Christchurch - New Zealand

When we arrived in Christchurch we were greeted by Charlotte our next house sit who was very kind and friendly on first meet. The airport was smaller than I thought but modern. When we arrived at their house we had a lovely meal prepared for us and a very excited dog Denver.

After the 2011 earthquake which shook Christchurch it was left with widespread damage and weakened infrastructure on  a lot of the buildings. Most of the are not repaired buildings throughout Christchurch are held up with shipping crates, which was a shock to me at how much repair still needed to be done. After speaking to Charlotte and Pete who were part of the rebuild projects, we found out that there was controversy over whether to pull the buildings down and rebuild or to try and preserve the buildings architecture. Looking at how much still needed to be done and the safety of the buildings I would say pull them down and start again.

When we took Denver for walks we went up to Victoria Park via Dyers Pass which over looked Christchurch. The views were amazing from up here very hilly green grass, a wooded area and a large open dog park. There are also bike paths to take but you have to very adventurous as these are steep and hilly.







The City Center was about 30 mins walk from the house and the area was very industrialised, lots of old shipping containers, warehouses and of course fast food restaurants. They city centre itself was nice, the smallest city I've been to I think but lots of things to look at. A tram line through the centre of a small mall and colourful buildings. The earthquake damaged the shopping area and mall so they have used shipping containers as temporary shops, these are more boutique shops but there are malls about 15 minute drive from the centre.

Attractions in and around Christchurch.

• Waimak Horse Trek: I have ridden horses for most of my life but Lee has not so I wanted to organsie a trek and this company sounded great with lake treks but unfortunately most horse treks have weight limits of 110kg and when your 6 foot 2 its hard to find a horse big enough for you. Most of the horses at this company are 15 hands or smaller. The price I felt was reasonable at $60 New Zealand Dollars (today's exchange rate £28) for 1 hour.

• Cave stream: This reserve is a 362 meter long pitch black cave which ends in a deep pool and waterfall and  which has 2 different entrances to walk along. You do need to check the weather before going as the water levels rise within the cave but it is free and lovely for picnic and walking at any level.

• Christchurch Tram: The tram takes you around the city and shows you the history of Christchurch. There are different price options to choose from, just the tour of the city, botanic gardens tour or even an evening meal tour.

• Hanmer Springs:  These are natural thermal pools with water jets, rock pools and waterfalls. It is about 90 minutes from Christchurch and cost $22 (today's exchange rate £10.40) but you can upgrade to a  private thermal pool for $40  (today's exchange rate £19) each. I would recommend looking this place up before you go as when I read reviews it didn't sound very good, was more like a water park and the a lot of the reviews now say the pools smell of chlorine and not natural. After reading the reviews we decided not to go as wasn't worth the drive there to be disappointed. 

 

• Akaroa french town: This is a 2 hour drive from Christchurch and most definitely worth the trip. When your driving up and up the hills nothing prepares you for the views from the top over looking the town with crystal blue waters. The town itself is small but easy to walk around and plenty of lovely places to stop and eat. We went on a hot day and sat in the park and people watched, very relaxing. 

• Adrenalin Forest: Among natural surroundings you will find 6 different levels of tree top challenges and 3 hours to complete the course, although I don't think you will manage it unless you do adrenalin courses everyday. We managed 4 levels but the higher you get the harder it is. You definitely have to have some fitness before attempting this. the 3 hours you there costs $42  (today's exchange rate £20) each. A very fun, tiring day.  

• Mini golf: Within the city there are 2 mini golf courses,Monsters & Zombies and Pirates Island although I think the Pirates Island is closing down. The monsters and zombies mini golf cost $13  (today's exchange rate £6.15) each one round indoor and outdoor.

 

 

• Waimairi Beach: A dog friendly beach to the east of Christchurch. Lovely white sand and the best bit is... it isn't over crowded even on school holidays.

 

• Botanic Gardens - In the centre of Christchurch there are lovely gardens to take a picnic and relax under the trees. Plenty to see whether your interested in gardens or not.

Our stay in Christchurch was great and the house sitting made it so much better. Sad to say goodbye but there are more exciting things ahead. Join me next time in North land New Zealand - Opononi.

Melbourne - Australia

After spending 7 weeks in the beautiful city of Hobart it was hard to leave but our adventure had not finished yet so we continued on to Melbourne arriving on the 1st Jan flying with JetStar from Hobart which cost us $305 (today's exchange rate £158 for 2 people and 25kg baggage) and took just under 1 hour. We stayed in the suburbs of Melbourne at a place called Glen Waverley where our 5th house sit began.

