Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Couchsurfing
Now that I have a permanent home I am excited to host people. Couchsurfing community has given me much and i want to help my fellow travelers.
connecting with cool and crazy people who like the idea of couchsurfing takes few hours of enriched conversation. This conversation is rich with stories. A real crazy unusual interesting life story; comedy, drama, action, adventure, romance, violence, sex, drug, religion and Open minded. I prefer getting to know the individual rather than group conversation. "Open minded" is the most popular phrase on couchsurfing.
Many people like to share their love for cultural exchange within couchsurfing. Some people antagonize it for being a dating site with negativity. Some definitely spend more time complaining about bad experiences. Yet, they all still do it and active.
The fun from the experience obviously outweigh complaints. While it is facebook's mission to make the world a more open place, I think couchsurfing does a better job at it. This takes small effort to screen and weed out some not so committed people.
Inviting or accepting a couchsurfer to my home or meet and bond for that small window of time is precious because there is always a risk of not liking them. Nevertheless, greater the risk, greater the reward. Somehow, couchsurfing is collection of people who believe in this idea. Leaving your comfort zone to explore the new world come with risk, pushing boundaries require courage, yet couchsurfing is salt on travel to make its flavor more delicious.
Today I met my first surfer. It was difficult to hide my excitement. Her name is conny Parker or nia parcer. She has different names. I met her at her hotel. We talked about USA, travel stories, work and plan for travel in Orlando. While she desired clean places and liking to big malls in states, she didn't talk about money. Only once. While talked about her dislike to old, non maintained clubs in Vienna, she didn't make judgmental opinion on people. I liked.
I am excited to show her around Orlando, Disney and universal. It will be My first time for all as well I'm looking forward to getting to know this area.
connecting with cool and crazy people who like the idea of couchsurfing takes few hours of enriched conversation. This conversation is rich with stories. A real crazy unusual interesting life story; comedy, drama, action, adventure, romance, violence, sex, drug, religion and Open minded. I prefer getting to know the individual rather than group conversation. "Open minded" is the most popular phrase on couchsurfing.
Many people like to share their love for cultural exchange within couchsurfing. Some people antagonize it for being a dating site with negativity. Some definitely spend more time complaining about bad experiences. Yet, they all still do it and active.
The fun from the experience obviously outweigh complaints. While it is facebook's mission to make the world a more open place, I think couchsurfing does a better job at it. This takes small effort to screen and weed out some not so committed people.
Inviting or accepting a couchsurfer to my home or meet and bond for that small window of time is precious because there is always a risk of not liking them. Nevertheless, greater the risk, greater the reward. Somehow, couchsurfing is collection of people who believe in this idea. Leaving your comfort zone to explore the new world come with risk, pushing boundaries require courage, yet couchsurfing is salt on travel to make its flavor more delicious.
Today I met my first surfer. It was difficult to hide my excitement. Her name is conny Parker or nia parcer. She has different names. I met her at her hotel. We talked about USA, travel stories, work and plan for travel in Orlando. While she desired clean places and liking to big malls in states, she didn't talk about money. Only once. While talked about her dislike to old, non maintained clubs in Vienna, she didn't make judgmental opinion on people. I liked.
I am excited to show her around Orlando, Disney and universal. It will be My first time for all as well I'm looking forward to getting to know this area.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Motorcycle diary 3
Fabrizio and I went on a motorcycle ride to southern Florida visiting fort Myers, cypress park, Everglades national park, Miami beach and key west while couchsurfing.
On Thursday morning I called Elizabeth. Our first host in fort Myers. Based on her profile I knew that she only host people with perfect safe surfers. I could tell from the profile pictures and amount of references they had. When I called her she told me that she did not get my response. I was annoyed for CS app not working properly but I told her I am coming and she said ok. When I called her once I arrived in st Petersburg, she did not respond so I sent her a text. When we arrived in her town she did not respond. So I go to Starbucks to write her I see a her message with a decline. I noticed a pattern with host from key west. First they accept but due to my delay in response they change their mind. Definitely different from traveling in Latin America or Georgia then again I was traveling alone and I don't have to wait for my fellow traveler to approve or respond to host. Later I realized fabrizio is so laid back that I could have just planned the whole trip based on my wants he wouldn't mind.
