Extreme expat. Originally from the UK. Places I've lived include the SWUSA, Japan, Turkey, Mexico and South Africa. Currently living at a cabin in Guatemala. Well-traveled elsewhere. 57 countries or something, so I'm not going to list them all in the section down below. Living in freedom is what fuels me and I stake my life on it. My original dream, to sail around the world on my 45ft oceangoing yacht, sank in 2012. Fast forward to now. I am living on land. I am living in freedom. Same same but different. A life lived with simple needs. A life lived slow. I was an English teacher in Japan for 17 years. Saved to be free. Saved and saved and saved. Didn't add any responsibilities to the life pot, like kids or spouse or pensions. And so on. I am sure you get the picture.

我为什么加入 Couchsurfing

I like meeting people and hearing their stories. I also have a beautiful space that I would like to share with others. A stay at the cabin might be of particular interest for those who are interested in the tiny house movement or living really simply off the grid. I am barely off the grid, candles at night, just enough power to keep small devices charged, use fire, bucket wash, have probably mentioned this elsewhere. But I want to make clear that it is bare basics here. The beauty is in its simplicity. I breath DMT here daily. The views are great, by the way, direct view of San Pedro Volcano, you can see the lake from The Deer Deck, the surrounding woods are pretty, and so on. I advise that you bring a flashlight for the nights, which are long, the sun going down around 1830.

兴趣

• dancing
• cooking
• coffee
• food
• adventure
• drink
• all music
• pyramids
• hi tech music
• good table manners

音乐、电影和书籍

I like everything. I'm not picky. I appreciate entertainment in its many forms.

我做过的一件不可思议的事情

Only a handful of people in written history have done what I have done, and Napoleon was one of those people. If you come to visit, I'll tell you about it. Otherwise, another amazing thing I have done is free myself from the system. Yes, that is the most amazing thing I have done.

教，学，和分享

I'd love to share music, recipes, card game etc am willing to try anything you have to offer and so on. I also have a free English school for locals that I hold three times a week at the cabin. You are welcome to participate or teach your own classes. This is my way of giving back to this humble town of indigenous Mayans that I love so much.

我可以与沙发主分享些什么

What to expect at Volcano Base Camp (VBC) versus staying down by the lake in the tourist area. First, let me fill you in regarding the tourist area. There are lots of hostels, hotels, restaurants and clubs down by the lakeside. San Pedro is a party town, albeit only in the tourist area, the actual locals being quite conservative when it comes to alcohol and so on. The town, let’s call it ‘El Centro’, is usually asleep by 9PM, if that gives you any idea of the difference between lakeside life and the town. If you are interested in studying Spanish whilst here, all the language schools are down by the lake. If you like to party, places like Sublime, Humus Ya, The Drunken Clam, Zoola, all offer music, both live and djs, until around 11pm. If you are staying down by the lake, it’s easy to get home. If you are staying at VBC, you are going to have to walk back up two hills, the first one from the lake to the town, this takes around ten minutes, then up the hill from the town to VBC, a very steep hill, add on another ten to fifteen minutes, depending on the state you are in. There are usually NO tuk tuks (the main mode of transportation here, Q5 each trip around town) once eleven hits, even by 10PM it is hit and miss finding a ‘taxi’, so just know that if you decide to stay here and like partying that you will be in for some steep late night walks, so those who are here to party hard most nights are better off finding somewhere down by the lake, not that VBC is averse to partying. VBC is in an area called Bella Vista. Whilst it was originally settled around a 1000 years ago, in modern times it has only been a ‘campo’ for the 17 years, situated just above the town, on the road that leads up to the hikes for the volcano, El Mirador and the stadium, and is is one of the poorest, if not the poorest, parts of the town, although that is changing, as the price of land here is rising fast with the increase in population, and with the town becoming busier each year, locals are instead looking for land up here to relocate for a bit of space and a more peaceful living environment. A short three minute walk from VBC will bring you to the town’s main football stadium, probably the most beautifully located stadium in the world, where each week there are matches being played between the towns, soccer being a major passion for locals here. Whilst lakeside and the town provides for all essentials, up the hill there are only a couple of small family-run shops where you can buy the basics like soft drinks, rice, tomatoes, bread, so if you want to indulge in adult beverages, you should bring them up with you. Being barely off grid, I do not have a fridge, so keep that in mind, too. Plus, I use fire to cook. If you would like to cook for yourself, there will be a small stipend for the wood, otherwise I offer a nice breakfast with coffee for Q15, without coffee, Q10. VBC is not out in the middle of nowhere, you can reach El Centro in around 5 minutes, the walk down the hill a breeze, ten minutes to lakeside, Pana Dock. If I am laden with produce from the market, I often take a tuk tuk back up the hill, Q5, a few minutes, otherwise I walk, the views are amazing on the way up. So, what’s life like at VBC? VBC is very alive from dawn to dusk. You are welcome to sleep for as long as you wish but just know that I will be up and about around 6am, pottering around, getting the morning fire going for coffee and breakfast, again, if you would like a cooked breakfast and coffee, I can offer that to you, but I cannot give it for free. Or, as mentioned earlier, if you pay a stipend for wood use, you can cook for yourself, but once you see what I cook, I’m kinda famous for my food, you might just keep it simple and have what’s on the menu of the day. If you like fruit for breakfast, then bring it, fruit is cheap and plentiful in the market. The mornings are when I am collecting solar power for the batteries. During the daylight hours, I can recharge devices for you, like phones, Kindles or power-friendly iPads/netbooks. VBC is not on the water mains -yet- instead I collect water three times a week from my neighbors. There are ceramic bowls of water to wash your hands in and by around 10am there will be a bucket of warm water for you to bathe with each day, if you’d like your bucket of warm water earlier, no problem! VBC also has a simple composting toilet. Each guest will be given their own bucket. I use a combination of ash, leaves and sawdust to break down the waste. Personally, I pee on the land, but you are welcome to pee into your buckets. Sleeping arrangements at VBC are as follows. Outside of the rainy season you might like to sleep up in the trees, under the stars, on The Deer Deck. I have local futons and two hammocks that you can use. Or you might want to sleep on the twin bed beneath the deck. Or you might want to sleep inside on the lower floor, where there is one futon on a camp bed and a futon on a raised planked platform. A little about me. I worked for 17 years as an English teacher in Japan. I saved diligently during those years and now live a simple yet rich life in priceless freedom, a freedom I stake my life on. I love music. If you have music to share, I’ll trade for food. I’ll do the same for books, too. If you like hiking, there are some lovely trails to follow up here, taking you higher up into the coffee and maize fincas. I have some very good Mayan friends. One of the reasons I have opened VBC up to Couch Surfers is to share these friendships with visiting foreigners, maybe you’d like to teach some English in my Free English School which is open three times a week for 40 minutes from 1600 hours on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday, one of the ways I try to give back to this wonderful community. My good friend also offers massages at local prices, Q50 for one hour. If you’d like to hike the volcano or explore other things, I have great contacts for guides. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to message me. Welcome to Atitlan! PS There is no wifi at Base Camp, per se. I use the cheapest smartphone here and put 2GB for internet via Tigo on it each month, allowing me to use the phone as a modem. This is something you can sort out, or have sorted out, it's easy, otherwise do not expect to be able to get online unless you BYO.

我游览过的国家

Ukraine

我居住过的国家

Guatemala, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, United States