The house was situated right next to a national park and in high season for bush fires was a little concerning but the there were plenty of walks for the dogs and my main worry was SNAKES! Lisa, the owner of the home gave us the low down on snakes and to keep eyes on the ground at ALL times. I was thankful for the advice because we saw..... 0 snakes. lol.

We were shown round the home and introduced to the animals which were:

A horse called Missy, she was a ex breed mare never been ridden, a donkey called Dobby who was a little shy at first but very inquisitive.




 

2 miniature goats Daisy the white one who was shy but loved to be stroked and Bonnie the brown one, she loves all the attention and cry's out to you when she first sees you or when your walking away. These were a character and always made you laugh, they always found something to cause trouble with, i understand why baby goats are called kids because it was like having 2 kids, you couldn't take your eyes off them.

 



Then there were 4 chickens which we got 3 or 4  fresh eggs from each day and Molly the spoodle (springer and poodle) dog who has to be the cutest little doggy, very well behaved, hardly made a sound and always loving. On the second week of our stay we looked after a family members dog called Oscar. He too was a spoodle a white one but he was very timid and hated loud noises. Sometime naughty when you wanted him to come in he would just look at you through the window and then run off.

While at our house sit we went to the nearby shopping malls, both of which were the same just one was slightly bigger. We looked at Village cinema and Hoyts cinema here but decided against it when we saw it was $21 (today's exchange rate £10.29) for one movie. To us that is expensive as we were paying $12 (today's exchange rate £5.88) in Queensland.

We also went into Melbourne for the day on the train. We had to purchase a MyKi card to use the train but this and our fare for the day only cost $14 (today's exchange rate £6.86) for an hour journey there and back which we thought was good value.

Melbourne Attractions:

• Eureka Tower: This can be seen anywhere in Melbourne city with its 'gold crown'. It has  365 degree views across Melbourne and cost $19.95 each (today's exchange rate £9.77) but you did have to pay extra for the 'Edge' experience $12 (today's exchange rate £6.24) which is not worth the extra money as there is a small section which is outside the building you can go on without paying extra and this was good enough. Within the tower there is dining and The Walk Experience, which is a green screen set which gives you the illusion your walking a tightrope suspended high above the city, this is an additional $15 (today's exchange rate £7.80) .

• The Royal Botanic Gardens: I'm starting to think every city in Australia has Botanic gardens and yes they are very pretty and lovely to walk round but once you've seen one you've seen them all.

 

• St. Patrick's Cathedral: You can not miss this Cathedral and is in the heart of the city. Its architecture is amazing and so detailed, you can look at it for hours. I think this is what makes Melbourne different from the other cities in Australia are the buildings and architecture it has. Not all the buildings are the same. 

 

  

•  Walking Tours: (We just walked on our own as it is a very easy city to walk, one main street and all side streets are parallel.) We walked from Flinders Station straight up to the State Library and then went down side streets on the way back to the station. I guess a girl from the country doesn't see the attraction of a crowded city, we much prefer shopping online. But like i said it to us is the nicest city in Australia as it was so clean and had history. Also what were liked was there were WIFI spots around the city that you could us so you wouldn't get lost.

• Museums: Like every city there are museums and lots of them depending on your interests, from City Gallery which is an Art Museum to the Australian Center of the Moving Image and many more.

• Puffing Billy Steam Train: This was not in Melbourne City, it can be found in the suburbs but an honest opinion is don't go looking for it. The tour cost $51.50 each (today's exchange rate £25.24) and was a total waste of money so my advice is DON'T DO IT!! We traveled from Belgrave to Lakeside and the views from the train were obscured by trees on one side and the other was of run down homes. There was no commentary on the train telling you about its history so the journey was silent. The train stopped at 2 places to let people off and all that was there was a small tuck shop which sold 2 preheated pies and sweets. Moving on to Lakeside we thought it would be a village to look round and a nice pub to eat in, boy were we mistaken. All that was there was a tearoom which sold only preheated pies and crisps, a small souvenior shop, and a cafe which was more like a truck stop cafe with dried sandwiches in. There was a lake secluded behind trees but we were only given 20 mins to look round, not enough time to walk the lake and get back. Even though we arrived back on the train  after our 20 minutes were up we sat for another 40 mins not moving because there was a problem. The advert says leave up to 3 hours for the whole journey but it took us near 4. When we got back we asked for a refund we felt it was that back. 

• St Kilda Beach: There are many activities to do at St Kilda beach which is only 6km from the city. If your interests are bike riding or roller blades, kite boarding, sky diving, fishing or just swimming in the ocean all this can be found at St Kilda. There are many events and festivals held in this area, but unfortunately for us it wasn't the season for it but if your there in May keep a look out. 

