Hello!
I am Joyce, a micro-entrepreneur, blogger based in Paris. I love to wander around getting lost everywhere I go, and I laugh a lot. That’s why my slogan is: Explore. Laugh. Repeat.
Beauty related profile: click here
This blog started out as a digital travel journal, because my real life journals were getting out of hand and there’s no space to keep them all. Little by little, I started to write about beauty, blog admin and other lifestyle topics.
Travel preferences
Mainly travel solo or with my spouse. I love exploring affordable local options. Spending like crazy is not my idea of fun. Price tag and expectation has an exponential relationship in my books; aka splurge usually results in disappointment.
Favourite tourism is cooking class, hike, museum and local street food. Walking around getting lost is pretty good too. I do regularly ignore reading ‘top list’ and ‘best list’. I find that if I wander around enough, I’ll spot something that tickles my fancy. Personal experience is good enough for me.
In a nutshell?
- I can read/speak: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and
Afrikaans(gone to hell due to lack of practice). Currently studying French. - I hate spending money on transport i.e. flight, ferry, train, bus…
- I prefer rural and non-city travel.
- I am fond of minshuku and hostel experience.
- My favourite destination is firmly Japan.
- I can drive a manual car, but cannot parallel park a Smart car >_<
- I sleep easily on a long haul flight or bus or anywhere.
- The way I tend to pack? 2 nights travel means a 20L. 8 weeks is a 45L for summer / 60L for winter. A carry-on case is enough luggage room for my 30+ days summer travel. *I will bring a check-in luggage if I plan to haul*
- My backpack max tolerance weight is 12kg. I am 157cm, weigh +/- 43kg.
- I love meat, but do not eat lamb.
Where am I from?
- I was born in Hong Kong.
- Chilled in Durban for 10 years
- Partied/worked in Cape Town for 8 years
- Exported to Shanghai for 8 years
- Lived in London for a year
Now live in Paris 😀 I clearly have an identity crisis issue. LOL
My motto is, ‘Ichigo ichie’ 一期一会. In English: One opportunity, one encounter
All photos are my own unless stated otherwise. Support original work! If you will use my photos / videos, please do not remove my watermark; otherwise, please ask me for permission.
Looking for me?
Contact me 🙂 localgirlforeignland@gmail.com
I have opened a small workshop in Paris 😀 running kitsuke workshops (how to wear a kimono) & I make Japanese fabric goodie. https://kikitaru.com
i wish you a happy new year
Joyce, If you do not mind, would you tell us how you learnt Japanese and why Japan is your favourite travel destination. I would also like to know how you came to live in London and what started your interest in travel.
Hi Debra, thank you for dropping by.
I learnt Japanese at Sakura language school in Shanghai. When I returned to Cape Town, I went to class at Ninhongokai.
Japan is my favourite travel destination because of their culture preservation. The local governments fund and support traditional festivals/activities that have been around for centuries. The locals’ passion towards their own culture is inspiring to see and leaves me breathless every visit.
I don’t know if I understood the question about London. You mean, why I moved to UK perhaps? London was one of the easiest option; close to France for hubby’s family and I was not obliged to learn French.
Travel is vacation time 😀 I love seeing / trying something different from my own environment. It is fun to do. **nothing deep or profound from me, I’m afraid 😉 I’m a simple girl.
How about you? What’s your favourite travel destination? Why?
Glad I came back to find your new site. It’s great! And I love ichigo-ichie!
Thank you for dropping by, Joseph 😀 Happy that you found me too haha
My goal is to go back to all your old posts and like them all since all the likes disappeared with the blog migration! 😉
Seriously? Wow, I think your project is bigger than my i-stalk-you project LOL wahaha thanks for all the support xox
Wow, okay! Your life! Haha I wish I lived in Paris! I grew up in Durban, then studied in Cape Town, now I live in Canada (been here for one year), and trying to travel every chance I get!
Wahaha Sounds like we kind of have similar background? 😉 How’s Canada for you?
It does! 🙂 Crazy how small the world is! Canada is great for the most part! I think I have a little separation anxiety from Cape Town now haha. But it’s just settling in still I think. The winters can be a bit long! Dying for some sun! How’s Paris for you?
Paris is strangely beautiful everywhere. Weird thing is, Paris looks fab, but smells like pee? *LOL* The public transport is amazing. I’m in love with Paris.
“My favourite destination is firmly Japan.”
Kindred spirit. (^_^)
Cheers and all the best in your travels.
