CURRENT MISSION To enJOY life to the full, make new friends, go new places. Joy has been to over 80 countries. David and I like to host CouchSurfers and to form friendships around the world.
If requesting to stay, please try to be specific - e.g. your mode of transport, expected time of arrival (ETA) and departure. At present we have some 'projects' on the go e,g David is building us a new caravan to explore more of NZ and our spare bedroom has boxes with 1000's of photos being sorted etc. So accept us as we are!
Note: Sometime I feel Couchsurfers are just looking for a free place to stay, and to use the internet without mingling with their hosts.
This is not what CouchSurfing is about - it is an EXCHANGE of cultures, friendship, experiences - not a one-way situation but I needed to say that so you understand it is the sharing of experiences etc that we enjoy - use your devices when we have gone to bed!
I MUST change our Profile photo as it was a Dress Up event! How?
Since joining Couchsurfing, my personal situation has changed as I am living in the city of Christchurch with my 'new' husband David Wickham. We were planning a trip to USA in August/September 2020 and hoped to ' meet the locals' through CouchSurfing rather than stay in impersonal hotels etc. If you share my sentiments - keep coming - We would love to have you to stay!!! Sadly Covid stopped that plan but now we are going to Europe, UK etc December 2023-through to Feb 24.
We have meet some lovely people of all ages- and really enJOY having Couchsurfers to stay- from all around the world. Our experience of Couchsurfing in many countries was wonderful in 2019 .

ABOUT Joy - I have returned to live in Christchurch, happily by the sea/beach again, just one minute into the surf to swim! I love life and live it to the full! I have 3 grownup children, and 9 wonderful very active grandchildren. I have been to more than 80 countries and I am still wanting to explore the Big Wide Wonderful World .

PHILOSOPHY Live life to the full while I can without being selfish or self-centred. Give back to the community as much as possible . I love my grandchildren - and seeing them flourish. I have experienced life's ups and downs. I am thankful for an enriching childhood. I am number 5 out of 6 children.
David - is a real gentleman and an absolute darling, He is a very clever handyman, and a home brewer.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING . I am a young 75 year old with a wide variety of experiences, occupations (trained Teacher)- family and friends are very important to me. I enjoy hosting and have been hosted - in Canada, Germany, France and the UK and in 2019 with David in England, Belgium, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE willing to host and be hosted - I've hosted many lovely people from around the world and was hosted by wonderful people in 7 countries - We hope to host and be hosted in the future (especially in Ireland in December 2023 please!_)

Interests

Travel, camping, Photography, cycling, (David and I have Electric Bikes) swimming in the surf - ex Marathon Runner and Windsurfer but at my age I have to slow down a little bit!!?? I love cycling,, forest and bush walking, beaches and rivers but especially being with my family - I have 9 grandchildren.
David is a very clever man and is currently building us a new caravan from scratch - calling her Lady in Red - after our wedding dance song, and I was married in red.

• photography
• dining
• marathon
• walking
• traveling
• cycling
• hiking
• windsurfing
• swimming
• teaching
• beaches
• rivers

Music, Movies, and Books

Love reading, movies, sport- a wide variety
I mainly read non-fiction, travel brochures!

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Far too many to list - wait and I will tell you! I am very adventurous/ I have paraglided from the top of Coronet Peak, Queenstown and LOVED IT, Tubed down the river in Laos etc etc , rode camels in Egypt and Morocco and rode elephants in Sri Lanka and Laos. I have run marathons and have lead a very active life - with many working experiences.

Teach, Learn, Share

I Love to hear other people's travel and life experiences and share my own, mainly through my photography

What I Can Share with Hosts

My love of life - my photography, our beachfront home and at times - just have friends and family to visit or stay.
If you have read ALL our Profile, well done so you can write 'Cheers' when you sign off your name!!!???
We prefer VERIFIED members - it is easy to become a verified CouchSurfer.

Countries I’ve Lived In

New Zealand