So at 7:30pm we don't have a couch and I found a cheap motel for $40. In the mean time fabrizio contacted a host who hosted same people he did. Larry who lives in school bus responded right away and let is sleep on his sailboat. He chatted his motorcycle travel for three summers 70k miles, insufficiency of money for travel And fellow travelers. He made us rice and beans I bought beer and carrot. He did not drink beer. I was grateful for his kindness. He wants to ride his bicycle to visit his son while visiting fabrizio and me on the way. Welcome I said.
Next morning. I had my biometrics appointment done and headed off to Miami. We went through cypress park and part of Everglades. Saw alligators and many species of birds. It was sunny. No helmet. Took pictures. Enjoyed. Took another picture with dead alligator, visited alligator and fish hatchery place where there were bunch. Saw couple birds snatching fish out of the water. Saw many bikers and of course say hi with left hand when we see each other on opposite side. I love doing that.
Fabrizio found us host in Miami. A guy who used to live in st Petersburg. He lives in pent house in Hollywood by the beach. I was surprised. He told story when he sold his $150k stock option and bought a club spending $60k but making $30k profit a month then shut the club down because business went sour and went broke. It was cool and inspiring. He is 53 years old but had a energy of 30 year old. He treated us with beer and food then we went out and had more beers and appetizer. Then morning fed us breakfast. That was the first time someone was very hospitable materialistic way. He talked about insufficiency of money, travel in Central America and our next host we are going to meet in key west because he hosted him. He talked about CS activity and group meetings that he hosts. Yet I was most inspired by his story of owning club and shutting it down. When I rode through Miami beach and conversation with rob helped me understand materialistic world of Miami and USA. These are things that Angelica see USA as. It is quite different from northwest where people are richer yet show less. Different values. I hate the talk of money. It's like my hosts are wonderful fun and interesting plate of delicious dinner and ruin it with putting too much of one seasoning. I remember Jose and Angelica and how great they were. Few conversation, no background history conversation only in present moment and we get along.
I was appreciative of rob for what he did and I want to write him a sincere reference. Spending time with Larry rob and fabrizio along with CS experience gave me much deeper insight to hosts perspective which I am about to start on Monday with nia from Austria., I told them about her and they are worrisome and skeptical. However I still want to host her and see it for myself because my intuition tells me that its going to be ok if not great.
Late morning today we headed off to key west. Seeing beautiful scenic routes and warm weather, minor traffic due to 150 miles relay run race. Long bridges, beautiful colored ocean, taking more riding pictures. Fabrizio and I get along great, we don't talk much we just ride decisions are made fast and both us are flexible and easy going.,
We met our host in key west. He is from Serbia and well traveled and well experienced in CS. He was cooking in the kitchen to serve many people. We got to eat. He accepted long time ago to my request then he said he couldn't and told me he could show us free camping spot. After getting to know each other in the church chatting and eating together he welcomed us to his house. Fabrizio and I give off good vibe I can tell. It throws people off with our leather jackets and loud bikes then they warm up to us. It's different experience then when I travel alone. Yet same with bike when people see me first time with my bike and outfit distancing themselves until I open lips and lose my bike gears. It was same with Amy, Jenny but not with keary.
Mirco, our host in key west is going to take us to an island tomorrow. He is going to hop on fabrizios bike. Today I taught him how to ride a motorcycle and he rode my bike around the block. He had trouble shifting gears. But I was glad that he didn't drop it.
