The Tour de France mountains in Snow

Nick in Zurich

Mid December we arrived in Zurich, just like Geneva last year it was snowing and looked amazing, but this time it continued to snow.  Nothing seems to slow down, the city just keeps on humming, they're so well equipped and used to it.    Time to rug up well and do the same.

Christmas Market in Zurich station

The main Railway station was a buzz with action and the first thing you see is the famous Swarovski Christmas Tree, over 50 feet tall glittering with more than 5000 crystal ornaments.  Below it is the largest Christmas market in the country - all indoors but that doesn't mean its warm and cosy!!  Its an extravaganza, with lots of emphasis on local crafts but plenty of food and drink to sample, to keep warm 'gluhwein' is the best.

Zurich at night

From there you can wander down Bahnofstrasse, the street known for its wonderful shopping,  and admire the luxuries.  Or just enjoy all the decorations, and Christmas finery that they do so well.

We met up with Michael, who was over from New Zealand for a wood conference and enjoyed a quiet night on the town.

The three of us headed south to Grenoble in France , to get together with the rest of the family.  What should have been a four hour drive took us over nine hours!!  A large chunk of that was sitting on the side of a French motorway trying to get some help with our Rental car that died on us. After a few challenges even finding somebody to talk to us on a Saturday morning, we were informed that they couldn't rescue us, its illegal for them to do so off a private French Motorway.  So with fingers, toes and all else crossed we somehow got the car moving and crept through tunnels on the busy motorway, idled along the snow covered streets of Geneva and freewheeled safely into the airport car park.

Provided with a nice new car we arrived in Grenoble for a mid afternoon lunch with Christopher and Sylvie.

Three  brothers bonding, Christopher,  David & Michael

Chris giving a lesson on the origin of the French
Revolution

Tour leader

Gardens at Vizille

How many ? does it take to use a money machine

What a fun reunion for the three Cambridge boys - a delight to see and listen to them telling stories after almost fifteeen years of all being together.  

Grenoble - known as capital of the French Alps - has a surrounding population of about 500,000 and is nestled amongst three chains of mountains.  Well known for its access to some of the best ski resorts, hosting the winter Olympics in 1968 and also a significant scientific centre of Europe.

Grenoble from Chris and Sylvie's appt.

We headed for the Alpe d'Huez ski resort only 11/2 hours away. It was a spectacular day to see it especially as we drove the mountain pass, which is a well known 13.8 metre climb with 21 hairpin bends on the Tour de France,  in heavy fog and then emerged into clear blue skies. 

Ski field at Alpe d'Huez

  They'd had over a metre of snow in the previous two days so the locals were delighted and even more so as it was too early in the season for many tourists. They had it to themselves and the runs were nearly empty - oh if only we'd planned better, with skiis on it could have been the perfect day!!

Early snow

Christopher and Nick

Start of the Chairlift and they screamed

After some fabulous hospitality from Christopher and Sylvie and a wonderful family get together we were back in Switzerland again checking out some new solid wood panel manufacturing plants with Michael. These use of timber in the rebuild of Christchurch is high on Michaels agenda and it was fascinating to learn more about the way the Europeans plan and use timber for the longterm.

Winterthur

Winterthur was the next stop, not your classic Swiss tourist hotspot.  Once an important industrial city its now known for its many green spaces and its well planned cycle tracks, a network of over 175kms.  Christchurch could learn alot from what they have achieved here.     http://stadt.winterthur.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/Portal/pdf/Winterthur_E_web.pdf

David and Mick outside the Multigenerational
Apartment building

We managed to see this multigenerational housing complex built predominately from wood and environmentally neutral.  Eighty families jointly hold ownership of the whole building and as their needs change they can buy or sell extra space within the group.  

Autumn in Wales

View from the Aqueduct

Much as we love the housesitting lifestyle we also love exploring some new areas of the country, whether it be the UK or over the channel to Europe.  And whats fabulous is that we have some like minded friends leading much the same kind of lifestyle.  So its off to north Wales this time.

David and Judy

Nick and Judy on the waters edge

Autumn in Wales, who would have thought it would be so stunning.  The colours were outstanding where ever we went, perhaps its was something to do with the very wet summer.

 First stop was the huge Pontcysyllte Aqueduct which carries the Llangollen Canal over the River Dee in Wrexham country. It was completed in 1805,  in 2009 joined the UNESCO world heritage sites and is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain.

The view from the aqueduct was magical and fabulous to see the people wandering across it,  canal boats meandering through it and even kayakers out for a morning of exercise.

We walked almost all the way up to Horseshoe Falls where the canal originates and then admired the quaint, resort town of Llangollen on our way back.

A crisp still Autumn morning

Horseshoe Falls

Next day we headed north to Edinburgh in support of the mighty All Blacks.  David and Jude made sure we were dressed from head to toe in black and geared up for some excitement.  Murrayfield was packed with 75,000 excited Scots and the atmosphere was fabulous -   a great result NZ 51 - Scotland 22.

We spent a couple more days with some great friends in Edinburgh.  David and Judy got a good look around the city, though a little damp and even managed to spot an All Black or two! Have to say they were looking a bit battered and bruised as they hoped on the bus - but I suppose that is all part of a good days work!