Thanks, ‘Diego’ 😀 Same to you.
My ultimate fav destination is Japan too. This country never stops amazing me every time I get there. Hope you could discover all prefectures of Japan in the soonest 🙂
Thanks for your kinds words, Nhung 😀 I wish you the same 😉
Hi Joyce, nice to meeting you here. I grew up in Hong Kong, but came to US years ago. Would like to connect with you!
https://theshowersofblessing.wordpress.com/about-me/
Hi Miriam, thank you for dropping by 🙂 Sorry that it took me a while to get back to you. Somehow your comment landed up in the spam box.
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Lovely to meet you! I was in South Africa (Cape Town based) for nearly two months – can’t wait to read your blog and reminisce!!
Hi Emily 😀 Thank you for dropping by. Lovely to meet you too. How wonderful that you got to stay in the Mother City for so long. I don’t write that much about CPT. Now that you’ve inspired me, I should work on that 😉
Thank you for stopping my blog.
I thank you for dropping by mine too 😀
Joyce, what an interesting and adventurous life! I cannot wait to explore your space for Japan stories and get inspired! 🙂 xoxo, nano
Thanks for dropping by, Nano. Same here, I like reading about your life/adventure in Japan ????????
dig your blog and overall vibe and the energy you display is very refreshing. peace and the best
Thank, Maxx 😀 Such encouraging comment.
Lovely to ‘meet’ you Joyce! You have such a stunning blog and one visit is definitely not enough to absorb everything on offer 🙂 Looking forward to my next visit already! 😀
Please to meet you too 😀 Thank you for the kind words and visit 😉
My pleasure! 🙂
Hey, twin ???? thanks, I was busy making birthday graphic to text you wahaha. Happy birthday to you too ????????
Hello Joyce,
I am pleased to inform you that I have nominated you for a Liebster award. Visit this post to know more about it. https://travelosio.com/2016/06/04/travelosio-receives-liebster-award/
Congratulations!
Hi Sarah, thank you so much for the nomination ???????? how kind of you ????????
Looking forward to reading your post 🙂
Happy to have found your blog! I love the layou, the style, the content…everything! I’m a travel lover too so following you will definitely be inspiring!!
Looking forward to reading your posts! 🙂
P.S.
Your pics are amazing!!
https://fromdreamtoplan.wordpress.com/
Thank you so much for the encouraging comment, fromdreamtoplan (did not find your name on your blog) . I will continue to try the try 😉 I love the gateway theme 😀 very clean.
My pleasure! I’m Lisa and thank you for stopping by my blog 🙂
Pleased to have found your blog too, Lisa 😀
Congratulations speaking so many languages and especially that You learning also French, which I love very much. I love languages and that is why post in four languages since nearly two years.
Happy and safe travels!
P. S. Great blog.
Wow, Sartenada! Posting in 4 languages for 2 years!!! That is crazy talent and discipline!!! I should be the one congratulating you ???????? amazing!
Your photos are breathtakingly beautiful. They make Japan look like a much better travel destination than any other advertisements they do here. Thank you!
Aw, thank you so much, Keikli. Such sweet encouragement. I love visiting Japan. Such a beautiful country.
What a great motto! Happy to have stumbled across your blog :). We’re looking forward to reading through your posts!
Thank you for dropping by, Maria & Nifesi! 😀 Lucky me 😉
Thank you for stopping by my blog, Joyce! I can’t wait to read more about your adventures. It sounds like we enjoy the same kind of travel. 🙂
Love your blog and your motto. Just wanted to say thank you so much for visiting my own and for kindly following.
I shall look forward to keeping in touch.
Luv n peas
Bob
Aw, thank you, Bob. That’s so sweet of you. Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment. Look forward to read your next post 😀
I like your way of life 🙂 I will follow your blog
Thank you for reading 😀 so nice to know~~
Great smile and blog! xo
Hey, very interesting blog and I like your style a lot – visually clear. Happy to start following! 🙂 I’m an ex-expat who doesn’t feel at home in my “home” country and I was just asked yesterday which nationality I think of myself as belonging to. The only answer I came up with was “international”! Luckily here in the blog world, I can be whatever I want!
Thanks for the support. Ja, this expat all over the show is identity crisis causing haha. I understand your feeling too
That’s the word I was looking for: identity crisis! Exactly! 😉 haha!!
Hey, you have a great blog, thanks for commenting(yes, it was tough reading about the Massacre of Nanking).
Btw you have a beautiful smile, keep smiling!