Dear Couch-surfers,
Are you a young or young at heart solo traveller?
Are you friendly, positive, and an independent explorer?
Are you a verified member of Couchsurfers, vaccinated against Covid, and non-smoking?
If so, we may be able to host you...
If you are new to the organisation, please ask your friends to provide you with a personal reference.
We prefer you to speak English in our home to facilitate communication.
Do give me a week's notice to see if we are available to host you, and do write me a letter, in language that is appropriate to my age.

We read both your references and your detailed profile very carefully to help us decide if we would like to have you stay in our home.

We will offer you breakfast, and also cook dinner for you on your first night staying with us. However, with a supermarket just across the road, you may make use of the kitchen to prepare your own breakfast, and you will be invited to cook a simple meal for us on your second night. However, we are neither vegetarians nor vegans.
You are welcome to offer cleaning assistance in the kitchen, but this is not expected, as dishwashing habits differ greatly and we are environmentally conscious in the use of hot water and detergent.

Although we are retired, we will be busy during the day, so we will expect you to be able to independently explore the beautiful Sunshine Coast, either walking, on our bicycles or using easily accessible, and currently very cheap, public transport.
Two full days will help you to see our beautiful coast, north to Noosa and south to Caloundra. With a third day, you could also go up to the Blackall Range.

Once accepted to stay with us, you will need to keep us informed as to your travel plans.
Please ask for our contact details i.e. address and WhatsApp number, the day before you arrive.

Our home is a town house in a resort with a swimming pool, a tennis court, and a park. There's a shopping centre, bus service, and a beach close by.
We will provide you with your own bedroom and a single bed for your stay, and your own bathroom.
The laundry is available for hand-washing; however, we don't provide access to WiFi.

While you stay with us, your bedroom is your own private space.
However, please leave the room as you found it, and do check that you have all your travel gear when you leave. Do ask before stripping the bed as wash day concurs with the sun shining.

As we are out and about during the day, please plan to arrive late afternoon, and leave by mid-morning. Do advise if train or plane times differ.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

We have not only enjoyed hosting overseas Couch Surfers but also enjoyed staying with several hosts on a pre-Covid round the world trip.
We have had some rich experiences with travellers who come from a range of countries - Austria, Canada, China, Finland, India, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Phillipines, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, USA - who bring joy into our lives and are interested in learning more about Australia and sharing their own life journey. We understand that they may be travelling on a tight budget, while possibly looking for employment in the area.
We now prefer to host solo travellers, as our experience shows that those travelling solo make a greater effort to communicate with their hosts. We have occasionally had the most lovely couples to stay in the past but often found one half to be outgoing, positive and friendly, and the other reserved, tired or reluctant to chat, making friendly communication hard work.
A good clear photograph on your profile will also help us to recognise you when you arrive.
Please make sure you can fulfil the requirements listed above if you wish to stay with us, that is: a stay of 2 nights, to verified Couch-surfers, with good references, who offer to cook a meal for us on their second night.
We do read your references carefully, because I will take an hour to draft your reference, and equally, I now take more careful note of previous hosts' warnings. My worst experiences were with 'loves to talk', and 'will show you how to eat his way' and 'communicating in English was difficult'.

Interests

• dancing
• walking
• swimming
• table tennis
• public speaking

Music, Movies, and Books

I love live music, from jazz to blues and folk, but I also love 'multicultural' music from round the world and I like to play music appropriate to our guests' home country.
I love my books, from the classics to science fiction and I enjoy listening to audiobooks while driving, or watching a great movie.
I have been studying French daily for 4 years via DuoLingo, French Club and Alliance Francaise. I love having the opportunity to practise with native speakers.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Balloon riding in Cappadocia, seeing Sufi dancing in Kayseri, exploring King Minos' palace of Knossos, seeing Queen Clytemnestra's view from her palace at Mycenae, resting in 'the navel of the world' on a Delphi mountainside, climbing Hadrian’s Wall, exploring the volcanic cliffs on the island of Santorini; riding the sea to sky gondola and tobogganing in the snow in North Vancouver, flying in a 16 seater seaplane from Victoria to Vancouver, standing under the spray of the Victoria Falls, going to the top of Cape Town's Table Mountain in a cable car, riding the rapids of Huka Falls in N.Z.

Teach, Learn, Share

English teaching, with one-on-one tutoring sessions, for students from primary through to university, as well as EAL students and refugees through Buddies. I also enjoy helping drama students to improve their public speaking and preparing for eisteddfod performances. I have just finished a five year stint as president of Sunshine Coast's University of the Third Age, where we run about 140 courses for some 2000 members.

What I Can Share with Hosts

I have a huge range of DVD's and I'd really enjoy just watching an entertaining movie with my guests. While I am very interested in hearing about the travel experiences of our guests, I have absolutely appreciated those rarest of guests, who are interested in seeing my own photographs!

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, Costa Rica, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, South Africa