***If you want to stay with me, please click on MY HOME above and read carefully***

***If we've never met, don't friend request me***

"You haven't been to London if you haven't stayed with Dave" - Tosha, Surfer and Traveller.

I want to see the world through my own eyes, untainted by TV, radio or newspapers...

"All I can do is be me, whoever that is." - Bob Dylan, musician.

...I love a good film...

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.." - from Casablanca, one of the greatest films of all time.

...I love cycling...

...one day I want to learn to play the trumpet

...http://youtu.be/ZO1uMjz3n3w

...I've no idea where my life's taking me, but I'm keeping my eyes peeled the whole way...

...in other news, from birth until some time in the 1990's I tried growing up. In 1999, taking a gap year, I lived in Blackburn, Lancashire, whilst volunteering at a homeless shelter. In 2000 I moved to Manchester to study Human Geography, returning to London in 2003. I spent from then until 2010 working various jobs and being the bassist in the band Hatcham Social, releasing our debut album in 2009. In October 2010 I left England to spend 6 months on the road; 3 months traversing across the USA from New York to San Francisco; 7 weeks in New Zealand exploring both the north and south Islands; 1 week in Fiji; a month in Australia, and finally a couple of days in Singapore on my way back home to London. In December 2012 I set off again, travelling through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam. In May 2013 I arrived in Melbourne, Australia, where I lived for 10 months. I returned to London in March 2014 to start a new job, and another new beginning, in my home town.

My favourite Hatcham Social song to play (that's me playing bass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzH8KjJlIRg
My recent short film: https://youtu.be/RhRtHFSEOIk
My poem about the Northern lights (seen when Couchsurfing in Norway): https://youtu.be/wjcl-2k87fM
My photography: http://davidsaulfinebergphoto.co.uk

Here are two TED Talks that are quite fascinating:
For more wonder, rewild the world: http://tinyurl.com/y86h3f7n
My stroke of insight: http://tinyurl.com/q8bfz2c

I want to share things. Exchanges. Smiles. Bike rides. A gesture. A glance. A moment. A stare. A word without speaking. A song without singing. A thought without thinking. I like to couch surf for the experience of seeing a city, town or village through the eyes of someone who lives there. I'd prefer to stay a few days and take things in than to speed through a different city every day. Conversely, I like meeting couchsurfers in London to see it through the eyes of someone who doesn't live here.

I do not smoke.

I don't mind pets.

I shower regularly. Daily where possible.

I eat most things. Though I once tried fermented whale meat, and wasn't too keen.

Sometimes I follow my heart. Sometimes I follow my head. It seems to be working so far.

"We are now ready to start on our way down the Great Unknown...what falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls ride over the river, we know not..." - John Wesley Powell, explorer.

"Nou te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi. (With your contribution and my contribution we shall all prosper.)" - Maori proverb.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I spent October 2010 to April 2011 travelling through the USA, New Zealand, Fiji, Australia & Singapore. I surfed many couches and met many wonderful people. On returning to London I met up with fellow CS-ers (Londoners and travellers), attended a few meetings in London, and surfed some more in Europe (and beyond). I helped arrange a regular(ish) Film Club (http://welcometofilmclub.tumblr.com/) for anyone living or passing through London, as well as setting up various other events that interested me. In 2012 I left to visit South East Asia, before arriving in Melbourne in May 2013 where I lived for 10 months. Now I'm back in London, and seeing where things go from here.

My CS experience so far:

London (May-August 2017)
I hosted Tosha from the USA
I hosted Ashleigh from Australia
I hosted Sophie from Canada
I hosted Andreea and Todor from Romania and Bulgaria

London (May 2016)
I hosted Anna and Tatyana from Russia

Poland (April/May 2016)
In Poznan and Modrak I couchsurfed with Kamila and Ewa

London (Feb/March 2016)
I hosted Alex and Elli from Vienna
I hosted Nicole from Prague

Norway (Jan 2016)
In Tromso I couchsurfed with Petr and met up with Lisa

London (November/December 2015)
I hosted Dickson from Malaysia
I hosted Maksi from Austria
I hosted Kamila & Ewa from Poland
I met up with Verónica from Spain
I hosted Klára from the Czech Republic

USA (October - November 2015):
In Idyllwild-Pine Cove I stayed with Chariah & Warren
In Tempe AZ I stayed with Dustin (for a second time!)
In Mancos CO I stayed with Tyler & Kendra
In Tempe AZ I stayed with Dustin
In San Diego CA I stayed with Robert

London (August/September/October 2015):
I hosted Marcela from Brazil
I hosted Flora from South Korea
I hosted Alina from Romania
I hosted Triin from Estonia
I hosted Katrin from Germany
I hosted Brooke from Prague
I hosted Kerstin & Leonie from Austria
I hosted Rael from Brazil
I hosted Lauren from Paris

Lithuania (June 2015):
In Vilnius I met up with Goda to visit the cultural festival.