After our 2 weeks were up we booked plane tickets to Christchurch, New Zealand for the 19th Jan with Jetstar and cost us $485 for both. (today's exchange rate £237) to start our 6th house sit. Join me next time in our adventure around Christchurch.

Hobart - Tasmania

From Sydney we flew into Phuket and once again stayed in Patong. We stayed in a similar area as before and the hotel was quiet. This time round we didn't do many `tourist` things it was more of a beach/pool holiday but if you'd like to know more about different areas please read my sisters blog on Karon beach, Kata beach and Phuket Old Town. stylespeakslouder.com

While in Phuket we secured our 4th house sit through trusted house sitters and we flew from Phuket to Melbourne then to Hobart with Air Asia and Tiger Air and cost us 17,880 THB (today's exchange rate £352.07 for 2 people) but took near 24 hours to get there.

When we arrived in Hobart airport we were greeted by Gill and taken to her home which over looked Hobart city. Their home was on top of a hill in Tranmere and had beautiful views across the Derwent River. Their home was only 4 years old and after a freshen up from our flight they showed us round the area. We didn't have a car to use at this house sit so we relied on push bikes but we loved the bike ride out to the shops every 3 days along the water front. It was very peaceful and picturesque. The closest shops to us were Shoreline and took 40 minutes there and back on the bikes,  but there was a bigger shopping mall at Bellerive which took an hour there and back.

We cycled over to Hobart a few times which nearly killed me as it is very hilly in Hobart  and the bridge is only narrow but once we made it, it was so lovely to bike around the city. Its only small but lovely along the water front and the city its self is quiet. There is a main shopping area called Elizabeth street which is all cobbled and has malls coming off it. There is great architecture in Hobart and lots of things to look at. They have a huge market every Saturday morning called Salamanca Markets which is a street market and selling everything you can think of. We went to cinema at Bellerive and in Hobart city, we went on a Tuesday as its cheap Tuesdays and only cost $12 (today's exchange rate £5.88) instead of $18 (today's exchange rate £8.82) on other days.

We wanted to go to the Cadbury factory while we were there and I looked at the Hop on Hop off bus for $70 (today's exchange rate £34.30) but then realised it was only $4 (today's exchange rate £1.96) to get into the factory so we decided to look at public transport but that was going to work out the same price and take near 2 hours to get there so we decided to hire a car instead. We hired one from Bargain car rentals and just went for the cheapest one, which was cheap and felt like it was going to fall apart around us. One thing they didn't mention when I booked it over the phone was you have to pay a $1000 (today's exchange rate £490.05) deposit which they hold for 1 week in case you steal the car or damage it, which for us a $1000 is a lot of money not to have so be aware of this.

So we got in our hire car and went to find Cadbury world which turns out is only 10 minutes away. (god knows where the bus must have taken you?!) Anyway Cadbury world visitor centre was actually closing down on the Friday before Christmas and now we know why. It was just basically a shop selling cheap chocolate and a lady talking about the factory with a slide show, there was no tour of the factory or demonstrations on how it was made.




After Cadbury world we went up Mount Wellington, bit of a nail biting drive up there in our small car but we made it and the views were amazing. It was a little cloudy but we liked this as it was cool. We walked round the walk ways and took some pictures and had sandwiches while we looked across Hobart.

On our way back we to stopped at the oldest Brewery in Australia, we did want to do the tour but had just missed it by 10 minutes and there was another hour and a half wait for the next one, so if we go back to Hobart we'd definitely try to go there.






So we went off for lunch and I had seen this Burger place advertised on the TV all week so wanted to try that out in Sandy Bay. It was called Burger Got Soul and although the burger was tasty it was disappointing because the meat patty was frozen and not homemade. If all you sell is burgers I would have expected homemade burgers.

After this we took the car back to the rental shop. I thought things were a lot further apart in Hobart so had hired from 9am until 6pm but we finished up  by 3pm.

We didn't fancy the 5 hour drive there and back to Port Arthur so we never went and we are not really into nature reserves so we never went to Cradle Mountain but Gill said she enjoyed it so maybe if its your cup of tea you would too.

We spent 7 weeks in Hobart all together going out on our bikes most days and we loved it. We had Christmas there, which was a little strange having it in 33 degree heat and no decorations, even the neighbours didn't have decorations up in the windows and it was so quiet. We also celebrated the New Year with Gill and Harry watching the fireworks over the Derwent River.


This really was one of our favourite places we've been so far.

Sydney - Australia

Welcome to Sydney.

