Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
28 Apr 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
6
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
Description
Hi there, I live in a valley about an hour out of Wellington close to our local river and surrounded by bushland. It's a beautiful place. I have a big garden which I need lots of help with & in return I can provide good food, interesting conversation and a nice place to relax. I love discussing philosophy, psychology and anything to do with understanding the business of being human. I have an interesting little business making coffins & have no family but many friends. I'm always interested in meeting new people and learning about their life experiences.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
Interests
Self development
Culture
Writing
Music
Gardening
Drawing & painting
DIY & crafts
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
I'm an interesting and somewhat unusual person. I've lived on my large steep property for 20yrs, doing all the landscaping and gardening myself, so I have lots of skills which I'm happy to share. The house is small but well set up with nice outdoor areas for relaxing in. There is a lovely view from the deck. There are some nice bush walks in the valley, a Buddhist monastery nearby & I have a decent TV with internet access. No Netflix sorry but if you have an account you're welcome to log in here with it.
If you are interested in learning basic landscaping or carpentry skills I can show you those & I also have facilities for small-scale Oamaru stone carving. I have a piano and enjoy sharing music with anyone who visits me. You can come to my choir rehearsals if you want!
I travelled quite a bit in my early years & am always happy to meet new people.
Help
I have a steep & bushy section which has required a lot of landscaping, mainly to provide access and create flat areas for gardens. I've done most of this work myself but I have bad arthritis in my hip now so I can no longer do jobs which were once easy for me.
I'm looking for help with anything that needs doing around the garden including weeding, digging, tree maintenance, chopping firewood, sometimes building retaining walls and moving soil around. All of this involves heavy lifting, fetching tools and carrying things up and down my many steps. My ideal visitor will be someone who is strong and capable of reasonably hard physical work - using a shovel or garden fork, carrying buckets of soil and garden waste etc.
If you prefer indoor tasks my house always needs cleaning as I don't do it. I wear my boots in the house, don't vacuum often and am very untidy. So if you need a spic and span orderly environment I may not be the perfect host for you! I would be delighted if you are willing to cook.
When we are not helping out I'm happy to take you around with me as I go about my daily business, meeting my friends etc.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Accommodation
I have two spare rooms at the moment, one single and one double, both furnished and comfortable. The house has one bathroom which we will all share. I am happy to look after you like family while you're here (I will provide good food plus tea and coffee) but in return I do expect quite a few hours of work per day as well as help with the cooking and washing up.
One thing to note is that my house is up 50 steps so you need to be fit and healthy to stay here. It's quite a long way to carry your gear up too. I live at the end of a very private cul-de-sac so it's quiet with parking on the street.
Stokes Valley is a bit difficult to get to by public transport & if you don't have a car it will take you about an hour to get here from Wellington by train and bus. If you can make it to Pomare train station on the day of your arrival I will come and pick you up. You will need a snapper card for the buses and trains.
What else ...
I live between two fairly large towns with all sorts of facilities including their fair share of galleries and cafes. I'm half an hour out of NZ's capital city. There are nice walks in the hills locally and down by the river and we have a local swimming pool with a gym as well.
I don't drink a lot of alcohol and definitely don't like being around smokers as I am very sensitive to smell. So please visit me only if you are a non-smoker.
I am happy to provide vegetarian food but not vegan or gluten free. My own diet is standard omnivore.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
I have unlimited wifi so internet access is not a problem.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (2)
Getting along with our host and having good communication came naturally and from the moment of our arrival, thanks to her being so incredibly welcoming and open with us.
We found staying in the same house and having meals together a delight, as the… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(5.0)
Getting along with our host and having good communication came naturally and from the moment of our arrival, thanks to her being so incredibly welcoming and open with us.
We found staying in the same house and having meals together a delight, as the… read more
