We have heard of couples who get jobs care-taking and housesitting - how do you do this? where do you start? So I started with - yes you know it - Google!; found some housesitting websites and took pot luck at creating a profile on 4 of them. I avoided the ones that charged on-going fees or expensive registrations and went with the sites that looked professional.
I began with just getting "us" on them and then downloaded references, got police clearances and feedback from our holiday unit we have run for past 2 years.

We talked a bit with friends who had friends who had caretaked (sp)! in Europe and read feedback from the housesitting sites. Spent quite a few hrs looking at potential housesitting places mainly in Europe and applying to any that appealed. We eventually heard back from 2 in Australia and began email correspondence....

written by  GazzaShazza on February 1, 2011 from Gisborne, New Zealand
from the travel blog: Our OE in our 50's
tagged Australia and Google
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Meanwhile we took the bikes and went into Tewantin yesterday - rather hard on bums and legs and lack of fitness esp on my part! . could bike to Noosa but it would be a mission! And Im bit nervous on the roundabouts. Stayed mainly on the wide footpaths and their are good bike trails also. (pic of me in front of our house)

Of course Gary has arranged to pick up a board from a mate and now that we have a car hopefully he will get some surf and I will get some lying in the sun, swimming and reading of my book!!! Hard life this retirement. (come on this is AFTER walking dogs for 1 1/2hrs, doing some housework and trying to keep up with arranging flights, housesits and visa applications!)

We are finding this is very different to a holiday and its probably a good thing we have started in a country close in many ways to our own. so many little things are frustrating. The rules and regulations seem over the top to us! LIke buying a $2 vodafone sim card and then you have to talk to an automated "person" and register yourself (they want a passport number or drivers licence for heavens sake!) and your phone ..... and then it didn't seem to work! until a guy at dick smith's kindly did something to it.
Also coverage is very spasmotic - fading in and out regularly.

Weather is great though - extending our summer! Was 26 degrees when we arrived but it is rather chilly this morning. Lovely days so far though. It has been quite busy actually. There is a lot of arranging different things for the next housesits. We have had an offer in England for early August so are looking at that. Will be back in NZ in July.
OK gotta go.

Sat am - copied from email sent to friends:
Well I never sent this so will continue for those of you who may be interested! Yesterday was a disaster! Ruth and I got our txt communication muddled and we got up expecting her at 5.30am .... she came at 7.30am ,..... we set off to drop her at Brisbane airport ....... car started shaking, sounded like flat tyre ...pulled off motorway and couldn't see anything wrong with it. Turned it off - Bad mistake! This car is prob one of the oldest in the state and sometimes doesn't start ....... Gary to the rescue .....borrowed a hammer (yes you heard right) banged the starter motor with it and hey presto it started (the hammer lender-er was impressed) see photo! Ok so off we go again. Long story short it became worse. We dropped Ruth off at airport and started back. Not a whole lot of fun. Huge trucks, steering difficult, juddering, poor Gary was gripping wheel as hard as he could. I was just in a sweat! So we pulled into nearest town, mechanic took a look and said "you're not going anywhere in this. All the bolts on the steering rack were loose and ready to fall off! We spent a few hrs in a mall while it was fixed. $25 later and we were gratefully on our way!

OK so hope that hasn't bored you too much and if you're still reading I'll say goodbye for now.
Gary, sharron, ringo & Zoe (dogs) & charlie (cat)

written by  GazzaShazza on May 9, 2011 from Tewantin, Australia
from the travel blog: Our OE in our 50's
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