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

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

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

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)

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