I am the second eldest in a family of 9 children. Born and grew up in Geelong, we moved back here to raise our children (two of them - a boy and a girl, now grown up, most of the time). I trained as a nurse and work in the aged care and support field.
I believe in finding pleasure in simple things, friends, family, food and in the importance of defending human rights, tackling climate change , living sustainably.
I like my own company and treasure time on my own but also enjoy meeting new people.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

In the 80s when I was backpacking around the world, most of my socializing and experiences happened with other travellers in tourist focused accommodation eating in tourist focused restaurants and doing tourist focused activities. I often wondered how the people in those countries I visited lived - what their homes looked like, what they ate, what they did of an evening, what everyday life was like for them. I also often hankered for some "time out" from travelling, somewhere to sit quietly for a day, do my washing, gather myself.

More recently my daughter has been travelling and has couch surfed in different countries. She has loved the experience and I have been so grateful that she has has that opportunity. Since then she has also hosted couch surfers in her home in Melbourne.

So, for myself, for her, and in the interest of sharing cultures and learning about others, and to promote the use of alternative accommodation options, I wish to host couch surfers.

Interests

Nurturing friendships, family, reading (fiction and non fiction) , cooking, growing food, eating great food, wine, yoga, silence. The list goes on.....

• human rights
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• yoga
• gardening
• reading
• tv
• traveling
• socializing
• backpacking
• nursing
• beaches

Music, Movies, and Books

I am constantly on the lookout for books to read - usually checking out op shops, the library and friend's bookshelves. I cannot go anywhere without something to read. I like to mix up what I read so try and read some more cerebral non fiction and a range of fiction. I read fiction for pleasure and escape so tend to avoid scary, very sad and particularly violent books.
When I turned 40 I decided it was time to learn a musical instrument so took violin lessons. After a couple of years I decided that my failure to progress was just too sad and stopped. More recently I have had piano lessons which I enjoyed and were more productive. I hope to resume them in the future.
At the moment I am trying to broaden my exposure to a range of different musics and get random CDs through the library to listen to both at home and in the car. For the past 10 or so years I have regularly attended the annual Port Fairy Fold Festival and never fail to find music and musicians that inspire me.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I (and some others though I was travelling by myself) got stranded in the snow in Ladakh and had to be rescued by the Indian army. That experience gave me confidence in my resilience in adversity. But that was a long time ago.

Teach, Learn, Share

What I can offer the visiting couch surfer is their own bedroom and access to shower, kitchen and laundry, TV to watch, a garden to sit in. And even a piano to play if you're so inclined.
I can offer somewhere to stay if you are attending an event in the area or are looking at a stepping off point to visit the local beaches and
Great Ocean Road.
Depending on my my work and other commitments I also might be able to show you some of the places which are important to me and/or the area.
My home is about 30 minutes walk from the nearest railway station (that connects to Melbourne) and a 15 minute walk to the bay, 45 minutes to the CBD. Although there is a public bus stop nearby, evening and weekend bus times are not that frequent so it is probably best if you have your own mode of transport.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, China, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mauritius, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Thailand, United Kingdom

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, Greece, Israel, United Kingdom