As with all Couch Surfers, I love to travel! I also love writing, cats, cycling, running, exciting food, and beer. My husband is also pretty high on the list. I am a freelance writer working on various projects with everyone from international print magazines to corporate blogs to digital marketing agencies. It gives me the freedom to explore and to be creative, so no complaints here!

I travelled through Asia (again!) in the early part of last year by myself, then came back to Scotland to work for the summer. I lived in my van full-time between May 2016 and January of this year. In that time I lived on a different Scottish island, then when my husband got back from sea we went to France, Spain and Portugal for the winter. It was brilliant, and I would recommend a van to anybody. We even took our adventure cat!

More info on me: www.jemmabeedie.com

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I originally got into Couchsurfing when I lived on the Isle of Lewis. There were few accommodation options for the, shall we say 'budget' traveller. I wanted to help out and encourage people to visit. I absolutely loved the few people we hosted and I felt like we made proper friends. I then Couchsurfed a little in Asia when I was there last year and, again, had a great time. I love that it's about meeting people and seeing the inner workings of the places we visit, instead of just hotels and tourist spots!

Interests

Running, food, surfing, snorkelling, reading, writing, cycling, animals

• animals
• cats
• writing
• dining
• running
• reading
• cycling
• surfing
• tourism

Music, Movies, and Books

As a writer I am also a keen reader and love a wide variety. My absolute favourite books are Morven Callar, The Bell Jar, and Watership Down.

I love TV and movies too... anything with a story.

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

I ran 53 miles in one go once.

Teach, Learn, Share

I'll teach you Scots words if you like! I'll teach you about Scottish culture and if you're lucky I might bring you a veggie haggis to try.

What I Can Share with Hosts

NOT APPLICABLE ANY LONGER, UNFORTUNATELY

We have a number of bedrooms, you will be able to play with our cat, look out at some amazing views. My husband is a keen surfer and will be happy to guide you around some of the best spots on Lewis if he's at home. We can also readily borrow bikes if you're up for that, and I'm happy to take visitors on trail runs through Lewis and Harris!

Ness is a great place, but on Lewis most things are closed on Sundays. I would advise that if you are going to visit you must plan appropriately to avoid being stuck by lack of public transport, lack of supermarkets and restaurants.

Countries I’ve Visited

Cambodia, Czech Republic, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Laos, Malaysia, Morocco, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

Bahrain, Hong Kong, United Kingdom