Saturday 29 October 2016

Umbria - Workaway Number 6

For our next adventure we headed up to the little town of Chiusi, about 2 hours by train from Rome. Our  Workaway host, Jan, met us at the station and drove us to her home and BnB, called Casa Julian. It's in a perfect location, close to Lake Trasimeno and near the border with Tuscany.

The countryside feels like you are surrounded by a bunch of postcards - beautiful rural scenes, gentle hills, lots of shades of green. We got to stay in one of Jan's comfortable apartments, complete with woodburner.


We loved the two friendly and gentle labradors, and the cats, and the chickens. Since we have been doing all these Workaways, mostly in rural locations, we've become rather fond of chickens and have decided to get a couple on our return home to NZ next year.


Here's one of our little friends checking out the olives.

We helped with an olive harvest; about 40 trees. We were very lucky to be able to go to the 'frantoio olivestri' with Jan and watch the pickings turn into 17 litres of very good gold-green oil. That night we feasted on bruschetta, rubbed with garlic and drizzled with the freshest cold-pressed oil I've ever tasted!


As hosts go, Jan is one of the best. She is well immersed into the local community, having lived there about 16 years. I went along to one of her pilates classes (instructions all in Italian), and we met lots of her English, American and Italian friends over coffees and a trip to a great bakery. We had the chance to go to a chestnut festa too in a nearby town. 

Meeting the baker

It's just as well that we got in lots of good physical work, as there was far too much delicious food!

Lizzie

Saturday 3 September 2016

Puglia - Workaway 5

Every time we start another Workaway I get a bit nervous. Will we like them? Will they like us? Can we find it! Will there be a double bed! Is the work hard? What will the food be like...

Along the way we have encountered a few little challenges like bug bites, vague work instructions, dodgy bedding, fierce dogs, and a couple of snakes. But we've always worked it out, done useful stuff, and had great experiences. (The gaps in between assignments help too, when we go back to stay with our daughter's beautiful family in Rome.)

Today is the last day of our latest Workaway, in Puglia. We have been based in a pretty country house,  near San Vito Dei Normanni, in the deep South of Italy. It's painted a traditional dark rose colour. 
Our job has been to help with the almond harvest


Me with Diana, on the roof terrace 
The hosts are friendly, generous and interesting. This is the first time in many years that they have done the almond harvest. Diana is a lawyer, she lives mostly in Bari, but loves coming back to this place where she played as a child. Her daughter Noemi speaks English, which is a great help. They have BnB rooms here; we've been staying in a nice room with our own bathroom.


Almond harvesting might be a bit like quidditch.  You whack around in the air with a long stick at the tree, dodging the falling almonds. Occasionally you catch one. Then you sit around together for hours and chat while you skin them and sort them.
Mario and Sergio tree whacking 
We have afternoons off and have explored Lecce, Alberobello, Ostuni and Polignano. Lots of good local knowledge hints and suggestions from the host family.
Alberobello

The home-cooked meals have been terrific, worthy of a whole separate blog post in fact! So we needn't have worried, it's all been a great success. After another spell in Rome we look forward to Workaway number 6.

Lizzie


Sunday 24 July 2016

Where's Ivy? Workaway 4, Sicily.

We must be the most disappointing New Zealanders ever! Our hosts, Lorenzo and Margherita, found a sheep on the road yesterday, which they brought to us at the country house to keep an eye on. It's sad looking; sort of droopy and brown, with a big fat tail. Given we come from NZ, which has 6 sheep per head, it's surprising that neither of us knows anything about looking after them.

Anyway, we have called her 'Ivy' and as we potter around the estate, picking peaches, doing a bit of sweeping or weeding, we keep asking each other -
"Where's Ivy?" as we hope she hasn't snuffed it, or wandered off too far, or been attacked by dogs.

Other than this slightly worrying responsibility, we are loving our time here. We are learning all about modern rural life, from the inside, and a lot about wine and olive oil production. Here's a pic of Mario with our hosts, and yes, that's Mount Etna in the background.


They (Tenuta Rustica) have just released their wine called 'Sparviero' - that's sparrow hawk in English. It's a moderate tannin, bright red, pure tasting wine made from the Nerello Mascalese grape. We feel very lucky to have dropped into their lives through this Workaway, to have tasted this wine, and lived briefly on the land that produced it.