Back south bound again to find some more good walks, this time in Cheshire up Helsby and Frodsham Hills then off  for a good coffee - the ideal way to finish a good walk!

Could this be a Welsh dancing elf?

Almost Christmas, so what better excuse to be drinking bubbly at midday and consuming vast quantities of turkey, stuffing, bread sauce, Christmas pud, trifle and chocolates amongst other Christmas fare.  We even found the best the crackers in town to rip apart and play with.

Thanks guys!!!

Pre Christmas Dinner 

Housesitting in Switzerland

Next spot was absolutely fabulous - remembering we are a NZ couple who are based in the UK for a few years and want to enjoy seeing some of what Europe has to offer.  There are some gorgeous countries just over the channel and so accessible.

So when we were offered an apartment in Switzerland for ten days over Christmas we jumped at the chance.  There were lots of other places coming available over the Christmas period but really did seem like that chance for the long awaited 'White Christmas'.  Good to remember that this certainly is a great time of year to find Housesits as everybody wants a break from a miserable cold winter and or wants to be together with families in some other part of the world.

Richard's place was a little slice of heaven, on the edge of Lake Geneva in Nyon,  just a few miles out of Geneva.  He kindly picked us up from the airport and also took us across the border to France to do some grocery shopping.  We had been told that Switzerland is 'eye wateringly' expensive so were very ready to take advice from the locals.  That really is one of the wonderful things about having a wee bit of time with the owners of the house, before they head away.  A little local knowledge can go a long way and you can make the most of the time spent there.  Being introduced to a couple of local friends can be another bonus!!

We also made a wonderful discovery, just a few metres from our doorstep.  A little corner store with a plentiful supply of what Switzerland does so well - wine, cheese and chocolate, all at fabulous prices so who could ask for more?

The apartment was very European in styling, sleek and minimumlistic, but cosy and comfortable with only the pot plants to look after.   The view across the lake was stunning and when the clouds lifted the Alps looked spectacular.  We did awake to snow covered houses and streets one morning but sadly the White Christmas was not to be.

In Nyon, the Christmas decorations were all up and the streets were abuzz with action, markets full of wonderful foods, Christmas goodies and a glass of warm Gluhwein to warm the insides.   Then we hoped on the train and were in Geneva within twenty minutes admiring all those real luxury items that Switzerland its reknown for.

We also doned our cold weather gear, filled the backpack with some goodies and headed out on some glorious walks. Sometimes the blessing of not having a car means you just explore where you are and in this case it was magical.  We even made it up the mountain to a quaint village, along with its own small ski resort.  Rather fun as we left in bright sunshine and were walking on dry ground down near the lake but by the time we reached the top were in knee high snow - thank goodness we were at least wearing water proof shoes and did have a sense of humour.  We caught the cog train down and enjoyed a glorious view, perhaps next time it might be the other way around!!

Housesitting - how we got started.

We'd decided it was time to see more of the world again, and wanted to spend at least two or three years away. We were lucky enough to have a five year visa to the U.K. and were keen to make the most of our time being so close to Europe.

Scotland

Nyon, Switzerland

Housesitting had been talked and read about, seemed like a fun option that might just work for us.

   

Highland Cattle

This could be just the opportunity we need to take us to all sorts of different places, meet some new and interesting people and discover a new life outside our usual environment.

Tobermory on Mull

First step of getting started was getting into the system.  There are a number of websites that we registered with, getting references, police reports etc.  They all have a steady flow of house sitting positions all around the world but we wanted mainly the UK and Europe.  We put a profile together and started applying for what took our fancy.

They offer sits in all sorts of places and with a huge variety of animals and responsibilities.  But we had quite a definite plan in mind as to what we were doing over here and how we'd like things to pan out.

Early spring in Sussex

We're both very happy to look after almost any type of animal, coming from years of farming in New Zealand.  The only one I drew the line at, or perhaps for now anyway, was snakes and reptiles but of course David says we can do it!!!  He's a never say 'No' kind of chap, but we may have to have the instruction book out in that case and there's always google!

So here we are almost twelve months down the track, loving it and enjoying some wonderful experiences.

Pack of Hounds in Scotland

We've also got some fabulous jobs through an agency that deals with animal orientated sits throughout the UK, but more about that later.

Clara

Our first sit was the result of a great friend chatting with a friend of hers. You know the way we girls network - "Oh I've got these great friends from NZ who are ..............."   Julie turned out to be an absolute delight and has become a wonderful friend.  She has a gorgeous flat in Edinburgh that needed to be looked after for seven weeks and even better a cat Sooty who needed lots of love, food and attention.  What a beauty to start with - it's in a wonderful part of the  city, so close that everything is in walking distance.

Fettes School , Edinburgh

Holyrood House, Edinburgh

Nick in Edinburgh

Sooty

Sooty was an absolute delight and did take great pleasure in presenting us with a wee mouse as gift at least once a week.  One evening she managed to sneak through the sitting room door, which lead to the hall and bedroom, and let her terrified little fury friend free.  I think it was all a bit of a game until it managed to hide under a dresser and then all hell let loose - so Dave and Nick to the rescue.  That was the only one I ever saw alive, otherwise we were greeted most mornings by blood and guts or a headless little body.  Sooty so proud of herself and expecting us to feel the same way.