CURRENT MISSION

Enjoy things while I can

ABOUT ME

I'm interested in lots of things, but especially other people and other places. Working in education, I always try to use my holidays by travelling. If you meet me, I'm sure you'll find me friendly and easy-going, though I think I'm told that I do have quite a British sense of humour, whatever that might be.

PHILOSOPHY

'If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music in which he hears, however measured, or far away', Thoreau (wish I could come up with something like that myself)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've not yet hosted, and feel slightly guilty given the hospitality I've received. My city's not really on the tourist map, I suppose, even though it's one of the greenest in Europe and borders the oldest of our national parks.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

Couchsurfed on three continents now.

Interests

fell-running, the great outdoors, archaeology and ancient history, film, books, yoga, food, wine and ale, hispanic culture, music, spending time with family and friends

trying to learn how to use my camera better - all help most appreciated

• arts
• culture
• books
• education
• dining
• wine
• yoga
• running
• traveling
• eating out
• painting
• music
• outdoor activities
• hinduism
• swimming
• teaching
• history
• beaches
• parks
• mountains

Music, Movies, and Books

Music

Folk, Country, Mexican norteno, Cuban, Blues and Soul...Frankly, anything that I like at a certain time or moment

Books:

The Romantic Poets and other nature poetry, 20th C. American, esp. Kerouac and other Beat writers (Gregory Corso - what a poet), Shakespeare (like all English teachers, I think he is a master), Western novels (Shane is an all-time favourite), 19th Century 'boys' literature (Treasure Island, Tom Sawyer, etc), Chicano writing (just discovering this stuff - fascinating)

Film:

Westerns (especially modern ones), European neo-realism (the final scene from the Bicycle Thieves has copperplated itself on my memory forever), British gritty realism (Shane Meadows is the legend/long live Ken Loach), French cinema, black and white in general so as to provoke waves of artificial nostalgia,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Being daubed in red paint by the priest in a tiny little Hindu temple in the jungle in Kerala, India; seeing dawn on the beach in Big Sur, California when I was a callow youth of 19; swimming in the Rio Grande and staring up at the rock art in the Big Bend, Texas; wandering through the fields of vines nestling the mountains of Provence, France; completing the Bob Graham Round in one of the most beautiful places on earth - The Lake District, England

Teach, Learn, Share

Conversation, humour, common decency

Anyone who can teach me something, however obscure or unusual

•