Like many people, I would like to save on accommodation costs. (Edited to add: apparently a lot of potential hosts do not like to hear this, but it's better to be honest.) That's it, really. If I can form friendships with the people who will host me, then that would be a really good bonus. No need to roll out the red carpet. Conversations are good, and I'm willing to help with chores.

I try to listen to various musical genres, but I find it hard to appreciate the music of these past 2 decades. I'm a great fan of Steely Dan. As for movies and books, I take an escapist approach and as such, I lean more towards fantasy and science fiction.