Lizzie 

Sunday 19 June 2016

How to Look Better in Travel Pics

The trouble with travel is that it's hard work. Hot, sweaty, and sometimes grimy and grumpy. So when you need a pic, to show friends what you are up to, your image can be a bit disappointing. If your husband or partner took it, and then says:
"But that's what you look like!" it can cause some friction.

Here's my tips:

1. Hang out around images of plump people, so you look good by comparison. Here's a good one I found of Hercules and his mates at the Villa D'Este in Tivoli.

2. Look after your feet. If sore feet are making you miserable it shows on your face. Note my pre-emptive band aid in this case, before the blister, not after it...

3. Drink lots of water. Makes you look less haggard (especially if you are over 50!)

4. Add a bit of make-up ('slap' as my friend Margie calls it) and bling. It can make the same old shirt, or face, look better.

5. Don't always plonk yourself up close in the middle of the shot. Try a distance, off to the side. Friends might want to see the view (not you, again).


Lizzie







Friday 10 June 2016

Useful Travel Stuff - 5 things to take

We've been on the road for almost ten weeks now. Completed 3 Workaways (Australia, Italy and France). Stayed with family, driven long distances, ubered,  taxied, trained, bussed and walked a lot.


Not having too much luggage has been really good. Less to lose, and lug around. Technology can be a bit sporadic, we've had a few glitches with mobile, sim cards and WiFi etc.  But here's some practical and basic things I've appreciated having with me along the way:

1. Sneaky little cloth billfold. My friend Bridget made me this as a parting gift. It's small and can be tucked inside clothing. Quick to whip out, doesn't look like a wallet. Holds some notes and a few cards, and kept separate from any bags. Much less cumbersome than a money belt, and washable.



2. Really comfy and strong shoes. I've done miles in these Skechers and Hush Puppy sandals - good for work and play.


3. Mirror and tiny torch. Being able to see stuff, including your own face, is helpful! Light switches aren't always easy to find in the middle of the night.

4. Ear plugs. To dull the sounds of barking dogs, scratchy kids, or that horrible buzz from noisy bars or restaurants when you're trying g to get some rest.

5. Meds. I've had a few brushes with illness along the way, sore throat, hayfever, headache. I've compiled this mix of basic  pills all in one place. The disprin, eye drops, band aids and antihistamine have proved their worth already!



Overall it's been great so far, and these little things have made a difference. For me, they are essentials - I'd be interested to hear other people's hints too.

Lizzie
A

Monday 30 May 2016

Workaway 3: Parisot, France

Ryan Air wasn't so bad; Rome to Bordeaux. Our car company guy, Eric, was waiting for us on arrival, to show us the new Peugeot that we've leased for 5 months. It's going to be good having our own transport now, and going at our own pace. The 40 minute drive to our overnight BnB was easy, thanks to the GPS, and soon we were pottering around a nice little rural place as we chatted to the hosts, Frank and Brigitte.


Frank had built the best ever hen house, safe from foxes. Their hens must have good balance and a head for heights as they step across the narrow suspended bridge to nest. We slept soundly (beautiful linen), and drove off to the Tarn et Garonne region the next day.

Got to Parisot early afternoon and met our Workaway hosts for the next 10 days. We were so excited to see the chateau, where we have been happily planting flowers, weeding,  trimming wisteria and bamboo ever since. We are living in a comfortable separate house in the grounds. For this one, food is provided, and we cook our own meals. We work 8am to 1pm, 5 days per week.

This is one of the exciting things about Workaway. If you are prepared to take some risks, and to offer your time to people, you can get really lucky and find yourself in a pretty little village in France, making friends with interesting people and being part of the local life for a spell.

You can just see 'our chateau' with the turrets, 1501, in the soft dusk light. 
During the Revolution, as well as beheading people, turrets also got the chop. 
So over the last few years, the owners have had them completely restored. 

We've been exploring the area on our afternoons off. Went to a great little food and artisan market at Sant Antonin, and spent most of Saturday exploring the medieval village of Caylus. 

The only tricky things have been our incompetence at French, and the sporadic access to WiFi. 

C'est la vie.

Lizzie


Thursday 19 May 2016

Medicine Man, Italy style

I returned to Rome, after my country work yesterday with itchy eyes, a sore throat and a cough which has been lingering. Maybe lugging the heavy marble rocks, and the frequent weeding took its toll, in spite of the lovely food and fresh air activities. As we only have a few days before we fly to France, I decided to get medical advice.

In most hospitals in Italy tourists can go to the outpatients and see a doctor free of charge. I walked down to an Ospedale in Trastevere at 8am, and found where to go. A woman got me to fill in a half page of info, then told me where to sit down and wait. There were lots of different uniformed types standing around looking glamorous, texting or drinking tiny coffees.

