Adelaide couch surfing

Adelaide couch surfing, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

We are couch surfing again and have been very lucky to stay with Marion. Her house is in Richmond, a suburb within a 20 minute bike ride of the CBD and it is flat and has bike paths all the way, but a further bonus is if you are on a seniors card you get free rides on the public transport. Matilda fits nicely into a corner of the drive.

Marion has a very interesting garden it is a permaculture design and is a rustic mix of vegies, herbs, fruit trees and flowers. At this time of the year many of the plants have gone to seed but the idea of permaculture is to leave them all to self sow. We find a lovely selection of greens and herbs for our meals

A rustic mix of vegs, herbs and flowers

Fruit trees, plum, quince, apricot and passion fruit vine

Permaculture design

Couch Surfing in Kalgoorlie

Kalgoorlie Esperance hotel_, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

We are now into gold country. What an incredible history all the towns in this area have. Kalgoorlie is the only one that is still mining the precious metal and many of the old buildings built-in the 1890s are still standing and give the town a unique atmosphere. Many of the surrounding towns are almost ghost towns, but keep their history in excellent museums and in the old buildings themselves.

We are once more couch surfing and have met Janice who has welcomed us into her home and on the Sunday when we arrived she took us with her to a multi-cultural picnic. It was interesting to meet all the different nationalities that were there. Great start to our stay in Kalgoorlie.

Next day Janice was going to Esperance for a 4 day business trip but kindly said we could stay in her house. What a lovely trusting person. We have enjoyed 5 days here but tomorrow we will be leaving and heading for the NULLABOR. Will possibly be out of touch for a while as I don’t think there will be any internet connection in this part of Australia. It is one of those iconic places I have long wanted to experience.

With our couch surfing host Janice at the multi-cultural picnic

The group of nations at the multicultural picnic

Smalll corner of the super pit. can you see the trucks?

The huge trucks that work in the mines. Can you see Jack?

Jack rushing in for a drink

Chatting to the barmaid in the Broad Arrow pub

melbourne cup day

melbourne cup day , originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

Margaret River is a very friendly and social town and one of the groups Carroll belongs to is called “Women in touch”. They get together for purely social outings, and of course the Melbourne Cup is an ideal opportunity to dress up and get together. I was lucky to be in Margaret River staying with Carroll and Jack on THE day and was invited to go along.

Oh dear, I did not have appropriate clothes. No worries, Carroll does volunteer work at the Red Cross op shop. So off we went on a shopping spree…I was in luck and found a gypsy looking skirt that I thought would do the trick. So with a hat Carroll lent me, dressed up with roses from another friend and beads to finish the outfit off I was ready.

We all took a plate and it was held at the farm-house of one of the members. Approx 40 women turned up and the weather was perfect. After a couple of glasses of wine we were all primed to cheer the winner, who ever it was!!! What a great day, another memorable occasion.

Wow!Look at us…

Place your bets ladies…

What a lovely selection of finger food…

Couch surfing again…

Carroll and Jacks house, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

5 years ago I stayed with Carroll and Jack for the first time. I met them through “Global Freeloaders” back then and in the 5 days I stayed in 2005 we made a lasting friendship that lasted with the help of the internet.

It was Jack that introduced me to “couch surfing“. He has used it for 3 years with great success, both hosting and staying with hosts.. I’m so pleased I found it as it is adding a whole new dimension to travel for us.

I was pleased to be able to introduce Jack to them. Now Carroll’s name is spelt the same as my surname, very unusual, and we both have men called Jack… so Carroll called “my Jack” , “gentle Jack” and I, of course, just said “Hey “my Jack””

“My Jack” fell in love with their home.Carroll being artistic and a collector of all things different and artistic, every where you looked was something interesting to look at, from the art on the walls to the view out of the window. Carroll’s Jack loved all classical music and so the back ground sound of our stay was the beautiful sound of the classics.

We enjoyed 7 relaxing and interesting days with them and it was a sad farewell, but, who knows what is in the future, maybe they will come to couch surf with us one day…

Me with Jack and Carroll

The view through the window was like a painting

Great to sleep in a very comfortable real bed for 7 days

Jack preparing a meal

I help Carroll in the kitchen

Shady side deck for relaxing

Versatile blogger award

Well how about this!!!!

I am honored to be given this award by another WordPress blogger who came by and read my blog.

She found me by the couch surfing link, she also is a host CS. The amazing thing is she is from USA how mind-boggling is the internet, it can connect people from all over the world in a click of a mouse.

Of course I went to see her blog, What a talented person,http://artandwhine.wordpress.com/ go check her out…

One of the conditions of this award is to tell a little more about yourself and pass on the award, so…

• My favourite smells, fresh mown grass and sweaty horses.
• I’m terrified of my head going under water, except in the shower…
• I’ve now discovered that my favourite flowers are the West Australian native wild flowers.
• I’m addicted to travel ( but I think that one is obvious)
• I’m also an organizer freak, love a place for every thing, and every thing in its place.
• Do not like large, new houses, consider them a waste of resources and space.
• Am addicted to muffins.
• Love the computer.
• But could survive without a mobile phone

OK well I pass the award on to

http://wrongwayround.org/?feed=rss2 Met up on our trip in Denham and admire their style of travel

http://meandthegirlfromclapham.wordpress.com/feed/ These subjects get me thinking

http://friendfeed.com/timethief  this is a site that gave me lots of help when I was first learning about blogging

Perth, couch surfing

Perth, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

We are now about half way around and have found a great place to stay for a few days. We found John on the couch surfing network and he has a large double section so there is plenty of room for us to park in the back yard. John has created a mini urban farm using grass clippings, waste, cardboard and has worm farms in old baths and 4 chooks roaming around. The soil here is pure sand but Johns veggies are very healthy. Remember the tv show “The good life” well this is a WA version of it. We are loving it here.

The house is on the Canning Highway and right next to a bus stop, 20 minutes one way to the CBD and 45 minutes the other way to Freemantle.

We had a number of things to do ie, blood tests, eye tests, new tyres on the van etc so have spent the first week getting all these things done. We are all, including Matilda, now fit and ready to carry on the next leg. We will stay here for another week. Perth is a beautiful city, the weather is fantastic, the flies have disappeared and there is a lot of things and places to explore.

We get the red carpet treatment

Jack fixing old tools

John in the front veggie patch

More free accommodation

Another way to help the travel budget stretch is to contact <couchsurfing.com> This is a world wide organisation with a list of people willing to let you sleep on their couches, or any other thing they have available. A hilarious account of one Aussie mans attempt to travel and only use the couch surfing network can be read in “Sleeping around,a couch surfing tour of the globe” by Brian Thacker. I have not tried couchsurfing out yet but when we take off next April 2010 we are looking at all ways to make the $$’s go further and this sounds a great way to also meet people.

Another way to “sleep around” is to join the “WWOOF” organization. The details are on wwoof.com This is not totally internet based as you have to buy their book of farm hosts and register with the WWOOF organisation, which you can do over the internet. Also you are required to do 4-5 hours of farm or related type jobs to “pay” for your full board and lodging. I have “WWOOFed around Australia and met a very interesting and friendly group of people. From picking and packing bananas to helping on a seahorse breeding unit and weeding endless veggie patches I loved every minute and the meals they all served where made from home grown, organic produce, cooked with love. I can recommend the experience…