CURRENT MISSION

I come to spread the gospel of travel, take photos and meet nice guys. Not strictly in that order.

ABOUT ME

Originally from New Zealand and now based in Sydney, I was born to travel. It runs in my family. I would describe myself as the Samsonite Backpacker: love the variety and challenge of travel, liking the odd bit of luxury and a flushing toilet if I can get it. (I've never properly been backpacking but I have a passport like a child's stampbook: does that count instead?) I've recently got my own apartment in Sydney so I can finally host!

Potential surfers should be advised that I'm a liberal, meat-eating, non-drinking, out homosexual; if some of these things offend you then this probably isn't the couch you're looking for.

PHILOSOPHY

"Make voyages, attempt them, there is nothing else" – Tennessee Williams.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

My aunty recommended CS to me and I think it's a brilliant idea. Now that I have a place of my own I'd like to host guests from around the world. And hope that soon I'll be able to do the same when I travel again.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

My first couch-surf was with the lovely Carlos in Miami in 2009. He was the perfect host and we had a wicked time in Miami and Key West.

Interests

I'm a voracious reader and spend a bit too much time on my iPad. Interests beyond travel include photography, writing, hunting out good food hidden in tourist traps and the odd spot of sandcastle building. I love to cook and do a mean line in stirfries and exotic chocolate cakes. When I travel I'm interested in the "experiential": bar-crawling is not my cup of tea, and I have very low tolerance for bad DJ's! I love to go swimming and snorkeling, and if there are castles or cathedrals to climb, all the better!

• writing
• photography
• dining
• cooking
• chocolate
• running
• drinking
• traveling
• magic
• backpacking
• hunting
• snorkeling
• swimming

Music, Movies, and Books

I go to the cinema mostly for the experience, so everything from blockbuster to arthouse floats my boat. (Not so keen on horror.) I will read just about anything. Musical tastes tend towards dance, progressive and vocal trance music. I'm also a huge fan of Café del Mar music and the location.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Café del Mar sunset: I know it sounds cliché but it was a pilgrimage to my Mecca and did not disappoint. An utterly magic experience. Venice is probably my favourite city: hard to believe one of the world's great powers for several hundred years was run from this small city in a muddy lagoon!

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to hone my writing and learn how to earn a living while travelling. In return I can share my photographic expertise, broad knowledge of all things computing and technical, and some of the crazy places I've been.

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