This was to be our third house sit, which was situated on the suburbs or Sydney, Picnic Point. From the International arrivals we got our bags and headed for the T2 Airport line to East Hills. (When booking your tickets ask when the next train will be as we waited 30 minutes to find we had to get 2 different trains as the direct train was going to be another 60 minutes). The trains are really easy to navigate and cost only $4.20 (today's exchange rate £2.50). Some of the trains are double
decker's which I have never seen before so the kid within me had to sit on the top deck. It took around an hour to get to East Hills traveling through suburban Sydney which like anywhere is a little run down and lots of graffiti.

Upon arrival we were greeted by the home owner and taken for a quick tour of the area, everything you needed with a 10 minute drive. The house was private and overlooked Georges river, but the best part of house sitting are of course the pets and we had a very playful, lovely nature doberman to look after called EJ. Contrary to peoples beliefs this doberman was the sweetest scaredy cat you could meet. Never left our side and had constant affection to give, and don't forget receive. We only had 6 days with him but I think it was safe to say he was taken by us as we were with him.




The area of Picnic Point is lovely to walk around especially along the George River. Being this far from the city there wasn't many attractions so we hoped back on the train and headed to the city. Again the trains are very easy to understand and the journey took about an hour and cost $10.80 each return. (today's exchange rate £6). The main station to get off is Circular Quay as this stops in the middle of the Harbour Bridge and The Opera House. The city is very walk friendly and takes about 30 minutes to walk from the main shopping street (Pitt Lane) to Darling Harbour or to the Opera House.

Attractions in Sydney:

• The world Famous - Sydney Harbour Bridge - The worlds largest steel arch bridge began construction in 1924 and took 8 years to complete. The Tyne Bridge in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England is a smaller version to the Sydney bridge, and this is where 79% of steel work came from. On this trip to Sydney we never went up the bridge, we walked along the path on the same level of as the cars. There are sign post everywhere directing you to the walk way which takes you to the northern suburbs of Sydney. There wasn't many people up here and great views of the Opera House and to the sea mouth. If you were interested in the Bridge Climb it is good fun and nerve racking as there are lots of steps, narrow metal ladders and you climb between the lanes of traffic. You are harnessed in and have a guide with you telling the history of the bridge. The climb costs $228 weeks day (today's exchange rate £125 each) and takes 3.5 hours. The only downside to the climb is you can not take a camera up with you so you cant capture the views from the top, which is why I think walking the path at a lower level is a better choice because you can take as many pictures as you wish and the views are still great. 

• Another world famous - The Opera House - It has earned its reputation as a world class performing arts centre and holds all kind of events throughout the year. There are lots of different tours offered, from looking around inside, eating at the restaurant or going backstage but the beauty is the outside and its free. Have your picture taken on the steps of the Opera House or walk around the building.

• Royal Botanic Gardens - Access can be found just past the Opera House and free guided tours run everyday 10.30am and 1pm. You can just walk the gardens yourself for free too.  

 

• Darling Harbour - A lovely harbour with lots of street entertainment, not far from the Harbour Bridge. Every type of restaurant can be found along the harbor so never short on choices and you can also find the Sea Life centre here.

• Bondi Beach - The beach is on the eastern suburbs of Sydney and has become world famous. I was actually surprised how small the beach was, I mean its big but because you hear about it all the time i was expecting a massive beach. There are nice places to eat along the sea front, but it does get very busy at the beach so if your not a strong swimmer stick to the shallows and always swim between the flags.

• The Rocks - Lots to see and do around here from looking at the shops all ranging in price to finding a bargain on the markets. Take a look round the museum or relax in one of the bars on the cobbled streets.

• Taronga Zoo - Located in the northern suburbs this zoo was opened in 1916. It houses every animal you can think of in a zoo and entry costs $46 (today's exchange rate £25). You can get a ferry across to the zoo from outside Circular Quay train station.

• Sydney Tower - The tower can bee seen anywhere in the city and boasts a 365 degree revolving restaurant at the top. I went up the tower in 2007 and was disappointed because all the windows were dirty, and if the only thing your offering is the view you want a clear look at it. For the more adventurous travelers you can walk the sky-walk and observation deck for $70 (today's exchange rate £40)

• Ferries - There are numerous ferries found at Circular Quay train station depending what you want to do and bookings can be made direct with the company.

After our 6 days were up we booked flights back to Phuket to keep within the rules of our visa. We went all the way back to Phuket because it was cheap and we hadn't planned our next move as yet.

So join me next time when we are back in Patong - Phuket.

