish, sign language, dance, business skills, cookery or your life lessons, even better!

What I Can Share with Hosts

I get stuck in and help as needed and ask lots of questions, I'm naturally curious! :)

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, United States, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United Kingdom

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