CURRENT MISSION

Collecting and exchanging smiles in the Baltics.. taking 2months off from humanitarian work in Philippines (flood/mudslide response, security risk in war zones), having some fun!

ABOUT ME

Friendly, honest, extrovert, dodgy dancer, reasonable singer, good wordsmith, dubious blacksmith, scaler of heights, fighter of causes, lover of jokes, dream-weaver. I've now been lucky enough to visit 106 of the world's countries, and lived in 37 of them (and no i'm not going to input all that one by one into the list, i save my exhaustible patience for people who are trying hard and being reliable! )

PHILOSOPHY

I've been lucky enough (amazing travels, friendships) and unlucky enough (work in war-zones, death of my brother) to see and feel a few things!

It all brings me to the same point; enjoying life to the full, and supporting others less fortunate than myself in their struggles, whether for justice or for a living.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I've met only wonderful people on this CS journey... and I've had lots of fun on the way, based on mutual respect (it's not a dating site)... am now travelling in SE Asia, but anticipate doing some events in London when I'm back in Summer. Every Sunday, wherever i am in the world, i encourage people to join the 'Top Free Jazz in a traditional Brixton pub' event in London UK... this happens every single Sunday of the year, and involves an excellent house band with great skat/jazz-singer Lorraine, plus half of the time as a jam (bring sheet music for bass, lead, rhythm if you want to participate, no worries) . In Philippines, where I now live, I do a weekly invite to a great band called 'The Bloomfields'; and i do the odd invite such as to jazz in Old Town Riga...

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I started using CS only to meet up for coffees... I was DJing in Melbourne (another antidote to my work!), working late nights, rising afternoons and happy to sit in the amazing coffee chats and chat.. until Anitra said that she wanted some references, so would I come over and stay for a night!!! That was fun, and her son was so cute, uploading his music onto my MP3!!! Since then I have never looked back... using it to meet people in Japan where I knew nobody! And to stay with now-friends in Oz Brazil and SE Asia! I like to buy food, cook for my hosts and clear up after myself, showing respect to repay their trust.... When I get back, any spare space in my flat is open... and I also organize picnics in the London parks, gig events in Manila and Riga, comedy in Canada etc!

Interests

The most amazing experiences have been the trust CS has engendered... and this means that it's important for all of us to preserve that trust, for example by remembering that if people want to date or hook-up, there are specific sites for that... CS is not one of them! On the positive side, one CS host in an amazing location in NZ simply left me the keys to his place and went away for three days, my current lovely host has also given me her keys and left me free to cook for her and her child; many great events too.. singing, dancing, sky-diving, ski-ing, reading, current affairs, sea-views, bicycles, tricycles, icicles, Pablo Neruda, Margaret Attwood, Brockwell Park (do it!), family and friends, how do you get stripes into toothpaste...errm life!?!?

• singing
• dancing
• causes
• dining
• cooking
• wine
• red wine
• coffee
• pub crawls
• reading
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• jazz
• scuba diving
• skiing
• parks

Music, Movies, and Books

Dr Seuss (above all!), Flight of the Conchords, Amelie, Dancer in the Dark, Breaking the Waves, anything by Almodovar or Mike Leigh, Full Monty / Brassed Off / Commitments gritty Brit films; atmospheric French ones (Hairdressers Husband, Romuald et Juliette).. oh that hilarious 'Australian of the Year' & SummerHeights High bloke, very funny...

Love love love music - recently LEJ, Kaisers, White Stripes, Streets, Amy W etc... forever ska, soul/Motown, reggae, dub, blues, 60s & 80s Brit guitar esp Manc (all the usuals plus James, Gomez), Cesaria Evora, Myriam Makeba, Nina Simone and lots more...

A Fine Balance, Life of Pi, The People's Act of Love, anything by Margaret Attwood or Graham Green, Louis de Bernieres are fun, Pablo Neruda, Isabelle Allende, Marquez ... there are millions of exceptionally talented people out there!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

After they captured their first city in Afghanistan, the No.2 of the Taliban used my calling card to pick the uneaten food between his teeth. Gross, dispiriting and hilarious all in one!

Teach, Learn, Share

Musicians who will put up with my voice!
Thinkers who are ready to see the angles
Funny people who illuminate the world
Fighters who take on the causes of others
Lovers who give eternity in a few precious hours
Generous, kind-hearted, givers of themselves
People who struggle but strive to improve

What I Can Share with Hosts

Myself, as i am! i enjoy turning up and either taking over your kitchen, or sous-chefing for you; enjoy making food whilst you watch with a glass of red wine, or join in.

Countries I’ve Visited

Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, North Korea, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rwanda, San Marino, Scotland, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Wales, Yemen

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bangladesh, Central African Republic, Egypt, France, Kenya, Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, United Kingdom

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