Brisbane - Australia

From Kuala Lumpur we looking into ways of flying to Brisbane Australia and it was more expensive to fly direct (around £300 with a stop in Singapore, total trip 13 hours) so instead we booked seperate flights, the first one was to Sydney and we booked our tickets online via Air Asia which was very quick and easy to do. The flight cost about £100 direct 8hours and then we booked another flight through Tigerair from Sydney to Brisbane and this cost about £37 direct 1 hour. These prices do not include baggage but even with the cost of this for 2 seperate flights it was still a lot cheaper than one long flight.
I do search for flights using the Sky Scanner app to see which airlines are the cheapest and to work out times and once I have done this i find it cheaper to book direct with the airline.

Visa: As we are a British Citizen we can get a free 12 month visa for Australia (non-working) but the conditions are you have to leave the country every 3 months. There is no specific time limit in which you have to leave but i would suggest leaving for longer than a day.

On arriving in Brisbane we were picked up by my Auntie and Uncle whom we stayed with in Redcliffe, a half hour drive north from Brisbane. It is a quiet place not a lot to do but does have good bus services and you can easily catch the train from Sandgate into Brisbane city.

Attractions in Brisbane:

 

• Brisbane South Bank - This is a man made lagoon which anyone can use and has slides for the children. In May when we were there it was getting into their winter so the water was a bit cold. They have a lovely botanic garden which surrounds the lagoon which you can follow and walk all the way along the river bank.

• Wheel of Brisbane - As you can guess the wheel is the same in most cities, revolving pods which your in to experience different views of the city. Adults cost $17.10 each (today's exchange rate £9)

 

• Mount Coot-tha -Here you will have panoramic views of Brisbane city skyline from the observation deck. On clear days you can see right out to Moreton Bay and at night the city will light up the sky. There is a cafe and restaurant at the top so you can enjoy coffee, cake and the views.

• Queen Street Mall - You will find all the shops you want along this open aired mall. There are many side streets full of shops which sprout off the main street. 

 

• River Cruises - There are many different cruises to view Brisbane from different angles and there can all be found on the river banks around Brisbane. The prices vary depending on what the cruise offers so check out the local tourist information center for more info. 

 

• Eat Street Markets - These are open every Friday and Saturday night and Sunday through winter and offer a wide range of food from Indian, Chinese, Pizza, Burgers, Kebabs, Donuts, Cupcakes, Fudge etc. There is live music and entertainment offered with a small entry fee of $2. It can be found next to the ferry port (Hamilton Wharf) and definitely worth a trip.

Attractions in Redcliffe:

• Whale watching - Brisbane whale watching is the main company in  Redcliffe to offer whale watching. (This company can also be found at The Gold Coast). You board the boat at 9:30am and returns 2:30pm. The boat doesn't travel far out to see, just past Moreton Bay and although the sea looks calm at the jetty it is not out at sea. We paid $135 (today's exchange rate £72 each), we chose the deal with the buffet lunch, DO NOT get this. It really wasn't worth the extra money, mostly salad with a bit of chicken, but most of all you probably wont want to eat anything as it is very choppy. We have never been see sick but this company turn their engines off while around the whales so you go which ever way the sea goes and with huge whales splashing around it can go up/down, side to side. I think at least 70% of the people on board were sick. Saying that we did see about 7 humpback whales, 3 dolphins and a hammer head shark which was very lucky. There was live commentary all the time so if something was happening at one side of the boat you would know.

 

• Jump the beach - Sky diving can be done all over Australia (and the world) so I'm not going to say Queensland is the best place to do it, you have to pick the place you want to see from up above while you fall out the sky......with a parachute of course.

The main attractions in Queensland:

•  Australia Zoo - Of course everyone knows about Australia Zoo and if you don't where have you been?? The famous Steve Irwin and his family own the zoo which is filled with any animal you can think of. It spans over a huge area so allow yourself a full day to explore and see the animals. They have many different shows on from Crocodile shows, bird show, snake shows to Koala shows. They offer zoo tours kind of like a jeep safari, you can have your pictures taken holding or touching some of the animals, but I think the best part of this zoo is the open Kangaroo enclosure which you walk through and can feed and stroke the kangaroos. The Koala's are also in the open so when you walk through there area you can stroke them and have your picture taken with them. It allows you to get close to animal you would not usually see.

• Movie World - Found on the Gold Coast and basically a movie themed theme park. They have 4D experiences as well as a variety of thrill rides. It isn't the biggest theme park I've been too but offers the same things.

• Sea World - I think everyone knows what to expect from a sea world, they offer different animals shows, swimming with dolphins, trainer for the day and touching of sting rays/turtles etc. They also offer a helicopter ride over the Gold Coast but I personally think this is very over priced.

