About me

About me

Hello!
My name is Josy and I am a Londoner who moved to Vancouver in Canada. I grew up in the countryside in Cambridgeshire (in the UK), so I am a country bumpkin at heart. I am keen to escape the city and go for long walks when I can.

My husband and I made a New Year’s resolution to walk more back in 2016. Most of our New Year’s resolutions only last a few days, but somehow walking suited us both, so we’ve been exercising our legs ever since. We started by exploring the Capital Ring around London in 2016. This is a fantastic way to explore the city so walk it if you can!! In 2017 we’ve started a longer walk, along the North Downs Way from Farnham to Dover. We also end up walking on holiday, so I’ll slowly add more fun walks around the world as I get around to it. Now we’ve arrived in Canada I am hoping my walks will involve some more mountains, forests and waterfalls!

Other things you might want to know about me:

  • I speak Japanese and used to work for the Japan Foundation London. Give me a shout if you’d like advice about learning Japanese. I’m happy to bombard you with useful links.
  • I used to live in Nara, (in West Japan) which has to be one of the loveliest places on the planet. Half the city is a giant park with over 10,000 deers that wander around. If you are planning a visit to Japan, add that to your list!!
  • I have a slightly dappy and very funny cat, Monty.
  • I LOVE good food (this might be why I need to walk so much!) I used to review quite a lot on Yelp. So if you’d like to see thousands of food related posts and photos, that’s where I add them.
  • I also love jumping photos.

Our Adventures:

You can use this map to help you find posts in areas that interest you! I’ll do my best to keep updating it.

62 thoughts on “About me

  1. Neil and I try to get out and about with Isla, Skye has some lovely places to explore. You guys should visit. We’ve paved around the house and now I do laps like when I was younger and more in shape, ha. And I’ve heard part of the West Highland Way is wheelchair-accessible, honestly must look into that.

    And we bought a treadmill last night, does that count? Haha.

    Lorna

    1. Thanks for popping by!

      It totally counts! Although it is less fun on a treadmill! I find that I want to read or listen to something at the same time if the view isn’t changing the whole time!!

      Oh my goodness, I would LOVE to visit Skye! I think we will run out of time before we leave the UK, but I’ll drag my husband North once we come back to the UK!

  2. I just dicovered your blog through Fatty McCupcake travel tag and I will give you a follow! I am Canadian but now live in the UK… I’ve never been to Vancouver but I’ve bene told it’s one of the best place in Canada…. Good luck with the move!

    1. Oooh yay!

      That is one of my favourite blogs. She has made me giggle out loud so many times! 😀

      I just took a peek at yours and followed you right back! It sounds like we’ll be swapping countries for a while, so we must have some things in common.

  3. Nice you finally made it to Vancouver. I live in Toronto and visited Vancouver for my Master’s program graduation trip. It is a lovely place and I especially love the walk in the Stanley Park and the Seawall, and that is why I can relate to most of your blog posts.

    1. Eep! Sorry about my slow reply! Somehow this comment went into my spam folder. 🙁

      I love that sea wall! We’ve walked along it almost every day in the last two weeks… It’s just so relaxing and pretty!

      We visited Toronto a couple of years ago. I loooved the food! You live in another good place for gorgeous things to eat!!

    1. Thanks Willow!
      I’m glad you found the big up your blog group! I am looking forward to hearing more from you too!

    1. Thank you! This is such a gorgeous side of the world!! I am soo excited to get on one of those sea-planes and explore Vancouver island at some point. It must have been amazing growing up there!!

  4. Hi Josy! You can delete this if comment if you want I couldn’t find the contact form/page. Oh also just also added you on Yelp! Always great finding fellow Yelpers.

    Just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award on my page. I love reading about your adventures and viewing your beautiful photos! Haha my friend and I got a good laugh out of the Penis festival post and now she’s determined to have our whole group of friends go in 2020.

    https://ratedbyhanna.com/2017/08/22/sunshine-blogger-award-new-layout/

    Have a great week!

    – Hanna

    1. Oooh thanks Hanna!! 😀
      I’m so glad you like the penis festival…I better write up the naked man festival so you guys can go to that too! 😀

  5. Not sure if my comment went through on your latest post, but that you for following our blog! If you’re interested in a collab, let me know 🙂

    1. Thanks Caroline! I did go through. 🙂

      I loved your blog and your writing so I’d definitely be up for doing a collaboration of some sort. Or if you fancy a cuppa, I we must live pretty close too. 😀

  6. We have been walking a lot more lately and have been trying to visit new parks and trails…amazing what little adventures you can find yourself on in just a short time and even close to home <3

    Crystal

    1. Eep! I’m so sorry Crystal. I only just spotted this post in my spam folder.
      I agree though it is amazing all the walks you can find near home- wherever you live! Even big cities have tonnes of fun places to walk.

