Can you believe it? We can’t. Two Years since we left our old lives and launched ourselves into this JWalking adventure. It feels like a lifetime since we were waiting at Londons Stansted Airport excitedly waiting to fly out to Germany for the first stage of our trip. We had no idea what to expect.

JWalking Expectations

Our plans were to basically free ourselves of all of our possessions and day-to-day responsibilities and see a bit of the world but it turned into so much more for both of us. We really never expected to meet so many wonderful people along the way and make so many new friends. It has restored our faith in human nature completely. Also we had no concept of what Airbnb would be like and whether we’d get on with it so it’s been fabulous to stay in such great places with such great hosts. We can’t recommend it highly enough.

Some JWalking Stats

You all know that I love a stat so here are a few from our two years on the road. Not in any particular order or for any other reason than they’re a bit interesting.

Geographic JWalking

• 12 countries visited
• 11 UK counties
• 16 US states
• 5 Canadian provinces
• 5 Australian states
• 11 New Zealand regions

JWalking Transportation

• 34 flights through 31 airports
• 125 train journeys
• 30 boat and ferry trips
• 132 bus journeys
• Multiple journeys on 12 underground systems
• 10 cars hired
• Cable cars, gondolas, canoes, chair-lifts, taxis, mini-buses, bicycles!
• Over 2100 miles walked

JWalking Accommodation

• 50 Airbnb’s
• 34 Hotels and Motels
• 110 beds slept in
• 8 housesitting and volunteering stays
• Several nights staying with our wonderful sons and friends

Exploring JWalking

• 55 museums
• 45 beaches
• 34 lakes
• and over 130 different bars and pubs

Unbelievably Special Moments

I wanted to do a top ten of of our best JWalking moments but that turned into a top twenty, then a top thirty. Impossible to compare and compile a list so you will just have to go back and read every post. But here are a few that we’ll never forget;

• Jo collapsing into hysterical giggles as we got drenched under Niagara Falls
• Floating like a couple of hippos in the muddy hot springs of Rotorua in the pouring rain.
• The incredible 36 hour California Zephyr through the Rockies to Denver from San Francisco.
• Cycling hundreds of miles through the Dutch countryside around Groesbeek and Molenhoek.
• Seeing and loving the penguins of Phillip Island in Victoria.
• An unbelievable drive from Launceston to Hobart in Tasmania.
• Seaplane flight up over Whistler Mountain in British Columbia.
• Christmas sailing on Milford Sound.
• And another 500 amazing moments at least.

The Blog and what it means to us

One of the most important things we have done is to publish this blog detailing all of our various trips and little adventures. Whilst it was primarily started as a way of sharing our trip with friends and family it soon became obvious that it was a diary of where we’ve been and all of those special moments. After moving so often and being constantly on the go it’s so easy to forget who, what, where etc. The blog keeps it all fresh and we love looking back to refresh every detail of our incredible trips.

Is it still a Travel Blog?

Well we think it is, of course. The past 5 months may have been spent housesitting around England and not quite as dramatic as The Great Barrier Reef or Vancouver Island but as far as we’re concerned we’re still travelling. We always wanted to see more of our own country and housesitting has been the perfect way of helping us to do that. Slow travel maybe but travel nonetheless.

Special Thank You’s

So many of you follow our blog and give us incredible support and we are so humbly grateful for that, just wish we could say thanks to each and every person but that could be a little tricky. Special mentions though must go to our top commenters Mayo and Lydia who never fail to brighten our days on a regular basis, and all of you that have left us a comment or keep in touch via email. We love it.

Future JWalking Adventures

The big question. Well we’re booked to be housesitting and volunteering in a variety of locations, not all in England, until late October so we’re fairly organised. After that it may be time for JWalking 3.0. Another big trip beckons which we are in the midst of planning right now and we’ll let you know as soon as we do (or we may not, who knows). Then after that, which will be early 2018, it’s a big black hole of nothing which is exactly the way we like it. So exciting to have a blank page to work on.

So come on, wish us a happy JWalking anniversary. Wonder if we’ll make it to three years?

01/06/2015 – 01/06/2017