Blogs from Gaiole in Chianti, Tuscany, Italy, Europe - page 2

Day 12 We ventured into the village to stock up on drinking water for the owners this morning. Friends had warned us that a 9.30 opening time can mean anything from 10am to midday in Italy so weren’t too concerned to so see the shop in darkness. The sign for opening times however said 9am so we tried the door and found it to be unlocked ….shelf’s upon shelf’s of what looked like valuable wines and spirits looked back at us, but no proprietor. In our hometown this place would have been cleared out faster than you can see. I tried calling in my best Italian accent ‘Buongiorno’! But no answer, after 20 minutes we decide to wait outside instead and low and behold Paulo arrives in his car. We try to communicate what it is ... read more

Day 9 Call me Cinderella I cleaned out the fire places in the main house today. I used to have an open fire in my old cottage, but that was nothing in comparison to the size of these ones. I did get a little flummoxed by one of the grates though as it turned into a puzzle to put back together after cleaning – my knight in shining came along and put it back together for me though. Then it was time to do some laundry whilst Jaime put up a mosquito net. I spent the afternoon painting a little landscape and planning the veg garden whilst Jaime worked on our task schedule. He’s doing a fab job of writing a detailed manual for the property and setting out our daily tasks for us so we ... read more

Day 5 and 6 Montevarchi was a surprise. Several large shops including a Hypermarket, DIY stores and plant nurseries. We zoomed around the Hypermarket to get some quick provisions and then headed for the DIY store OBI. The house owners also showed us around a lovely nursery which displayed some stunning orchids. This is where we will purchase the Geraniums the owners prefer to have planted around the pool every year. – This year the colour theme will be purples and lilacs, my favourite! We also purchased some lovely smelling lavender and rosemary plants to replace some of the casualties from the cold weather alongside the drive to the house. In the afternoon Jaime and I headed out to free the rest of the olives trees from the ‘suckers’ and believe it or not the sun ... read more

Day One The train is speeding through the grey sites of northern England and I begin to think that it has been almost 3 years since I decided that I had had enough of spending my life on the motorway, quit my job and flew off to the other side of the world. I have spent most of my life travelling in some form or another- mostly for work, but never found a place to really call home. My best friend Jaime and I have backpacked around New Zealand and Europe, but now we are striking out with an all together new adventure. In November last year we applied for a position to manage a 1000 year old farmhouse with acres of Olive tree groves & woodlands in the Chianti region of Tuscany. I have once ... read more

Its time to dust off those backpacks ! Well, for a quick 'try it out' trip to start with, but then hopefully for an extended stay in the renowned Hills of Tuscany, Italy. On Sunday we set off by train to Gatwick Airport to then board an early plane on Monday morning to Pisa. Then its a short 2 hour drive to what looks to be a stunning farmhouse in Gaiole, Chianti. In November last year, Jaime and I applied for a caretakers position to look after this stunning property. The owners are a very nice retired couple who divide their time between the highlife in London, a farm in the English countryside and this amazing 1000 year old property. We will be employed to maintain the house, take care of the gardens and pool, and ... read more