A young, good-looking guy came in and dropped his bag off, then popped outside for a cigarette. He was having an animated conversation on his mobile. I'd decided he was the doctor, as the staff seemed to defer to him. I couldn't get what his phone call was about, but I hoped it was something like:

"We must act quickly and help this tourist, her condition is deteriorating!  Pull out all the stops, spare no expense, so we can get her back to good health!"
But I suspect it was something more like this:
"Yes, Mama, I got here okay. I did have breakfast - it was a coffee. No thanks I will be warm enough,  I wore my jacket. No, of course I'm not smoking..."

I only had to wait 30 minutes; not bad apparently, even though I was the only one waiting. The smoker/doctor looked at my throat, took my temperature, listened to my chest and refused to give me antibiotics. His English was as bad as my Italian. Didn't seem to want to look at my eyes or ears. Then he prescribed three things which I went and collected, for about 30 euro. Some sort of fizzy sachet drink, a weird tasting throat spray and some eye drops.

I got home about 9am, and my daughter was very surprised to see me back so soon. She'd thought it would take me hours. The only problem was trying to translate the complicated looking instructions in Italian on the packets.

Feeling better already.

Lizzie 

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Basilicata, Italy, Workaway 2

Our second Workaway has started, and we have settled into B&B Apricot:
http://www.apricotlucania.com

This region (Basilicata) is flanked on the north-east by Puglia, on the west by Campania, and on the south by Calabria. If you picture Italy as a boot, we are located on the instep, near the Ionian Sea.

In May, this area is warming up from its gentle winter. The earth is fertile in this valley and there are trees laden with ripening oranges and lemons. Our host Alessandra is clever, kind and interesting. She gives clear instructions and leaves us to get on with jobs like staining the outdoor furniture, trimming hedges, weeding, whitewashing and minor repairs. We are helping her get ready for the onslaught of summer visitors that come for the nice beach nearby  (Italian, mostly).

Our days are like this: we get up at 6.30am and make ourselves an orange juice. After breakfast, we start work at 8, making sure we are plastered in mozzie spray. It's beautiful here; surrounded by apricot orchards, old olive trees, gentle hills. There are dogs and cats playing around, and a big chicken coop in an old building with 3 hens and a rooster (that crows at 4.30 am!). At midday we pack up and go inside for lunch. Alessandra uses local ingredients, lots of vegetables. Every day there is something new to try, typical of this region. And fresh bread and red wine.
 
After a couple of hours rest we usually go for a walk, in order to work up an appetite for dinner, and to explore. Policoro is 5kms away, not very pretty, but there is a great museum on the way, and a good gelato shop.

This area has Greek connections. In about 400BC it was populated by Trojan refugees, then more Greek settlements were established in the south (including Paestum,  Naples and Bari). They were overrun by the Lucanians,  then the Roman culture sort of absorbed them. Basilicata was called Lucania until about 11 AD. Then I think it was named after a Byzantine emperor, called Basileus. Funny that, I thought it was something to do with the herb!

One of the best parts for me, each evening, is the conversations at dinner time. We practise our Italian, and hear stories about the family, the apricot business, local legends and history - and recipes, of course. Tonight we're having some sort of potato-based focaccia bread.

Lizzie

Wednesday 4 May 2016

Italy, again...

It's 20 years since I first visited Italy; our kids were 12, 9 and 6 years old.

My parents had emigrated from the South, to NZ, and we were keen to see what they'd chosen to leave behind, and how it had changed since their childhoods. It was fun discovering it with our own children, back in the nineties.

So, here we are again, many visits later, but planning to stay a lot longer this time. We are starting off with a quick visit to our daughter Maria's home in Rome. This will be our base between Workaway stints. My parents have passed away now, but our first two-week job is in the Basilicata region, where my Dad was born. I've been trying to brush up my Italian on Duolingo - got up to 45% so far. Now it's time for the immersion test.

With her husband Eugene, Maria runs a business called Creative English
They have 2 beautiful sons. This whole blog is really just an excuse for a proud nonno to put these photos up:

Ciao,
Lizzie's Bloke
(guest blogger)

Monday 25 April 2016

Survived our Aussie Workaway

Mario the handyman
Wow, that was a bit crazy and sort of rewarding. We got into the lives of a country-town Aussie family, and found out more about permaculture. Recycling everything can be kind of messy. And, turtles don't like it when you accidentally drop their worm food down the back of the tank. Out of reach. Luckily no creatures died on our watch. The enormous rottweiler/doberman type "puppy" allegedly just wanted to play with me. Like a cat plays with a mouse... He liked to rest his paws on my shoulders, while I wasn't scared.

