Couchsurfing and why do it

The world is such an amazing place with different countries, people of different cultures, different cuisines, etc. From a very young age, I was constantly drawn to people different to me - who had an accent, who were white, black, anything other than my skin colour. People with blue eyes, green eyes, brown eyes - fascinating! I chose my career well - tour guide, hotel rep and then working in luxury resorts. I made friends easily, I connected effortlessly and was good at keeping in touch, being a big fan of writing (letters and/or emails).

the first surfer I hosted - a great guy from Vigo, Spain

All of us surfers and hosts - in Cape Town, linked by Couchsurfing for the love of travelling and meeting people

I'm also a social butterfly and love it - it thrills me to meet someone new, meet someone old, meet strangers and have a blast. I find immense pleasure in being with people, it doesn't matter what they are like or who they are - from celebs to plebs - I love them all. Those rejected by society, I love them because I do not conform with the norms of society. Those who are loved by everyone, I love them too. I love people. I love being part of a community - of the world. I would love to meet every single person on earth if I could!

I want to be salt and light and go into the world and speak truth. Spread love. I found Couchsurfing to be an ideal platform to meet like-minded individuals - people who love people, who like discovering other cultures and other sceneries. I have found the perfect thing for me: I love hosting people, welcoming them, making them feel happy, sharing life together - no matter how short.

The idea is that you register your profile on Couchsurfing, avail yourself as a host and travellers looking for a couch to crash on can request your home. Similarly, if you want to travel, you can just look up the hosts in the countries you're heading to and request accommodation. The great thing is that it is for free and also you get to experience life in a different country from a local perspective.

I know there are a lot of skeptics out there. I could have been one of them, but I find life too short to not take risks sometimes, to live a bit on the edge and see what the other person at the other side of the planet has to share or learn. The website is very well-monitored so that should someone be reported, he or she could be banned from the site (their profile will be removed). Once you host someone on your couch, you get references left by those you've provided hospitality to and vice-versa. References can be positive or negative depending on the experience and let you also check on another person (a potential couchsurfer or host).

I have hosted an amazing bunch of people - guys and girls alike from Spain, Sweden, Germany and Switzerland and there are many more to come. The experience teaches me to become more tolerant, patient, loving and to step out of my comfort zone. To reach out to another, to open my heart, to allow others in, to be authentic and to rejoice in our differences and to realise that deep down we are all very similar - we all need LOVE.

What my heart misses...

Tonight my heart misses:

1. My BlackBerry - don't judge. Try having one and using it to its full capacity then living without it for a few weeks.
2. Someone.
3. The great cardio workout that salsa dancing provides.

A little post on food, just because...

fettucine with baby asparagus, chicken and avocado with parmesan

Home-cooked meals. Something I love and value.

Cooking for one is not always pleasurable because eating alone is just, well, lonely. Food is meant to be shared, meals taste better over laughter and jolly conversation.

Eating by the sink, standing, a toast spread with peanut butter does the trick most times for dinner for one. And yet, on the odd days, I will take great delight in preparing a meal for myself with fresh asparagus, fresh pasta (the egg kind as I am always trying to gain weight) and other seasonal ingredients. I make it special by adding truffle oil, the backdrop of Signal Hill, Lion's Head, a clear blue sky and the African sun. During summer of course.

Now that it's autumn, I look forward to dinner on the couch, snuggled in plush blanket, good music and piping hot soup with a dash of paprika or cayenne pepper for extra warmth. Or even better -braving rain, wind and cold to enjoy restaurant specials (amazing bargains!) in Cape Town.