ABOUT ME

Hi, I'm Julia.

I love my country in all it's outdoorsy splendour. I like road trips, camping, tramping & exploring both at home and abroad. I've done a fair bit of travelling when my budget and schedule allow it, but have never just dropped everything and set off to travel the world. Maybe one day.

I live quite close to Chch city (like 10 mins drive). Chch was damaged by earthquakes in 2011/2012 and the eastern suburbs (where I live) were hit pretty hard. If you are travelling to Chch, you need to be prepared for road works, construction, demolition and what can at times feel like a pretty bleak place. It still has it's charm but you just have to look harder for it.

At the moment I can offer you a double bed in a spare room and/or a couch if there are a few of you. The house is usually pretty tidy, warm and comfortable.

Although I'm gay, caucasian and female, I promise not to hold it against you if you're not. I appreciate diversity and I'm pretty open-minded.

PHILOSOPHY

A little vague, but something along these lines : Life is good and is a bit of a miracle really, from conception (I mean, what are the odds ??!) to death. I try to live in a way that does not belittle the miracle that got me here.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

Jill and I haven't hosted for a while and to be honest, I'm not even very good at responding to requests anymore. Please don't be offended if you don't hear back from me, chances are I either haven't seen your message, or the timing of your request didn't suit.

Because I have enjoyed hosting so much in the past, I will still check these messages occasionally and if everything works out and you come to stay here I am sure you'll enjoy it too.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

I've lost count of how many couchsurfers I've met & hosted. I have enjoyed it each time and never had a bad experience or met anyone I wouldn't host again.

Interests

This list changes by the day but really, I just want to experience everything. I've always been keen on exploring the great outdoors in as many ways possible - skiing, climbing, skydiving, hiking, cycling, surfing, kayaking .... this makes me sound active but I'm not. I spend a lot of time reading & sitting around comtemplating life. I like going to movies, as much for the sheer pleasure of dipping icecream in popcorn as for the movie itself. Recently, I've been trying to learn how to play Bridge, and suspect that this will be a bit of a life-long obsession.

• dogs
• movies
• reading
• traveling
• eating out
• outdoor activities
• cycling
• hiking
• kayaking
• camping
• surfing
• skydiving
• skiing
• rock climbing
• track and field
• nursing
• road trips

Music, Movies, and Books

Too many to name, basically I'll read anything except the instructions that come with kitset furniture and will watch anything except horrors.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

A few years ago I was in the water with humpback whales off the coast of Niue. A nursing mother and her baby came within 5 metres of me, which was like watching a jumbo jet land whilst standing on the runway. I spent ages just floating and listening to whale song - a sound I'll never forget.

Teach, Learn, Share

Like almost every kiwi on here, I can't wait to show you a slice of NZ. I can take you (or point you) off the beaten track and am happy to share my local knowledge with you. If you can teach my dog a new trick, I'll repay the favour with a cooked meal if I can.

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