Home is where you ...

Home is where you ... unpack your luggage! 

image by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay

What was that?!

It was a wet, sniffly, snorting kiss – right across my cheek and nose! I woke up with a start … what was that?! Where am I? I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, it was so dark … and the snorting, grunting monster was still right there next to me…and then I remembered … we’re in Tandur! House sitting 4 dogs. And I had just been kissed by one at 2 AM! 😁

“Yes, Bentley …” I said as I reached out a sleepy hand to find that snout. Instinctively I knew it was he. The teenager … the busy one … he had to let me know that he’s up to go out for the toilet. He can do it on his own as there is a dog flap for 24/7 exit/entry. Lol. I heard him go and come back in again ... strange sounds in a strange house in the middle of a very dark night. And yet, I felt I should pinch myself … perhaps I was dreaming? No, it’s for real!

We feel extremely blessed to have this opportunity. It’s a lovely home in the countryside of Gympie. Tandur is considered a suburb. I’ve had a quick search to find the history, and why it’s called Tandur but didn’t find anything, except that a school was started here in 1924. 😊  We arrived to begin the week-long sit mostly to care for the dogs – 3 Frenchies and a cute little mixed breed. Bob, Bentley, Bonnie and Breezy. The surroundings are calm and lush. It’s a huge property with plenty of space for them to run. We had an early night with the dogs on the first night and woke up to amazing bird sounds the next morning. While we were having coffee in bed a kangaroo passed by the bottom of the garden, in full view of the bedroom window, reminding us that we were in Australia. This time I had to pinch myself. We are so grateful to God for this blessing. 💕 The homeowners have made us feel very welcome; their instructions were carefully typed out and laminated; a laminated photo of each dog at its feeding station so that we can identify them, and the order of feeding was made very clear! Bob is the top dog! 😊

Settling in

We felt general nervousness-cum-excitement as we approached the time to head over to Tandur. We shopped for groceries for the 5 days but to be able to cook a meal you need all the bits too, like sauces, flour, and seasonings, and we had nothing. So, it was shopping for supplies from scratch which made me nervous, looking at the prices of everything. We packed up our belongings, loaded the car and moved on. The initial three weeks at Nadya and Dave’s were over and were we grateful for their support at the start of this new journey! It’s been non-stop go, go, go with daily commitments to get us set up for life in Aus, and to meet government regulations.

One of our tasks was to visit a financial advisor to do our first tax return. Because we had entered the country already in March, the 5 months spent in Doha were taxable. The payment for the last financial year is due by end of September. We have had our first tax bill! 😄😑 We have also opened bank accounts, a Post Office box for a fixed mailing address in case our children ever have to move, and submitted our application for the next stage of our visa – a HUGE step and an even bigger relief that it is done. 

We have submitted docs for medical cover and drafted an updated will. These first three weeks also included shopping for everything we need in the van. Some things are mandatory according to the law, and others are obvious items needed for everyday life. I felt as if I had had a kitchen tea at one stage since there was only that much we could send over from Doha. We needed to stock up with everyday items we left behind. We have also had to invest in first-aid kits including snake- and spider-bite kits (the next 2 months will be in snake and spider territory 🥴😅), camp chairs, a table, kitchen crockery, an awning tie-down kit which can withstand the wild weather in Australia, a variety of tools, storage boxes, water filters, bed linen and more. 

Shopping online in Australia is a breeze, and since Gympie does not have all the items on offer, we took full advantage. It's so fun getting parcels through the mail. 😄 We are not nearly through our list of items needed. Fortunately there is a month before we get the van. So much is needed to live on the road, all the while hoping that we'll remain within the maximum weight allowed for the van and the Ute. It’s a challenge we are only beginning to learn, and it's a rule that Queensland cops relish with glee. 🥴 Our computer gear is part of the load, printer included. However, the towing course last Friday was fun. In the end, I couldn’t stop shaking for an hour afterwards, but we found it invaluable. We both reversed the practice trailer-van into the parking space from the right and the left … reversed in a circle without jack-knifing … and learned tips and tricks that might help us not to be too much of a reality show in a caravan park when we try to manoeuvre into a space! 😆😅 We have lots of practising to do and homework to complete before we start towing. Equally as interesting will be finding ways to set up and take down at each stop without too much fuss.😅

