CURRENT MISSION

To graduate with a Masters degree from a Japanese university...

ABOUT ME

Facebook: www.facebook.com/robthoms
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rob_thomson
Blog: www.14degrees.org/en
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/thomsonrob

I'm a New Zealander, but right now I'm living and studying in Sapporo, Japan. That's way up north in Hokkaido (the home to the most amazing powder snow in the world).

From June 2006 till April 2007 I cycled solo 12,000km from Japan to Switzerland. In Switzerland I changed to a longboard skateboard and proceeded to skate from Switzerland to England, then caught a ride across the Atlantic on a yacht, then skateboarded across the US from Florida to California, and then flew to China, where I skateboarded across China from the Kazakhstan border in the northwest to Shanghai. In all, 12,159km by skateboard (a Guinness World Record).

PHILOSOPHY

I strive to learn and excel (be the best I can be) in everything that I set myself to. I believe that within all of us, there is the strength to achieve amazing things.

"The greater the suffering, the greater the pleasure. That is nature’s payback to riders for the homage they pay her by suffering. Velvet pillows, safari parks, sunglasses; people have become woolly mice. They still have bodies that can walk for five days and four nights through a desert of snow, without food, but they accept praise for having taken a one-hour bicycle ride. ‘Good for you’. Instead of expressing their gratitude for the rain by getting wet, people walk around with umbrellas. Nature is an old lady with few friends these days, and those who wish to make use of her charms, she rewards passionately.”
- Tim Krabbé, 1978

(Thanks to bensaunders.com for the quote)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Right now my wife and I live in an international dormitory (the Sapporo International House), which does not allow overnight guests (poo poo to that!). The Sapporo International House is, however, connected to the YHA Sapporo International Youth Hostel (next to Gakuen-mae station in Toyohira-ku), so especially if you're staying there, get in contact!

Even if you're not staying at the YHA, get a hold of me and say hi.

We're not huge night-life types, preferring instead to make the most of the day time; we have a spare bicycle and two longboards hanging around, so we'd love to show you around Sapporo by human-power!

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I have stayed with countless individuals over my travels around the world by bicycle and skateboard (from June 2006 till November 2008). I am eternally grateful to all those people. So do please help me return the favour by at least showing you around Sapporo.

Interests

Human-powered travel (especially cycling and longboarding), adventure travel, web authoring, cycle/skate commuting, olives.

• dining
• yachting
• traveling
• blogging
• cycling
• skateboarding
• adventure travel
• parks

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Bandits, Gladiator
Music: Chicane, Groove Armada, anything chill/ambient
Books: River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hessler, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Your Dreams

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Cycled across the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan (4500m plus passes) and one more...broke the Guinness World Record for the Longest Journey by Skateboard, solo and unassisted.

Teach, Learn, Share

I have a dynamic slideshow presentation that has inspired many people to live their dreams. If you have a community group or group of friends that you think would benefit from something a little out of the norm, let me know (requires computer and LCD projector).

Countries I’ve Visited

Albania, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Dominican Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Virgin Islands, British, Virgin Islands, U.S.

Countries I’ve Lived In

Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland

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