I have travelled a lot, and lived in several other countries, throughout my life, so I love, and GET, travelling. One of my main motivations and joys derived from it, is meeting and really connecting with other people. I have unofficially couchsurfed for years, and hosted when I've lived alone, so am delighted that this context has been created, as a community resource, for all of us around the world who want to share that passion for... (Fill the blanks)... sharing connecting, giving, receiving etc.

World music, fusion, grew up on The Smiths, Big Country, and other 80s Scottish/British music. I love hearing Manu Chao on a summer's day, other Spanish artistes - Paco de Lucia, Paco Pena, Indian and British Indian musicians - Nitin Sawhney, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Jagjit Singh, Sukbhir. Female artistes - Yasmin Levy, Melody Gardot, Natalie Merchant, Regina Spektor, Julie Fowlis, Martha Tilston And have been to/worked at festivals for years, so love some of the eclectic music encountered at such events. I enjoy independent and world cinema. Some of my favourite films include: Scent of a Woman (Al Pacino), Dead Poet's Society (Robin Williams), Dancer in the Dark (Bjork), The Constant Gardener (Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz), Chocolat (Juliette Binoche, Johnny Depp), To Kill a Mockingbird (Gregory Peck), Sholay (Amitabha Bachchan, Hema Malini, Dharmendra), Trainspotting (Ewan McGregor), Offside (Sima Mobarak-Shahi), As Good as it Gets (Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt), Milk (Sean Penn), Pride (Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine), The Angel's Share (Paul Brannigan), Untouchable (Omar Sy, Francois Cluzet), Once (Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova)... Favourite poets: Rumi, Mary Oliver, Robert Burns, Hafiz, David Whyte, Danna Faulds, Charles Bukowski, Billy Collins, Max Ehrmann, Ryokan, Rabindinath Tagore, Ghalib, Naomi Shihab Nye, for starters...