Melbourne

Hi I'm Paul. I'm a retired primary school teacher. I'm passionate about travel. I've hosted over 600 travellers with couchsurfing.

🍉🍉🍉🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸🍉🍉🍉 Update: August 2026 I have a flatmate now - so can't host. However I'm very happy to take you on hiking/camping/beach trips. I've got camping equipment to share if you need. Do get in touch :) Information for Surfers: Please read my "Home" section. There is a ❤️PASSWORD ❤️ I get so many requests each day now that summer is approaching, please please please write a good request. All information related to hosting surfers is there. I get a lot of requests here in Melbourne. So make sure you don't send me a copy-paste request. I want to know about you, and why you want to stay with me as well. How to write a good request: https://support.couchsurfing.org/hc/en-us/articles/200640010-How-do-I-write-a-good-couch-request- Absolutely no bigots, no homophobes, transphobes, racists, colonialists, etc. ABOUT ME I am a researcher at the University of Melbourne by day. My research is at the intersection of computer science and social science. I started off as a computer scientist and slowly moved towards doing something more meaningful (hopefully) for society. I am an artist in my spare time ( check my Instagram @rajith.art), and I love painting the human form, portraits and cityscapes. I've ended up painting a couple of people on CS! If you're a host or a surfer and would like to pose for me, let me know! I also love learning languages. And it's one of the reasons why I enjoy different cultures. I speak English, Sinhalese and Spanish fluently. Can converse up to various levels in German, Tamil and Hindi. I also speak the basics of Auslan. I'm also a vegan (But don't mind others being non-vegan, it's a very personal choice) I'm always up for an adventure! Be it hiking, camping, going to the beach, swimming (or skinny dipping) in the wild, etc. I've enjoyed quite a few adventures with CS hosts and surfers. In Melbourne, I have a campervan and can take my guests camping. I have recently discovered a love for climbing - you're always welcome to join me at the climbing gym. I'm gay. So no homophobes please. I welcome everyone, regardless of their sex, gender, religion, ethnicity, etc, in my home with love ❤️

If you want to stay with us PLEASE read carefully my profile before writing me, I am not very active right now but I try to meet with the local communities and help when I can. I would love to help you and maybe host you especially if you are a traveling family. I am on a constant mission to optimize myself and my environment to reach my own evolving happiness concept ABOUT ME All?....No way, but here are some tiny impressions: I am a Spanish-Argentinian guy, born artist and became ascientist.... that means that I would love to be musician or painter or any other artistic-creative profession, but science is even a stronger passion. These are only 2 aspects of me. Apart from that: Music is tremendously basic in my life (now, before, and ever) and is always with me. I love martial arts (some, not all) and what they represent, also as a part of understanding Asian cultures, in which I am fascinated. I also enjoy cooking and drinking a good wine or beer or whatever it is. Time is short to discover the constellation of people and cultures that are out there, but another important thing you learn by traveling and living out of your country is that you can discover amazing things just very near to you, only that you just were not prepared to see them. Plus keeping on discovering your inside, which is so basic to developing yourself and being able to learn more and more about life. Oh, and I am kind of Pastafarian....for those who know what that means :-) PHILOSOPHY I love these sentences: "Yesterday is history Tomorrow is mystery Today is a gift" "The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances. If there is any reaction, both are transformed" - Carl Jung "Birds born in a cage think that flying is an illness" - Alejandro Jodorowsky "Traveler there is no road, you make the path as you walk" - Antonio Machado "Only two things are endless: The Universe and the human stupidity..... and I am not so sure about the first one" - Albert Einstein "If you have a problem and there is a solution...... why do you worry? And if you have a problem and there is no solution...... why do you worry? - Popular Zen Citation "The best things in life are not things" All of them synthesize quite well a lot of my personal philosophy.

CS Guests: Before sending a request to stay, please read through the entire profile, INCLUDING the “My Home” section. Most requests are unfortunately declined because people fail to do so. I'm an Australian by soul, Emirati by upbringing, discoverer by nature.. A photographer in the making, with a few other hobbies that have withered over the years. Not into clubbing or partying. I would prefer exploring the cities and wildlife, hiking and overnight camping. I also enjoy honest conversations over coffee or a walk on the beach. Always keen to hangout for a movie, stand up comedy show, good restaurants or other new experiences in town.

Thrill-seeker and culinary explorer who finds the heart of every destination through its people. Excited to share local favorites!

Thrill-seeker and culinary explorer who finds the heart of every destination through its people. Excited to share local favorites!

Adventure collector who values experiences over material things. I'm passionate about showing authentic local perspectives and forming lasting friendships!

Curious wanderer passionate about arts, music, and meaningful dialogue. Ready to connect and help you uncover incredible experiences!