• Wet'n'Wild - Everyone's favourite holiday activity the water park. Again isn't not the biggest I've been too but offers different level of slides, a large swimming pool with the wave machine and heated pools. They have a selection of places to eat, all fast food of course so you might want to take a picnic and sit on the grassed areas.

With movie world, sea world and wet'n'wild we purchased a combination pass which gives you access to all three parks and valid for 3 months. it cost $99 (today's exchange rate £53) which is so much cheaper than buying the passes individually. Each park cost $79 each (today's exchange rate £42)

• Dream World - A combination of theme park rides, dream works, and a zoo. We did not go to this as it was not included in the pass we bought but is in the same area as movie world. Tickets cost $85 each (today's exchange rate £46) but they do offer 21 day and annual passes. 

 

• Fraser Island - The worlds largest sand island which is just off the coast of Hervey Bay. There is lots to do on the island whether your there for a day or stay at the hotel, depending on what you like there is something for everyone.

 

• Great Barrier Reef - The great barrier reef stretches from the top of Queensland (Cairns) right down past Brisbane. The main attraction here is snorkeling. We never did this as I am scared of the sea and don't fancy being eaten by sharks which do swim in the shallow waters no matter what they tell you.

There are so many attractions to do in Queensland these are just a few of them. The best thing to do is visit the tourist information center in the area your in to find out what they offer.

While in Redcliffe we accepted our first house sit, YAY!! I spoke about this in my first blog but for those of you who have forgotten or just didn't read it I shall explain again:

Trustedhousesitters.com is a website where people advertise their house and or pets to be looked after while they take their own adventure. As a person looking for a house sit we search the location we are in (currently New Zealand) and any house-sit we find interesting or in the place we want to go to, and we apply to the home owner with a simple email telling them who we are and what we have previously done. With each house-sit you do you are given references and the more your profile builds the better and bigger chance of securing a house sit. What to do? You subscribe to the site for as little at £6.60 per month or £79.20 for a year and create a profile about yourself and who ever your travelling with. Make it an honest profile and let people know who you are, likes/dislikes, job etc. Add pictures, a friendly face can go along way and you can add videos of yourself if you wish, we haven't because I'm rubbish in front of a camera. We have so far done 4 house-sits currently on our 5th and it has been amazing. We have met some great people and made friends for life and looked after some great cuddly animals along the way. We will never stay in hotels again with this website available i can not stress enough how great it is. If you do decided to join this site before your travels please let them know who recommended you as we both might get some discounts. Our name is Travelers2015.
For us this has been the best decision we made on our trip, not only has it saved us money but given us more opportunities to see things and experience living in a new place. Also as animal lovers we were missing our pets back home so its nice to have that company back again. Not all house sits have animals so don't think you will be tied down to a place, its up to you which sits you apply for and accept.

So at our first house sit we looked after 3 lovely King Charles dogs in the first week then only 1 in weeks 2 and 3. She was very easy to care for and the home we stayed in was also lovely and offered us the space a hotel could not. (after spending 8 months together 24/7 its nice to have another room to escape too) lol. Although we didn't have a car at this sit the public transport was close by. Not only did we save money on hotels but it allowed us to cook our own food and save money on eating out, because to be honest in Redcliffe there isn't many nice places to eat unless you like your meat and veg or pub grub. I can however recommend a great little cafe called 'Over There Cafe' next to the Dolphins Oval sports club and it has fresh homemade products that are packed with flavour so support local businesses and head over there!!!!

After our 3 weeks in Redcliffe we secured another house sit for 5 weeks in Sandgate which was about 20 minutes from Redcliffe where you can catch the training to Brisbane. Here we looked after 2 golden Labradors which had been rescued by the home owners. They were very quiet dogs who loved attention but also like to be outside on their own. The house had pool and in the hotter days the dogs liked to join us for a swim. There were great places to walk in the area and although the beach wasn't great to sunbath on it was great for walking the dogs. (Australia doesn't like dogs on the beaches so it great when you find somewhere you can take them on). The dogs and us lovely splashing in the sea and running along the beach. The home was a traditional Queensland cottage, small but very cute and cosy inside and we really appreciated having the opportunity to stay. The home owners themselves were very welcoming and offered us to stay longer or if we were back in the area to visit them.

While we were at our second house sit we took a trip about 2 hours inland to a place called Montville and it was such a pretty little town with quirky buildings, old clock shops, sweet shops and cafes with amazing views. Worth a visit.

Wow this is a long blog so I shall sign off for now. Tune in next week for our experiences in Sydney, Australia.

Thanks for reading.

Getting started for your travels.

