CURRENT MISSION

'Though we cannot make our sun stand still, yet we will make him run"

ABOUT ME

I left the US February 1, and have been traveling for 2.5 months. The trip began in Venice (three weeks), and from there I took the overnight train to Prague (1.5 weeks). From Prague to the Alps in Bavaria by train and car (five days), by plane to Jerusalem (1.5 weeks) and on to London (4 weeks). I've traveled in Europe before with the railpass, running as quickly as possible from place to place. Now, instead, I'm trying to spend more time in each place, socialize with natives instead of tourists, and walk and cycle as much as possible.

PHILOSOPHY

I have not managed to boil life down to a paragraph or two. Keeping my mind active makes me happy--I listen to courses on MP3 whenever I'm driving in L.A., or to programming on NPR. Travel is one of the joys of life... I get a real rush entering an arena of great visual beauty, or overwhelming sensory stimulation, for the first time.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Looking for locals willing to have a coffee, beer, a walk, or a meal with while I'm traveling. I hope to do the same for other when I get back to the U.S. I have a couch and a spare bed at home, and would like to host visitors from other countries, but I also have a flatmate who doesn't want to. My flat mate is often out of town, in which case it would not bother him. Please check with me.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been a gifted couchsurfer for some years. However, this is the first time I am using an Internet community. Usually, I ask friends if they have friends, or just visit my friends.

Interests

Old, old, streets under my feet (or wheels), music, theater, architecture, biking, hiking, people watching, film, the usual.

• theater
• architecture
• beauty
• beer
• coffee
• running
• flying
• traveling
• socializing
• music
• cycling
• hiking
• emergency services

Music, Movies, and Books

Some all-time favorites would include Amelie, Catch-22, Jolie Holland. I'm listening to the Decemberists as I type now. I've been leafing through a book on altered states of consciousness at the apartment I'm currently staying in.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

The fog rolling in in Venice, so thick that the vaporetti can't run; flying low over the alps on a small plane from Bavaria to Rome; the shared cab into Jerusalem at dawn, with the stone buildings lighting up pink; black light puppet theater in Prague, getting arrested in Munich, nearly getting hit by a bus in London, and then getting balled out by the police for it.

Teach, Learn, Share

I've kept my job while traveling. This is challenging, but will be increasingly common. I'm traveling with a laptop, keyboard, back up drive, mouse and mouse pad, sometimes working 55 hours in a week. I'd be happy to discuss my experience with others interested in this.

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