I put together a little marketing plan for them, Bissys Cafe, and helped set up a venue centre and shop next to the main cafe room, for new and recycled goods. Lots of interesting stuff revolves around their family cafe business; they are establishing an eco retreat as well.
Bissys Emporium 

Wide streets, Autumn colours
Orange area (popn about 60,000) is a well heeled town, named after William of Orange, who got his name from Orange, in Provence, France. First there were the Wiradjuri land owners, then a convict settlement, then goldfields, (many still operating), now it's tourism. It's beautiful in Autumn, with the wide streets, substantial brick buildings and lots of food/wine businesses. A cross between Ashburton and Nelson, for the Kiwis out there. We made use of the good pool, library and gallery facilities and met some really friendly locals.


Overall, it was fun working together. Its a challenge mucking in and being helpful to strangers, understanding the rules, outside our comfort zones. We have a different perspective now about rural Australia, and how people make a living from this big empty (in the middle) sort of land. We still both hate the raucous cries of the Aussie birds!

Back to Sydney for a few days, then we have our next Workaway coming up in May, in Italy.

Lizzie



Tuesday 19 April 2016

Orange Segment, NSW: our 1st Workaway.

We got the bus, then the train, then a bus to Orange. It's a 6 hour trip inland. Felt a bit apprehensive, but it helped that the host, Fiona met us at the station. The job for the next 2 weeks is to help the family business with marketing and general maintenance.
We eat with the family each night, they have 8 children, but only 3 at home now.
Our accommodation is in a separate unit, and there's a couple of young women from France staying in the next bedroom for a few days, who have just been to NZ.
First day was interesting, traipsing round the 2 properties feeding the chooks, dogs, a gallah, rabbits, turtles, ducks and quails. We gathered some eggs and checked out the busy cafe. We work from about 8am to 1pm each day, then we go exploring. More about the town next time. All this fresh air and exercise is exhausting! 😴

Lizzie

Monday 11 April 2016

Sydney Snuggles



I love a drizzly day in Sydney, perfect for reconnecting with family and our 4 year old grandchildren in particular. The twins.

And we need to chill and readjust with all the changes. Sold the car, left the jobs, rented out the apartment etc.

We enjoyed some great farewells with friends before we left. By the time we got on the plane we were knackered from too many big nights out.

So, back to the twins. Adorable chatterboxes; they love stories - both telling them, and listening to them. Mars has a ukulele,  which he strums while he talks. And talks... I let him help me choose the special effects for these photos.

Lizzie 

Friday 8 April 2016

Leaving Home, New Zealand

We returned to our home in Nelson for a few days to check things before we go overseas. Our tenants for the last 6 months left things very clean and tidy, so we got stuck into the garden and cut back some of the bigger trees that had a growth spurt over the Summer.

I arranged a couple of visitors for the period we are away, using LoveHomeSwap. We really do love this home swap thing; some nice couples and families have stayed at our place, in return for free stays of our own in Oz and Spain.  

Some friends stopped by for a catch up, and as we gazed out at the big sky view across the bay, we reassured ourselves that it will all still be here to enjoy when we return. 


We feasted on figs, and crumpets drizzled with local manuka honey tonight, then polished off the last of the gin, with tonic, and juice from our lemon tree.

Feel ready to launch now. After all, leaving home for an adventure or two only makes you appreciate it more...

Lizzie 

Wednesday 30 March 2016

10 Steps to Workaway

Friends have been asking how we got started. It took a bit of time and research. Workaway seemed to offer thousands of hosts, and different jobs and categories. Here's the first 10 steps we've taken...

1. Join the website. Even if you never actually travel, it can serve as a sort of 'travel porn',  where you can fantasize about lots of different countries and work experiences. It costs  $US29  to join as a single and $US38 to join as a couple: https://www.workaway.info

2. Leave your job. Why work for money when you can work in exchange for things like places to stay and things to eat? Travel can be soulless and expensive when you are just hanging out on the edges, observing other people's lives and cultures. This way you can wade in and be a part of something.

3. Write a profile. Honest and interesting, saying what you can do with some recent images of yourself looking useful. For example, painting a fence, playing your flute, pruning trees, or taking part in a meeting.