Tips and planning: 
For us we didn't have a time limit on our travels so we probably spent a lot longer in places than some backpackers usually would. When we started looking into travelling we had a rough idea where we wanted to go and in which direction. Thailand - Laos - Vietnam- Cambodia, but we never had set plans, we just made it up as we went along. I think spending long lengths of times in places helps as you can research and bargain hunt on where you want to go next and how you want to get there. We also didn't know what we wanted to see in each place which is fine you don't have to have it all written down, that's the great thing about travelling you learn new things and plans change. We took the Lonely Planet book on Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia with us which we used on occasion to get an idea of what is going to be in the different places but you don't really need one as WIFI is readily available, even in Laos. Google is a great thing and hotels will provide you with information and leaflets. Talk to other travellers they are in the same boat as you, new exciting environment so you can help each other.

Packing:
Do you need a backpack? Like most people when you decide to go travelling you think about the type of backpack you want to get, and you rush out to the shops to purchase one. There are various sizes to choose and we went for the mid range 65 litre, which is pretty big when you open it up. This was our first mistake! They were very heavy, awkward and unnecessary.If you are only staying in one place for a couple of days you have to either pack strategically or pull everything out and repack. We would strongly recommend buying a suitcase, you will be much happier. Some people we met on the way agreed you didn’t need a backpack. Most people will say they are easier but even changing boats in the middle of the sea with a suitcase was easy and the staff on board will help move them for you.
Don't take too much. We definitely over packed. If we were to start again we would take 2 pair of shorts, and 5 t-shirts and that would be all. Also when your leaving home wear what you want to take, we wore thick jeans and hoodies because it was cold in England but have never worn them since so they are kind of a dead weight and costing us in luggage prices. You can wear an outfit for 2 days before it needs changing. We did our washing every 2 weeks, and you will find yourself wearing the same things over and over as they are comfy, and remember you can buy things while your travelling especially around South East Asia you can pick up some great bargains.

Important things to pack are:

• Microfiber Towels - They are light weight and fast drying.

• A pair of good walk shoes. - Although we only wore them on moving days you need something sturdy when carrying your backpack (unless you are brilliant and bought a suitcase) but a lot of activities do require enclosed shoes.

• Rain Coats - You will need these on your travels as you can not predict the weather, make sure you can roll them up small. 

•  Combination locks - We've all heard about peoples cases being tampered with and being pulled up at customs so don't take the risk. Get a TSA (Transport Security Administration) approved lock which can be opened by security with a master key. Other locks will just be broken open. We only put these on our hand luggage where our laptops were kept. 

•  First aid kit - I'm not going to list the thing to take as everyone is different but we took plasters, bandage, safety pins, antibiotics, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, (but Aspirin is a good substitute for both these painkillers), anti-diarrhea pills, latex free gloves and ladies don't forget your contraceptive pills. These will need to be declared as the limit varies for each country. You can buy them in Australia but it can be a little expensive $80 for a doctors appointment and then $60 upwards for the pill. We didn't think we would need sickness tablets but you never know so take some with you. There are loads of chemists/pharmacies in each country that sell western brands so don't panic if you forget anything.

• Sewing Kit - Everyone laughed at me when I was looking for a sewing kit but it has played a very important roll as some washing machine eat your clothes so repairs need to be made. 

• Mosquito repellent - DO NOT FORGET THIS. Mosquitoes and flies (which are the worst), love us and even though the repellent helps it doesn't stop but we have seen people with terrible bites on their legs and you can tell they have never used a repellent.
• Sun Glasses - The sun is a lot more intense than in England so these are an essential when travelling.

• Sun Cream - A BIG MUST - The best sun cream we found is Calypso once a day. You put it on 15 minutes before going outside and you do not need to re-apply it again. (unless of course your swimming). They sell this in Wilkinsons in England but we found it for cheaper in Aldi so shop around.

• Electronics - We each took laptops with us, maybe download music and movies to put on before you leave on your trip as the TV is not great in some countries. 
• External Hard Drive - Back up your photo's, the last thing you want to find when you get home is you've lost all your pictures. 
• MP3 player - Trains and Bus journeys can be quiet long and usually through the night so take some entertainment.
• PS Vita - My partner took a PS Vita to play on bus/train journeys, but i got jealous so ended up buying one myself in Australia.
• Camera - We took a Samsung camera and our Iphone's for pictures as we didn't want to carry around heavy cameras and the camera is pretty good quality. Most of our picture are taken on the Iphone though. We would have liked a Go Pro on our travels as the seem light weight, small and easy to us, but we did not look into this before we left.

Remember you can buy anything while on your travels. If your very adventurous and plan on trekking or tenting please look further into the right things to take. We did not do this so i have not included it in our packing.