New working routine

AJ has completed his first workweek for Gulf Helicopters. The routine will be something to get used to. We have mornings to do things; then at 13:30 Australia time he begins his work ‘day’, it being 06:30 in Qatar. He wraps up at 21:30 having to unwind a bit before he can get his brain to recognise that it’s time for bed.  😆 He’s amazing, embracing full-time TEAMS teaching like a champ! We managed to invest in a new laptop that makes it easier, as he can use a surface pen to do his usual diagrams as he used to on the whiteboard in a classroom. Fortunately, he is a night person, so going through to 21:30 is a breeze for him. I’m the morning person, mostly up with the birds, moving about, making coffee and waking him up when he could be sleeping late. 🥴 Nevertheless, his contract is an incredible blessing from our Father – a helpful kickstart to our time in Aus.

House Sitting

For us house sitting right now involves a lot of packing and unpacking. But once we have the van loaded with our possessions there will be less hassle to it all. There are pros and cons to everything in life, and in the end, it’s what one makes of it. This is the lifestyle we have chosen for our first few years in Australia. Yes, it’s always going to be a strange bed, new surroundings, strange sights and sounds, new animals each time … new shops, new streets, new neighbours, different routines. But right now, we are grateful for a space to call our own in which to be private, eat the way we prefer, and just enjoy our familiar routine, even if it’s just for 6 days.

During our second weekend in Australia, we took a drive up north to meet the homeowners that we will sit for in Oct and in November. We made it an overnight stop as it’s quite far to travel. It was the first road trip in our Ute. AJ enjoyed every minute. Believe me, it was also stressful … merely stopping at a fuel station was a challenge. 😆 Over here you have to refuel your vehicle yourself. You then walk into the store to pay, while everyone waits patiently. We were also hungry, so we moved the car to a parking space to go in and have a bite with coffee. Wow! It was the start of the school holidays, and the place was overrun. You had better know what you want and how to order it!! Luckily, they knew from our accents that we weren’t locals, so they were a little more helpful behind the counter. 😬😅 And I think they saw the desperate look in our eyes as we were trying to figure out how to order and where.

We also saw our first free camp up close and personal – one that we plan to stay in with our van for one night on the way back from house sitting in December, in a small town called Tiaro. (I said Tee-AH-ro, but Aussies say TY-ro 😆. BEWARE if you pronounce an Aussie name incorrectly … you are pounced upon!).  Free camps are exactly that, in Australia, FREE. Well, sort of. 😊 Managed by local town councils, they are areas that one can pull into for 24 hours without payment. Often there is a toilet and shower nearby, but for many one must be self-contained. Some will only have a long drop. 😊 This one at Tiaro has a shower that switches off after 2 mins. And it won't start again before 3 mins are over. 😁 Quick showers will be the norm for us anyway, even in the van, as water is something we'll cart with us and will need to use sparingly. 

Some free camps allow you to stay for 48 hours and some for 72 hours. The general understanding is that you would support the local pub or shops, or at the very least pop a $10 note in the box on the campsite and leave the site clean and tidy. (Pubs in Australia are not dissimilar to those in the UK, where they are the hangout for all the locals and travellers, and where you can get a hearty meal along with your beer and enjoy an overnight stay if needed. Each seemingly has its own story and its own character. 😊) In a week we’re off to our second house sitting further north.

Shipments arriving

We have just been notified that our first crate (from Doha) has arrived in port in Melbourne. It will take a couple of weeks to get to Brisbane. Another is due later in October with items from South Africa. 

We are having to invest in storage space at our children’s home, to store some of our things until it can all be sorted. I couldn’t part with my childhood books, for example. Hoping the grandkids will enjoy them. Andries’ golf clubs are on the way -- he can’t wait. Some glassware items for Nadya that were heirlooms from our mothers. And lots of photos! Oh, and my sewing machine. Who knows, I might be able to take up some sewing again. 

image by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay

That’s us for now. 😊

Thanks for stopping by. We’re grateful for your support along the way in this new adventure. Gus and Cha, we miss you so much, words aren't enough. 😢😞 

Next blog will be from up north in a few weeks … be blessed all. 💕

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