CURRENT MISSION

Have fun, do crazy things and join the travellers century club

ABOUT ME

Im originally from the UK, and now live in Beijing. Previously to this I have been living in Holland for 2 years, and then Freiburg, Germany for 3 months, and then Sweden for 2 years for a master degree.

I am an easy-going guy who likes to socialise, meet new people and try new and different things. And of course travel! I prefer to visit non-tourist and "off the beaten track" destinations. I get a more authenic cultural and travel experience when I do this. I like to spend time with people as it is always good to share experiences together. When travelling I always like to try to do something different, generally something extreme that gets the adrenaline pumping, and it always gives good stories to tell!

I love visiting new places, especially meeting with the local people of where I am travelling, you learn and experience so much more of the character and culture of the place. Right now I want to travel around China and other Asian countries in my spare time.

PHILOSOPHY

Treat people how you want them to treat you.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I will try to offer space in my room in Beijing but it is difficult as it is not my house. I will happily meet couchsurfers for drinks or to go around the city together.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Very Positive. I have met many friends through couchsurfing. Also I have couchsurfed in: Switzerland - (Bern, Geneva), Germany (Freiburg, Berlin), Poland - (Lodz, Warsaw), Latvia - (Riga), Sweden - (Stockholm), Turkey (Istanbul, Izmir), Ukraine - (Kiev), Iran - (Tehran, Esfahan, Kashan, Hamadan, Rasht), Oman - (Muscat), China (Xi'an) Also I have met couchsurfers for drinks etc in many many more places.

Interests

Mainly travel and meeting new people, I want to visit as many places as possible. Especially less touristy places that are full of character and culture. I have had many good experiences doing this. I feel in places where there are less tourists you get a more authentic experience and get to know the culture better. I also like to hang out with friends and party, play tennis and badminton. I love adrenaline sports, and would love to do these more often if I can.

• culture
• festivals
• chinese new year
• dining
• partying
• drinking
• clubbing
• boating
• traveling
• socializing
• hiking
• camping
• sailing
• bungee jumping
• sports
• rock climbing
• tennis
• track and field
• rowing
• badminton
• emergency services
• hitchhiking
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

I like to watch comedy and thriller movies most. I enjoy most sorts of music, especially acoustic stuff at the moment.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Spontaneously buying rubber boats and rowing them down the Li river to see the karst limestone peaks near Guilin, China. Finding a cave and camping in it in freezing temperatures with no coat or sweater, which had been soaked that day on the boat.

Being taken in the back of a police pick up truck to a remote beach after being refused permission to camp on a beach in the city in Sanya, Hainan Province, China.

Runnnig out of money in Hainan Provice, China.

Watching giant turtles lay their eggs on a beach in Oman, while seeing so many stars in the sky amongst the wilderness.

Sleeping under the stars in Wadi Rum, Jordan.

Climbing 7000 steps up Taishan Mountain, China, through the night to watch the sunrise at the peak. Then descending again the next morning, amongst so many people it was almost impossible to move.

Going down into the mysterious Bimah Sinkhole in Oman.

Breaking into a caravansari in the middle of the desert in Iran. Spending the night gazing at the stars, paranoid that police might arrive, followed by a meeting with wild camels the next morning.

Travelling with a train in China during the Chinese new year festival. Being one of the huge number of people trying to cram on a train from Beijing to Guilin. Not being able to move for around 12 hours as the train was so packed. Drinking with the train staff once towards the end of the journey once it had become less crowded.

Riding a moped around Cappadoccia, Turkey.

Spontaneous diversions - A diversion to Syria from South East Turkey. Meeting so many friendly and interesting people in Aleppo and staying in the weirdest hostel I have experienced so far.

The Turkish - Syrian border near Al Qamishli, Syrian side. Helping a Syrian border guard read someone's Danish passport, as he could not read Roman letters.

Sailing with a friend in the Stockholm archipeligo, and nearly destroying the boat.

Taking a photo of a donkey in Diyarbakir, Turkey (Kurdistan part), which led to meeting a local and being shown around the city, Kurdish newspaper headquarters and Kurdish traditiional food.

Hitch-hiking in the back of a police jeep in the remote Svaneti region of Georgia.

Hiking at over 3000m altitude to view a glacier near Kazbegi, Georgia

Eating Georgian food.

Seeing the effects of war in the city of Shushi, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Inter-railing around South Eastern Europe.

Inter-railing around the North half of Italy.

Visiting and hence verifying the existance of Transdnistr, the country that "doesnt exist". Spending nearly 3 hours looking for the foriegn office to extend my entry permit from 1 day to 2, eventually finding this place by having to climb some stairs and peer into a window in a random tower block.

Driving up the Pikes Peak mountain in Colorado, and the surrounding scenary.

Bungee jumping over the sea in the sunset in Den Haag, Holland.

My first trip. Road trip around South East USA with my family when I was 7 years old.

Snorkelling with Whale Sharks in Leyte, Philippines

visited 52 states (23.1%)Create your own visited map of The World or another interesting project

Teach, Learn, Share

Meet local people. You get a different perspective of the place you visit, and they may show you things you never would see otherwise.

In Venice, if you want a gondela ride, do it at sunset, you ay get a discount as it is not such a popular time and all gondeliers are competing for work.

If you want information on train travel go to www.seat61.com This site has a everything you want to know about travelling by train and overland.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Monaco, Mongolia, Norway, Oman, Palestine, Poland, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

China, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States

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