4. Start checking out possible 'hosts'. Bear the distances between jobs in mind, and the logistics of travel between them. You don't want to waste time and money zigzagging backwards and forwards between Spain and Italy, for instance.

5. Read their reviews and comments. If every second guest comments on the remote location and hard work, avoid. If a host comments about too many people leaving after only a few days, don't go there.

6. Check the timing. The site listings show which months help is needed. Also, check out what the accommodation is - it can range from a separate chalet, to a caravan, to a room in a family home, or the west wing of a castle!

7. Write your prospects a short friendly message offering your help and saying what might be relevant to their situation. If it's an animal refuge, don't bother saying you are a raging carnivore and have a fear of dogs! Just offer 1-2 weeks; if it works out well, you might be asked to stay on.

8. Sit back for a month or two and wait for the offers to come in. We sent 30 messages, and got about 20 replies, and inquiries from people who just saw our listing. It takes time to get the dates confirmed. We have nailed 7 bookings over 6 months, and we have another 7 on the reserve list, in case we have a cancellation. 

9. Choose some good sensible work clothing if you are going for physical work. The majority seem to need gardening. I want to look like I've come to help, not like a tourist.

10. Start on some prep. We are going to be at an organic orchard business, so I'm reading up about biodiversity. We are making an effort to get fitter too, running round the local park. Most of the hosts ask for about 25 hours labour per week. I want some energy left, after the olive or grape harvests, to go out and explore. 

Lizzie 

Thursday 24 March 2016

Capturing the Cuzzies

It just so happens that I've been to a few family gatherings lately. I've kind of 'rediscovered' cousins that I haven't seen for years, and met a few I'd forgotten about completely. Coming back from one such event I tried, with mixed success, to list them all from A to Z, and to remember which aunt or uncle they relate to.

This exercise has prompted some interesting conversations. I've trawled early childhood memories and tried to remember who the hell was in the room when we did those Sunday visits.

Naomi (one of my cousins) got me into Geni - one of those online family tree things, it has helped a lot, and it's free: 
https://www.geni.com

The oldest generation in our families has now passed on, and I've just realised that we are now the oldest generation. We are the ones who are supposed to know these things - stuff about who we are, where we came from, and how we all connect. It's a big responsibility, perhaps stronger in some cultures than others (Maori, Italian)? 

It probably only dawns on people like me to make more of an effort once they are over fifty.

Lizzie

Saturday 19 March 2016

Ginger Biscuits Recipe

So, I'm using up all the stuff in the cupboards before we leave. Today I made up some easy, spicy, soft ginger biscuits.

My sister was visiting, so I thought I'd make something to tempt her, with a nod to healthy eating. They've got flax seeds in them.

Here's the recipe:

Rummage round in the back of the cupboards and find 4 teaspoons of spices like ginger and cinnamon, mix them with 2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of seeds.

Beat up one egg then add half a cup of either melted butter or oil, and half a cup of sugar. And some of that left over yoghurt you might find in the fridge, and some milk or water. The mixture should be not too runny, more like a cake than a batter.

Mix and bake in big spoonfuls in 180 degrees oven about ten minutes.

Lizzie

Monday 14 March 2016

From Suits to Boots

It's going to be an interesting transition. I spent Saturday afternoon trying out work/hiking boots for size and comfort. It was nice to do something real, and to think more about the changes ahead.

For the past 4 years I've donned a business suit and gone to work in an office - a very pleasant office, with views across Wellington harbour. Board papers, spreadsheets, policies and regulations have paid my bills.

But now, it's all going to be different. I'm trading my physical labour, and a bit of advice here and there, for accommodation and meals. I'm stepping into other people's lives and businesses, to offer my help. They are very interesting lives, in great places - Orange in Oz, Touzac in France, and Policoro in Southern Italy.

I'm going from indoors to outdoors, from cerebral to practical, from suits to boots...

Lizzie's Bloke (guest blogger)

Thursday 10 March 2016

Carrying On

We are in the planning stages of another world adventure.

It will include 6 months of Workaway jobs in Oz, France and Italy, a LoveHomeSwap or two, plus the essential 'F' things: family, food and friends.

But first, it's all about the packing, and in our case, what not to take. We are doing the carry-on thing again, so liberating. And let's face it, you just don't need a whole lot of stuff to lug around! Mascara, heavy shoes, books and pyjamas are unnecessary items. These bags weigh less than 1 kilo, leaving 6 kilos each for our essential things.

Lizzie