Favourites...

It would be unfair and unjust of me to have 'favourites' when it comes to people who host me, mainly because everyone is so different, and it would be unfair to compare and subsequently judge them. Plus, that's not what the process is about. We're not here to judge who is better than who and who deserves a better rating. However, it is also natural that you will have varying degrees of opinions, and despite the relatively short periods of time you spend with people, different sorts of bonds and relationships grow. I haven't yet had a bad experience or met anyone I haven't liked or enjoyed spending time with, but there is a natural order that develops in your own mind. I'd like to think that certain people know they're towards the top of my list, and I expect they will be friends whom I keep in contact for many years. Having said all of that, I must say that staying with Tony in Montgomery has been one of the greatest couple of days of my trip so far. I've often heard the phrase 'southern hospitality' used, but until this weekend could never give it any context.

Following Saturday nights fascinating conversation, Sunday morning was opened with a fantastic pancake and omelette breakfast cooked for us by Tony. All you need know is cheese, eggs, pancakes, peanut butter nutella, strawberries and sprinklings of caster sugar were involved. Simply AWESOME. We then relaxed in his apartment for a while before he drove us to the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and the Hank Williams Jr Museum. For dinner we went to a classis southern buffet, a place called Tomatoes, you paid $8 upfront, then ate as much as you wanted! I had rice, different types of fried chicken, deep fried tomatoes, mac and cheese, some other stuff (no idea what!), and then desert of pecan pie, banana ice cream stuff, other stuff, and stuff, and more stuff and oh my god I can't move for ever. Ever. Amen.

Following that we relaxed back at his place, and he showed us how to 'light write' using a camera (long shutter speed & full aperture).

Chez Tony Breakfast, Montgomery, Alabama.

Tony, Me, Drew & Hank.

Light Sabre Light Writing.

I fell hook line and sinker for Tony's little joke...

When setting up your couchsurf profile you're asked to fill out your 'mission statement', a simple one liner to sum up your current plan/situation/hopes etc. Mine reads "to see the world through my own eyes, untainted by TV, radio or newspapers...". I feel this suitably sums up the past 7 weeks, but this weekend it really rang true. Later in the evening he showed us some photos from Afghanistan, and I wouldn't want to repeat any of the stories he told us, simply because I think that would be wrong of me to tell them, but I was fascinated. I've read many newspapers stories from Afghanistan, seen many news reports, but there I was hearing the stories direct from someone who has seen it, travelled there, met the locals, felt the anger and bitterness towards him and the occupying forces, taken some photos, and returned home. I felt truly humbled. No TV. No radio. No newspaper. Just Tony, and his story.

To cap, this is my couchsurf history to date, as shown on my couchsurf profile:

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 Territories 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.
In New York I met with Baptiste and had a coffee and discussed travelling.

http://www.couchsurfing.org/davidsaulfineberg