Yes tomorrow I leave my new friends Colleen and Peter and the chooks and the sheep and the little blue wrens. It's been a great time here and I would be happy to stay longer but I must move on to my next adventure. Yesterday was sheep shearing day and I would't exactly say I helped but I did stand in the gateway to shoo any escaping sheep back into the fold....and then I stood and watched!!! What hard work it is, and Peter told me all about the professional shearers and how the organise to shear 1000s of sheep. We only had about 15 sheep - and the wool- we ended up with 2 bags full. Thanks, Peter, for showing me how it's done. The sun was shining and sitting on the verandah beckoned but ... read more

Here I am in Albany staying with Colleen and Peter. It has been such a wonderful time these last 3 weeks meeting all these lovely people, making new friends. Often when I tell people I meet that I am doing home / hospitality exchange their first reactions are negative ...the usual comment is 'have you ever had any problems - how can you let strangers into your house?' and I have to report that not in 20+ years have I had any negative experiences. There are so many plusses to being with a local family - they know the best places to go that you might never find. You meet their friends , neighbours and family and become part of a social circle and part of the community. And the warmth and kindness and generosityof spirit ... read more

Hi everyone Have to catch up on a few days now as I haven't had any wifi. So what did I get up to at the weekend - Julie and Gary and Leanne came to join me at Busselton Beach Resort and we had lots of fun. After another drive and look around Margaret River- more wine ,cheese, cakes and chocolate we returned and went swimming in the pool...Having previously thought I might be an axe-murderer Julie now thinks I am just a madwoman - just because I went swimming in the pool... I thought it was warm enough - she thinks I am mad. I think 9 years in Oz has turned her into a wimp!!! And I believe she was once a champion butterfly stroke swimmer. Sorry Julie - haha. Leanne and I did ... read more

A lovely drive south from Mandurah yesterday with a few little side trips - even managaing to find an Australian National Trust house - Wonnerup- so I could use my UK card here. One of the first settlers here in this area cleared land started a farm and then got speared by an aborigine - but his widow carried on ( as we do !!!) with her 5 children. ...and i think founded a dynasty. A nice little one-teacher schoolhouse had me thinking of times gone by. I was driving through a beautiful forest of Tuart trees (another kind of eucalyptus) the Ludlow National park and the forest floor was covered in white lillies. I was stunned to see so many - and there I am at home with a couple in a pot struggling. But ... read more

How I love this home/hospitality exchange and I am constantly overwhelmed by the friendliness and warm welcomes I receive. So yesterday I left my hosts Anna and Bill yesterday having had a great stay with them and travelled to Mandurah about 65 km south of Perth....to meet my new host family - Julie, Gary and their lovely daughter, Leanne. Julie's friends were concerned that I might be an axe -murderer and what was she doing letting a stranger into her house!!! This can someitmes be the response of folk who have never experienced home exchange but once you have tried it there is no going back and for me it makes travelling alone such a great and varied experience. Home comforts- Julie makes a very good spag bol- new friends with local knowledge - it is ... read more