Tomorrow all day we will chill on key and head off to greet and welcome my first surfer at my home on Monday
Of I got hella burned from sun and my face show tan line from sunglasses
On Thursday morning I called Elizabeth. Our first host in fort Myers. Based on her profile I knew that she only host people with perfect safe surfers. I could tell from the profile pictures and amount of references they had. When I called her she told me that she did not get my response. I was annoyed for CS app not working properly but I told her I am coming and she said ok. When I called her once I arrived in st Petersburg, she did not respond so I sent her a text. When we arrived in her town she did not respond. So I go to Starbucks to write her I see a her message with a decline. I noticed a pattern with host from key west. First they accept but due to my delay in response they change their mind. Definitely different from traveling in Latin America or Georgia then again I was traveling alone and I don't have to wait for my fellow traveler to approve or respond to host. Later I realized fabrizio is so laid back that I could have just planned the whole trip based on my wants he wouldn't mind.
So at 7:30pm we don't have a couch and I found a cheap motel for $40. In the mean time fabrizio contacted a host who hosted same people he did. Larry who lives in school bus responded right away and let is sleep on his sailboat. He chatted his motorcycle travel for three summers 70k miles, insufficiency of money for travel And fellow travelers. He made us rice and beans I bought beer and carrot. He did not drink beer. I was grateful for his kindness. He wants to ride his bicycle to visit his son while visiting fabrizio and me on the way. Welcome I said.
Next morning. I had my biometrics appointment done and headed off to Miami. We went through cypress park and part of Everglades. Saw alligators and many species of birds. It was sunny. No helmet. Took pictures. Enjoyed. Took another picture with dead alligator, visited alligator and fish hatchery place where there were bunch. Saw couple birds snatching fish out of the water. Saw many bikers and of course say hi with left hand when we see each other on opposite side. I love doing that.
Fabrizio found us host in Miami. A guy who used to live in st Petersburg. He lives in pent house in Hollywood by the beach. I was surprised. He told story when he sold his $150k stock option and bought a club spending $60k but making $30k profit a month then shut the club down because business went sour and went broke. It was cool and inspiring. He is 53 years old but had a energy of 30 year old. He treated us with beer and food then we went out and had more beers and appetizer. Then morning fed us breakfast. That was the first time someone was very hospitable materialistic way. He talked about insufficiency of money, travel in Central America and our next host we are going to meet in key west because he hosted him. He talked about CS activity and group meetings that he hosts. Yet I was most inspired by his story of owning club and shutting it down. When I rode through Miami beach and conversation with rob helped me understand materialistic world of Miami and USA. These are things that Angelica see USA as. It is quite different from northwest where people are richer yet show less. Different values. I hate the talk of money. It's like my hosts are wonderful fun and interesting plate of delicious dinner and ruin it with putting too much of one seasoning. I remember Jose and Angelica and how great they were. Few conversation, no background history conversation only in present moment and we get along.
I was appreciative of rob for what he did and I want to write him a sincere reference. Spending time with Larry rob and fabrizio along with CS experience gave me much deeper insight to hosts perspective which I am about to start on Monday with nia from Austria., I told them about her and they are worrisome and skeptical. However I still want to host her and see it for myself because my intuition tells me that its going to be ok if not great.
Late morning today we headed off to key west. Seeing beautiful scenic routes and warm weather, minor traffic due to 150 miles relay run race. Long bridges, beautiful colored ocean, taking more riding pictures. Fabrizio and I get along great, we don't talk much we just ride decisions are made fast and both us are flexible and easy going.,
We met our host in key west. He is from Serbia and well traveled and well experienced in CS. He was cooking in the kitchen to serve many people. We got to eat. He accepted long time ago to my request then he said he couldn't and told me he could show us free camping spot. After getting to know each other in the church chatting and eating together he welcomed us to his house. Fabrizio and I give off good vibe I can tell. It throws people off with our leather jackets and loud bikes then they warm up to us. It's different experience then when I travel alone. Yet same with bike when people see me first time with my bike and outfit distancing themselves until I open lips and lose my bike gears. It was same with Amy, Jenny but not with keary.
Mirco, our host in key west is going to take us to an island tomorrow. He is going to hop on fabrizios bike. Today I taught him how to ride a motorcycle and he rode my bike around the block. He had trouble shifting gears. But I was glad that he didn't drop it.
Tomorrow all day we will chill on key and head off to greet and welcome my first surfer at my home on Monday
Of I got hella burned from sun and my face show tan line from sunglasses
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