Travel Insurance:
Make sure you research your travel insurance and read the small print as we noticed a lot said they were for 365 days but you could only be out the country for 3 months at a time. There are specialised insurance companies for backpackers but we found these to be expensive so compare different ones. We went with Alpha Insurance which ticked all the boxes we needed.

Accommodation:
As a couple we wanted privacy while travelling and felt hostels would not give us this, so we stayed in hotels. I know what your thinking expensive, but you will be surprised some of the hotels we stayed in have been cheaper than hostels and they have offered us breakfast, swimming pools and privacy. We used Booking.com and just booked as we went along. We found this website to be reliable and secure and if we had any problems one phone call to them sorted it all out. Most hotels will provide a laundry service but these at times can be expensive so look around and see what the locals offer. (I will mention where we washed our clothes in each country as I go along). If you staying in one place for a while and want to change hotels walk around and ask to see rooms before booking and even ask if the hotel will do better deals than what is online many will. I will name the hotels we stayed in as we go along.

Visa's:
Check what visas and how to apply for the countries your visiting as they are all different and some require you to apply in advance and others let you get your visa from the border. In each country as we go along in the blog we have talked about the visa for that country.

Airlines and booking flights:
We found the app Sky Scanner to be very helpful to find which airlines are the cheapest and what dates. Booking through airlines own sites seems to be cheaper but CHECK the add on's. Many will automatically add extras on so you need to read everything. We found baggage to be expensive but I guess it is needed otherwise you wont have any luggage. What shocked us the most is the size of hand luggage people take on, we saw a lot of people taking 65 litre backpacks on as hand luggage. We just don't know how they got away with it and it was also frustrating because we paid for our luggage and they hadn't. Its a big thing we think needs to reviewed. We also found airlines don't space you out even though there are empty seats so don't be afraid to ask to move. As we go along we will let you know which airlines we used.

Apps:
We would recommend to download before you go (it is on iTunes and android) are:

•  XE Currency. This is great as you can use multiple currencies at once. 
• Sky Scanner. Checking and comparing flights 
• Booking.com. Easy to find hotels on the move.
• Skype. A way to make everyone back home jealous.
• Google Maps. Handy to see where you are on those night buses or trains. 
• Navmii. A Sat Nav for Australia and New Zealand which works off line. 
• TripAdvisor. If your like me and love writing reviews this is brilliant. 

Money:
Before you travel make sure you tell your bank otherwise they might cut you off. We are with HSBC and it is very easy to navigate online banking and you can also update your travel plans as you go along. There are several HSBC banks around Asia so if there is any problems you can speak to someone face to face. We will say which banks we used in each country as we go along so you know which banks charge to withdrawal. HSBC does charge a non-sterling transaction fee on withdrawals so check your bank.

DON'T be afraid to complain:
If the service you are getting is not what they advertise or what you expected then let them know. We have had numbers of discounts on hotels because of this. Remember its more money in your pocket to travel for longer or to do more activities.

Barter, Barter, Barter:
The locals obviously want to make the most they can when selling their products but these can sometimes be too pricey so always offer them a lower price. You will usually find that if they don’t accept your offer and you walk away they will come after you agreeing. So no harm trying to get things for cheap, again more money in your pocket.

The best kept secrets are kept to last, although I guess its no longer a secret but the best way in which we have saved money is joined Trustedhousesitters.com For those of you who don't know about this website, it is a MUST for you to join before you leave. We have saved hundreds of pounds joining this website and our only regret is that we didn't join it sooner.
So what is it? Trustedhousesitters.com is a website where people advertise their house and or pets to be looked after while they take their own adventure. As a person looking for a house sit we search the location we are in (currently Australia) and any house sit we find interesting or in the place we want to go to, and we apply to the home owner with a simple email telling them who we are and what we have previously done. With each house sit you do you are given references and the more your profile builds the better and bigger chance of securing a house sit.
What to do? You subscribe to the site for as little at £6.60 per month or £79.20 for a year and create a profile about yourself and who ever your travelling with. Make it an honest profile and let people know who you are, likes/dislikes, job etc. Add pictures, a friendly face can go along way and you can add videos of yourself if you wish, we haven't because I'm rubbish in front of a camera.
We have so far done 4 house sits currently on our 5th and it has been amazing. We have met some great people and made friends for life and looked after some great cuddly animals along the way. We will never stay in hotels again with this website available i can not stress enough how great it is. If you do decided to join this site before your travels please let them know who recommended you as we both might get some discounts. Our name is Travelers2015.

If you have any questions please leave a comment below.

Thank you for reading and please stay tuned as my next blog will start off in Bangkok.