CouchSurfing the World

Whilst purchasing the basic foods for breakfast the following day in a small corner shop, i noticed a certain attention paid to the handling of local produce. The shopkeeper took pride and time to talk me through his selection of mouth watering cheese’s, carefully wrapped my eggs in newspaper like a much missed ‘Chippy’ back home. A sharp knife cut precisely through a fresh bread stick avoiding an avalanche of crumbs, whilst all the while the shopkeeper showcased a wonderful understanding of customer care so much so that i felt obliged to buy from him and without a doubt i knew I’d be back even if it meant buying something i didn’t really need. I hopped, skipped and frolicked on my way back to the apartment and sang to a perfect omelette hitting the high notes as the delightful blue cheese melted on my taste buds, washing it down with a delicious frothy mouthful of the creamiest milk I’ve ever had.  I was caught in a web yet content not to move.

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What better place is there to celebrate your first ever Octoberfest with a huge group of couchsurfers, gallons of beer and the best barbacue i’ve ever witnessed..

Argentina of course!

We warmed up the first night in style

Drinking up an appetite for the monster Babry the following day.

Over 50kilos of meat consumed in 3 days..

Each surfer volunteering to work as a team

With over a hundred steak sandwiches prepared, not a crumb wasted.

Satisfied stomachs resting in the sun.

Asterix the Gaul cups ready for ale!

After dinner games

Lots of beer and Fernet!

Drunken illusions

Cs mob

One of the best weekends of my life

Argentina rocks..Its everything and more i dreamed of..

thanks to all the super surfers for making it such an incredible memory for me

I will never forget

Salute

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My wonderful friend and by now fully fledged manager Raquel surprised me with the best of gifts, a box of goodies from back home, Tetley Tea, Maltesers, Chocolate Hob Nobs and a giant jar of Marmite. Anyone that dares say English food is bad, well i have but two words ‘Your Wrong’!  Nobody could understand how i could crave such a vulgar, sticky, smelly substance that is the mighty Marmite as much as i couldn’t fathom how anyone could contemn such a delight. I will admit I’m a little contradictive as i hated Marmite as a child, however i felt the same way the first time my nose came close to a women’s sacred centre yet it never stopped me from acquiring the taste after several attempts!

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According to the native ‘Guarani’ legend the Goddesses of the Moon and Cloud came to the Earth one day to visit and stumbled across a ‘Yaguarete’ (a kind of jaguar) threatening to attack. An old man saves them and in compensation, the goddesses gave the man a new kind of plant, from which he could prepare a ‘drink of friendship’. Being an avid tea drinker back home i immediately warmed to a much missed ‘tea talk’; hot water from a flask is used to refill my ‘Gourd’ that’s already packed with dry ‘Yerba’. Using a ‘Bombilla’ (metal straw) i suck the water through the dried leaves attaining the caffeine fused aromatic taste. It’s something I’d expect to drink with ‘Tarzan’ should i ever meet the tree swinger!

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Before the cold of night pinched at my toes we left our bags in our room and had a stroll around the village. Stars began to flicker on as the sun wilted into a hazy blur, the hairs on my arms perked up as the temperature dropped, the eeriness and sinister silence was the perfect setting for something inhuman to take place. I imagined the dog barking before me turning inside out and latching its alien carcass onto the severed head of Govind, whilst I’m left alone battling zombies with a tin of hair spray and a box of matches, my forlorn screams unheard, another poor fish left to drown in the dryness!

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During my stay in Asuncion, the capital city of Paraguay, i came across two fellow couchsurfers who´s story i feel deserves a special tribute. German born Igel and Paola Zimmermann sold everything they owned like myself and set off on a wild honeymoon adventure that is currently now in it´s seventh year traveling the world.

ON BICYCLES!!

Thats right folks, push bikes!!

Having fallen in love with Colombia, they decided to purchase some land and spent a year renovating a beautiful´Finka´ house as a future investment. During their stay a friend gave them a new addition to the family, a rat terrier puppy rightly named ´Rambo´.

Rambo with father Igel..

Once their new house was complete they decided to offer the property for other cyclists to stay for free and continue onwards in search of freedom, inspiration and a chance to live life to the max..

THIS TIME WITH RAMBO.

Who even has a custom made trailor of his own.

And of course his own passport.

Which is filled with positive comments from hotels and hostels that vouch that Rambo is a well behaved dog who doesn´t bark or pee indoors and is the softest, sweetest, luckiest dog alive.

Anything is possible folks

It was a honour to meet you guys and Rambo of course.

You can follow their awesome journey

Here

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To be honest I really wasn’t expecting that much from Paraguay, how wrong I was to presume it had little to offer. The first night i arrived to a welcome party of over 30 surfers, the biggest cs meeting so far in Asuncion.

Barrels of Beer..

And lots of Asado. hmmmm

Family gatherings also.

Local surfers helped me contact many respectable Media sources to help promote and grow the already super successful cs group in the Capital City and surrounding towns and villages.

Tv interview For ABC Newspaper with Miguel.

Interview For Fashion Magazine Teveo.

I enjoyed a wonderful 30th Birthday party and even received a few treats from back home.

My manager was so tired from organizing my busy schedule that she took a well earned catnap (sitting up) hehe I LOVE U RAQUEL

PARAGUAY ROCKS.

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Almost two years away from my closest friends back home and they still found the time to send me a special surprise for my birthday. So cool, love you all.

From Left to right

Back row

Paul Juson (POL POL), Lucy Adamson (SKY WITH DIAMONDS), Rebecca Stevenson (BECKSTER) Andy

Middle Row

Anne Rees (ANNESKI), Alec Waddington, Dawn Juson, Gemma Pickles (PICKLES), Andy Tonepohl (HES GOT THE ANDREW STICKS), Jodie Crompton, Hazel Waddington (HAZELSSSSS), Andy Wyatt (BIGBALLS)

Front Row

Zoe Crompton, Gareth Doherty (BIGWIG), Jay Blundell (BLUNDELL PANTS)

Miss ya’ll

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After already been to Niagara falls I couldn’t possible imagine a greater water wonder of the world. Joining some local couchsurfers from Asuncion for a two day trip to ‘Ciudad Del Este’ the Paraguay city that borders Brazil and Argentina i was lucky to spend the day with Asuncion’s awesome city ambassador and a new comer to couchsurfing and my wonderful host Andrea Rivas whose family combined with the falls made for a spectacular adventure.

First impressions

The world is my church

City Amb and manager Raquel, some handsome fella and the super funky Andrea Rivas..

Where’s Rambo?

Eyepopping

Just your average stroll in the park, ya know!

Que Linda!!

Contemplating life’s little gems

Shes here, shes theres shes ever f***** where ‘Terere’ ‘Terere’

Closer to the action

The fish AGAIN!!

What a day

thanks to Raquel and Andrea for your amazing hospitality.

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My wonderful host in La Paz Cecilia constantly reminded me if there’s one place I must see in all of Bolivia its the Isla Del Sol situated on the Bolivian side of the great Lake Titicaca which crosses over into Peru. Unable to find a hot date to join me for a romantic two day trip i decided to settle on my Indian buddy Govind seeing as his Aloo Gobi weren’t arf bad!!!

What ever happened to motorboats?

The Umpa Lumpas live on..

Get ready for one eyed willys boat?

On top of the sun

Ston - E

That friggin fish is everywhere

Back in his bowl - Yer rightttttt!

The umba lumpas stonehenge

So romantic

Farewell to beauty

A popular place for smooth criminals

Awesome…

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