bikes and burns

The weather is warming up now as we move into summer so we took it upon ourselves to dust off the push bikes and go for a pedal today. I have a great aversion to cycling up hill so we headed out to Papamoa mainly because it is the coast road which is very flat but also because there are lots of coffee stops on the way. The road really is the road to nowhere, just one long stretch of tarmac ending at a farm gate with a sign telling you to turn round and go back the way you came.
We started from the Mount and cycled past the dunes which are particularly pretty at this time of year with the dune flowers out in bloom. After what must have been at least 2 hours but turned out to be 20 minutes we stopped at Fashion Island for our first caffeine intake.
Million dollar houses sit on both sides of the road, some almost on the beach. Some of these houses are very strange looking, individually designed by private architects with windows in odd places to ensure a view or peep of the sea even if this means towers on top of 3 storeys. New Zealanders will go to great lengths to ensure a house by the beach even if this means living in a house built in someones back yard.
Heading on to Papamoa East houses become smaller with much more space between neighbours. Its a very peaceful and relaxed almost sleepy district.
We eventually reached the ominous farm gate and turned round to head back for lunch at a roadside cafe then of course back to Fashion Island for another coffee.
Our legs and butts were aching by now so we had a rest on the beach and watched a couple of fishermen using one of those remote controlled fishing lines (seems a bit of a cheat to me) then cycled back home.
The air temperature was very pleasant all day and we didn't get over heated but we had become victims of the fierce sun. After the 30km round trip we both did excellent impressions of red and white pandas. Fortunately after a couple of pints of Murphy's Red we were convinced we looked sort of 'rugged' and 'out doorsy'.

house sitting?

Moving permanently to another country is a big step, we all know that. For a lot of people who consider the move; the upheaval, hassle and leaving behind the comfort zone is just too much and never actually take the step. But perhaps that could be something they might regret later on in life.
The only way to know what it is like to live in another country is to actually do it. But how do you know if you will like the area you have chosen without committing to either buying or renting a house or apartment? No matter how many hours you spend looking at places on the Internet it just isn't the same as living there.
Renting is pretty easy in New Zealand and a good option before deciding where you would like to live. Lots of nice rental accommodation is available both furnished and unfurnished, long term and short term. But have you ever considered house sitting? This is something I hadn't really heard of before we lived in New Zealand but it is very popular here. You live in someone else's house while they are away, keeping the place clean and tidy, doing a few light jobs such as mowing the lawns and usually looking after the family pets. It doesn't cost you anything except your utility bill usage and can be for anything from a week to 6 months or more.
Our friends Norman and Linda have house sat a few of times here and has been a great success for them. One place they looked after for a couple of weeks was up in the hills just out of town in a lovely house set in pretty gardens with spectacular views all round. They had to look after the dog and cat and feed the chickens. Norman kept the lawns nice and they had fresh eggs for breakfast everyday. How hard is that? What they gained from the experience was that, although it was nice to live in a quiet rural area they wouldn't want to do it permanently. Valuable experience for them. A bit like try before you buy.
I decided to investigate this further and discovered that house sitting is available all over the world.
It could be the perfect option for 'living' in an area in a non-committal way before taking the permanent plunge.
The house Norman and Linda house sat had a horse paddock
Beautiful views from the deck


Georgia getting a lesson on chook keeping from Norman

Below - looking after Rosie the dog was part of the house sit deal. She was lovely!