Morocco (January 2015):
In Merzouga I was hosted by Mustafa
In Marrakech I was hosted by Marie who was staying with her friends Amman.
I travelled for a week with Salmane, Paul & Natasha and Marie.

Australia (October 2013):
In Adelaide I was hosted by David.

Wales (December 2011/January 2012):
In Gwynedd I was hosted by Lynn, Stephen and Hannah.

Jordan (December 2011):
In a cave near Umm Seyhoun I was hosted by Ghassab and Khaled.
In Amman I was hosted by Nael.

Austria (August 2011):
In St Daniel I was hosted by Fabi.
In Golling I was hosted by Birgit.

Singapore (April 2011):
In Singapore I was hosted by Matthew & Arun.

Australia (March 2011 - April 2011):
In Kingswood, Sydney I was hosted by Sam & Stu.
In Hobart I was hosted by Megan, and met Rikiya.
In Melbourne I was hosted by Rachel, Camille & Joel.
In Belgrave I was hosted by Rhys & Penny.
In Perth I was hosted by Selby.

Fiji (March 2011):
In Viseisei I was hosted by Fi & Api.

New Zealand (January 2011 - March 2011):
In Edendale I was hosted by Elaine & Robert.
In Kihikihi I was hosted by Alice & Marcus (plus the kids Gracie & Samuel!).
In Dargaville I was hosted by Donna & Jerry.
In the Karikari Peninsula I was hosted by Graham.
In Takapuna I was hosted by Thomas.
In Auckland I was hosted by Aaron.
In Rotorua I was hosted by Gabriel.
In Rotorua I went white water rafting with 18 other couchsurfers.
I did the Tongariro Crossing with over 100 other couchsurfers.
In Silverdale I was hosted by Anna and her lovely parents.

USA (October 2010 - January 2011):
In Monterey I was hosted by Chantry & Karina.
In Paso Robles I was hosted by Serena.
In Bakersfield I was hosted by Kevin.
In Las Vegas I went to a CS meet up arranged by Anna.
In Flagstaff I was hosted by Scott & Amanda. On two separate occasions. I also met fellow CS-er Michelle and soon-to-be-CS-er Felicia.
In Chino Valley I was hosted by Joy & her wondrous family for Christmas 2010.
In Tempe I was hosted by James and met fellow CS-ers Dustin, Matt, Renee, Hytham, Charlotte, Richard, Mike, Shirley & Angelique.
In San Francisco I was hosted by Neil.
From LA to San Francisco I joined a Rideshare with Rose.
In New Orleans I was hosted by Ashley (& Ashley) and met fellow CS-ers Mon, Craig, Rob & Destiny.
In Montgomery I was hosted by Tony.
In Macon I was hosted by Jacob and met fellow CS-ers Ray & Daryl.
In Asheville I was hosted by Patrick & friends.
In Carrboro I was hosted by Lori.
In Washington DC I was hosted by Lauren, Rachel & Autumn (and Carrot the Cat).
In Philadelphia I was hosted by Wanda(& the boystown crew).
In Upper Black Eddy I was hosted by Alyssa & Donna.
In Pittsburgh I was hosted by Drew.
In Toledo I was hosted by Mike.
In the Upper Peninsula I travelled with Drew, Alyssa & Mandy, whom I met couchsurfing in Minneapolis.
In Minneapolis I experienced my first official couch surf, with my wonderful hosts Tara & Lexi.
In Chicago I went to a CS hosted Halloween Party and met a number of people, including Tara.

England (since 2003):
In Manchester I have been hosted by Stefan on many many many occasions.

Interests

I like; Music (indie pop guitar based stuff, 1960's, jazz, soul, hip hop, classical and other genres). Loose leaf tea (mostly green or white). Theatre (mainstream & fringe). Film (independent and some blockbusters). Football (Manchester United). Art. Epic Installations (Coral Reef at the Tate Britain was phenomenal). Sport. The outdoors. Great open expanses (Death Valley, USA). Forest walking (The Dandenong Ranges, OZ). Mountain hiking (The Alps). Clifftop walking (Saxon Shore Way, UK). Kindness. Generosity. Understanding. Patience. Travel. Cycling/running for charities. Anything to do with world history between the 1920's and 1960's (especially WWI & WWII history). Dressing up like its any time between the 1920's and 1960's. Driving. Having a go. Chocolate pecan pie from Camellia Grill in New Orleans.

