CURRENT MISSION

Tourist trap or hidden gem, I want to backpack everywhere!

ABOUT ME

I travel like Rolf Potts !
You are a travel legend in the making, with a sense of adventure that will lead to hundreds of fascinating stories. Locals all over the world will give you special nicknames, and almost all of them will be complimentary.
What type of traveler are you?
Take BootsnAll's Travel Quiz to find out.
visited 25 states (11.1%)Create your own visited map of The World
Hi there! I'm Tony Chan. I'm a 41 year old avid backpacker. I grew up in Ottawa, Canada now transplanted myself to sunny and beautiful Vancouver, Canada!
I started backpacking in 2007 and have no plans to stop! I love everything about the backpacking culture! The exploring; going to far off places, discovering new things, trying new foods, the camaraderie and the friendships! I consider myself an amateur chef and would love to exchange recipes with people!
Word of warning, I am very, VERY GEEKY! Bringing up the following topics will end up in an extremely long discussion, possibly over beer and snacks:
-Anything about Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
-Why Sisko is the best Star Trek captain.
-Why Calvin and Hobbes is the best comic strip in the history of man.
-How the 4.0 rules edition of Dungeons and Dragons is far superior to the 3.5 rules edition.
-Your best character build in Skyrim.
-Why Godzilla is the very best movie star ever!
Non-smoker and beer and wine lover.
I have no tolerance for prejudice or racial bigotry, please don't even go there with me.
I consider myself a very "dream oriented" person. Meaning, I need a dream to chase. I need something to keep me going, something to strive for. Otherwise life is meaningless.

PHILOSOPHY

I live by several philosophies:

When Fate closes the door on opportunity, open a window.
Everyone is an open book, filled with stories, knowledge and lessons to share with you.
Money is unlimited, life is not.
Respect will break down any barrier!

My #1 personal favorite is: " You have brains in your head and feet in your shoes, You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own and you know what you know, and you are the one who'll decide where to go" --Dr. Seuss

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I'd like to start by meeting other couchsurfers for a drink, and possibly offering my couch.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've been lucky enough to host 2 travelers before joining Couchsurfing. Couchsurfing is my way to give back to all the backpackers I've met (and will meet!) in my travels! I see it as a way to travel, without traveling!
I much prefer to host then to surf. I really enjoy the hostel environments. That's one of the reasons traveling is so appealing to me.

Interests

Weight training, Godzilla films, video games, Iaido (Japanese swordsmanship), Kyudo, (Japanese archery), eating (not vegetarian, but vegetarian friendly) and of course, backpacking! (duh!)

• arts
• culture
• books
• recipes
• wine
• beer
• vegetarian
• drinking
• movies
• video games
• traveling
• guitar
• backpacking
• fencing
• martial arts
• rock climbing
• archery
• history

Music, Movies, and Books

Movies: LoTR, Star Trek, typical "Guy" movies (lots of guns, explosions, car chases, guys kicking many, many asses, that kind of thing), any film by Miyazaki Hayao and Wong Kar Wai! I pretty much worship their work! All Godzilla movies made in Japan.

Music: I love 80's music... *hangs head*

Books: The Alchemist and 11 Minutes by Paulo Ceolho. The Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings and Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Climbing to Machu Picchu and sleeping under the stars in the Sahara Desert and visiting Ha Long Bay have definitely been highlights of my life!

Teach, Learn, Share

I would love to get help in improving my French, Japanese and Cantonese. Bonus points to anyone who can teach me some German drinking songs!
I've recently taken up guitar lessons, anyone who can teach me how to play would score big points with me!
I can teach you some simple and really good recipes.
I love to talk about various martial arts styles and origins with different martial artists.
I am very knowledgeable in the lore of Godzilla and would be willing to share such knowledge!
I've recently made the decision to travel around the world. Anyone that has done a RTW trip and can help with the travel planning would be greatly appreciated!

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Cambodia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Viet Nam

Countries I’ve Lived In

Canada

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