  7. 1. It’s hard to continue a New Year’s Resolution, I’m not sure I have ever seen one last, congrats!
    2. And then to turn it into a an activity you continue to share and build memories on is amazing!

    You have a lot of wonderful things to share : )

    1. I think the trick is to find a resolution that is REALLY fun! 😀

      Thank you so much for leaving such a sweet comment.

  8. Hi Josy –
    I’m working on a post with a list of the blogs I follow and why. I’d like to include yours and share a link. Just wanted to make sure you’re ok with that. I can’t imagine anyone would not want some potential readers sent their way, but you never can tell!
    Rita

    1. Ooooh you are so lovely! Thanks Rita!

      I’d love that…but I am a bit slow at replying at the moment…we’re in NZ without much wifi. I’ll come and check it out (and love it) when I get back home.

  9. Konichiwa! What an interesting ‘about me’ piece! Have never been to London(on my bucket list), neither have I been to Vancouver, but my daughter and my husband have both been there at different times, also our good friends lived there for years. I love to walk, and your photos are beautiful. We lived in Japan for three years in the 70’s. I left a piece of my heart there, loved it! Thanks for stopping by my blog, yours is wonderful! Cathi (DAF)

    1. Thank you for such a sweet message Cathi!

      Where did you live in Japan? It must have been sooo different in the 70s, but I can see why you left a piece of your heart there. I don’t know many people who live there without finding a true second home!!

      1. We lived in the Yokosuka area (hubby was in the military), we lived in Kikoba Hayama, Yokohama and Nagai. Had a beautiful view of Mt Fuji from our bedroom, and living room windows. We were young and we had a ball living there!

        1. Oooh you lucky thing Kanagawa is sooo lovely! I’m guessing that means you must have wandered up Fuji-san!?

          1. hubby did, I didn’t. Wanted to, but couldn’t because of health concerns at that time. But, we could see the lanterns of the night climbers from our house and hubby loved climbing it, spent the night half way up and got up before dawn to see the sun rise from the top. Did you climb? We went to the five lakes area surrounding Fuji, picked grapes and stopped at a road-side stand and had pictures taken with a family, they had never seen an American before and wanted pictures of it! It was wonderful.

            1. Those are such sweet memories!

              Yep, I was one of those slow rising lights snaking their way up Mount Fuji!!

  10. How great thank you for stopping by my Blog! I am an artist full time and my native country is Italy I moved to US in 2002 I see beautiful photos on your Blog I will sure come back!

  11. Nice to get to know you! I love good food and jumping photos too! I’m on the other side of Canada, so if you ever make your way here, I’ll show you good food spots and we can take jumping photos!

  12. You’ve been to so many amazing places! We loved our Japan trip and when we came home like 2/3 of our pictures were of food!! <>

    1. Hahaha I have totally had trips to japan like that! The food is sooo fantastic there isn’t it! 😀

  13. Loved discovering your blog today. I feel a little affinity with your life, but a few years on. I also lived in Japan (Gifu-ken & Fukui-ken), love my food, and have spent a summer in Vancouver, and two summers in Seattle. And – I’m a kiwi! 🙂 I know I’m going to have a great time exploring your stories and adventures more.

  14. Please update your description and blog about The Crystal Falls Trail . It is not an official park and trail and more importantly, crosses private lands. That is why It is unmaintained and is hazardous with fallen trees and eroding paths. There is NO TRESPASSING on the private land due to liability reasons.

    1. Thanks for the heads up JT. I did a search and found an article about it, so I am happy to add that to my post.

  15. What an awesome website. If you start a Vancouver Hiking/Waking group, count me in! Keep up the good work.

      1. Just hiked Devils Peak yesterday and found the Fireball! Looking for other good hikes nearby. Also from London and moved to North Van!!

        1. Ooooh nice! Welcome to Vancouver! I hope you love it as much as we do!
          How was the creek crossing? (I always think it’ll be really gushing at this time of year…)

          1. We’ve been here 16years!! Creek crossing wasn’t bad at all where we went – just a bit of a shimmy along a log 😉

            1. Oooh lol in that case you are the experts!
              That’s good to know – if the creeks are not too bad, I’d be tempted to attempt Mount Underhill soon.

  16. Hi, I have started reading your blog about the Aigüestortes . Where would you suggest is best to stay please? Intending on hiking on 2 different days

  17. What fun to find your blog as I’m planning a 2nd New Zealand trip. Thanks for sharing so many fun walks and hikes. We’re much more of the “easy walking” types than true hikers, but still I’ve saved so many of your great posts! Wish you’d visited all the places we’re planning to go so I could steal some more ideas. 😀

  18. So nice to meet a fellow hiker and blogger! I moved to Cambridge for uni and loved it there but still need to explore the Vancouver area. I look forward to reading your content 🙂

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