"€œKnowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad." - Brian O'Driscoll, rugby player.

I'm constantly surfing the net for everything and nothing in particular. Wikipedia is my bible. Google is my dictionary. But nothing can replace the feel of a good book.

Some more quotes:

"Life is what happens whilst you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon, musician.

"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin, polymath.

"Eighty percent of success is showing up." - Woody Allen, jew.

"Some things are worth living for. You don't take your money to heaven when you die." - Eric Cantona, Frenchman.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously." - Oscar Wilde, Irishman.

"€œKill all my demons, and my angels might die too."€ - Tennessee Williams, playright.

"Why don't we do it in the road?"€ - The Beatles, pop group.

"We live everything as it comes, without warning, like an actor going on cold." - from The Unbearable Lightness of Being, a book.

"You'€™ve got to keep making decisions, even if they'€™re wrong decisions. If you don'€™t make decisions, you'€™re stuffed." - Joe Simpson, mountaineer.

"The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun." - Christopher McCandless/Alexander Supertramp, itinerant.

• pets
• cats
• arts
• books
• photography
• festivals
• walking
• partying
• drinking
• news
• movies
• tv
• traveling
• music
• jazz
• guitar
• trumpet
• indie pop
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• mountaineering
• surfing
• skydiving
• sports
• soccer
• geography
• history
• volunteering
• snooker

Music, Movies, and Books

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't need...roads." - Dr. Emmett Brown, time traveller.

Some of my favourite films are Casablanca / An American in Paris / Synecdoche New York / Mystic River / Milk / Let The Right One In / Best In Show / No Man's Land / Into The Wild / Thank You For Smoking / Up In The Air / Leon / Cloverfield / District 9 / Star Wars (IV, V & VI) / The Bourne Trilogy / Anchorman / The Hangover / Cinderella Man / Dazed & Confused / Midnight In Paris / Pan's Labyrinth / Se7en / Apocalypse Now / Lord of the Rings Trilogy / This Is England / LA Confidential / Sunshine Cleaning / Serpico / Where The Wild Things Are / Wall-E / Lost in Translation / Nordwand (North Face) / Troll Hunter / The Edukators / Barney's Version / Bottle Rocket / The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) / Exit Through The Gift Shop / Your Sisters Sister / Baghead / Cyrus / The Untouchables / Dead Man's Shoes / The Truman Show / Annie Hall / Al Weiwei: Never Sorry / Marina Abramovic‡: The Artist Is Present / Fire In Babylon / The Hunt / The Imposter / Nine Queens (Nueve Reinas) / Cinema Paradiso.

Some of my favourite musical artists/bands are Louis Armstrong / Beck / Arcade Fire / Pavement / Bob Dylan / Orange Juice / Johnny Cash / Girls / Blur / Pulp / Oasis / CW Stoneking / Beach Boys / Black Rebel Motorcycle Club / The Charlatans / Longpigs / Modest Mouse / Syd Barrett / Elliott Smith / Slow Club / New Found Land / Other Lives / Radiohead / Lykke Li / Velvet Underground / The Smiths / Elbow / The Stone Roses / Frank Sinatra / Sammy Davis Jnr / Weezer / Bruce Springsteen / Detroit Cobras / Spiritualized / Ugly Duckling / Doves / Jurassic 5 / The Black Keys / Eels / The Doors.

Some of my favourite books are The Call of The Wild & White Fang by Jack London / Making History by Stephen Fry / Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger / To Have and To Have Not by Ernest Hemingway / Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell / The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald / Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada / The Rum Diary by Hunter S Thompson / The Diving Bell and The Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby / The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien / America Unchained by Dave Gorman.

Some of my favourite TV programmes are The Wire / The Office (UK) / Teachers / Band of Brothers / Treme / Green Wing / Nathan Barley / The Mighty Boosh / Spaced / Saxondale / 15 Storeys High / Boardwalk Empire / Arrested Development / Game of Thrones / True Detective.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Playing live with my band Hatcham Social at South by South West festival in Austin, Texas, USA and then swimming in our roof top pool at the hotel.

Skydiving from 16500 feet above the Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand.

Staying in a cave with some bedouins (Khaled, Ghassan & Ghassab) in the Jordanian desert, sitting by the fire, looking up the stars, drinking arak.

Countries I’ve Visited

Australia, Austria, Cambodia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam, Wales

Countries I’ve Lived In

Australia, United Kingdom

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