Who am I?

Hey! I'm Natasha Lèquepeys – go on, try to pronounce it!

Born and raised in Canada, I travelled a lot as a kid and – I'll be honest – it wasn't my thing. At the time, I found the museums and endless hours of walking pretty boring. What I realized, as an adult, is that those trips planted the seeds of curiosity and an openness to other cultures, pushing me to travel further and to more exotic locales each time.

When I started exploring cities based on my own interests is when I truly became addicted to travel. I love meeting new people, seeing how they live and of course trying their food.

Photography is a relatively new obsession that stemmed from a trip to India, where I realized that my iPhone photos didn’t do any justice to the beauty of the country.

Deciding to teach myself the ropes and with some help from experienced photographer friends, I embarked on a love affair with my camera. Photography now dictates where I travel and helps inspire that journey. I hope that you enjoy my pictures and find my planning helpful for your own travels.

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Rapid Fire QUESTIONS

Favourite city - London

Favourite country - Japan

Most photogenic destination - India

Favourite food - Fresh mozzarella in Italy

Favourite drink - Sago't Gulaman

Most jawdropping view - Lake Sørvágsvatn, The Faroe Islands

Must-have travel accessory - Bose headphones

Favourite travel song - Planet Earth Suite by Hans Zimmer

Travel fears - Rocky boats and bugs

Sea or mountains - Mountains

Most impactful visit - Auschwitz-Birkenau

Coolest travel experience - Riding ATVs in the backcountry of Siem Reap

Best hotel - The Rayavadee in Krabi, Thailand

Favourite monument - l'Arc de Triomphe, Paris

Best museum - The 9/11 Memorial Museum in NYC and The Jewish Museum in Berlin

Favourite Camera Gear - FujiFilm XT-2 and Fujinon lenses

How I Travel

I don’t expect you to take my advice if you don’t agree with my travel style. So let me break it down:

STAY

I don’t need luxury but I still enjoy my comforts. You won’t find me in shared hostel dorms - I did it in my 20’s and have moved on. I’m also not a camper, unless the occasion calls for it.

SEE

If I’m visiting a new city I will hit up the main attractions first but won’t leave satisfied until I’ve interacted with locals, delved deeper into the culture and taken some good shots.

EAT

I enjoy eating everything (blue cheese and mayonnaise are the exceptions) and will seek out local delicacies.

PACK

I travel with a suitcase unless I’m moving around too much, then I bust out my backpack. I haven’t mastered the art of carry-on travel, my skincare alone takes up half the bag.

BUDGET

I believe in splurging on special, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. To compensate for those expenses I’ll cut back in accommodation, transport and only if I have to… food.

THE STORY OF HOW I MET YOKO

A few years ago I visited Japan for the first time. One day in Nara, I was admiring a temple when a woman in her 70's approached me and asked, "Would you like to know the story of this place?" I was skeptical. What was the catch?

To my surprise, the woman, Yoko, just wanted to share her love of her city with me, a complete stranger. She believed that in doing this, others would do the same when she travelled, making her feel at ease in a foreign place. Yoko’s guided tour of Nara was magical, offering me a special window into a place I would never have experienced otherwise.

Yoko's philosophy stayed with me even after I returned home, and it inspired me to create this site. And Then I Met Yoko is where I want to share my love for travel through my photography and trip planning, in hopes that it inspires you to travel and pass on your experiences to others.