We had a wonderful stay in Darci and Andrews house. Chrischurch is a nice city and the area is perfect for many different activities. We did tramping ...
Read More...Heather & John
New Zealand
Apr 14, 2018 - Apr 28, 2018
Became a member in: 2012
Renewal Date: 31/Mar/2019
We are a couple in our 40s and we love nature and animals. Our holidays are usually spent doing outdoor activities. But on the other hand we love architecture and buildings and are fascinated by old architecture and new houses! We love to look after animals while on house exchanges. And we have recently discovered that we love finding a good antique/retro shop while on holiday to find the best souvenirs!
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Pets,
Hiking
Affiliations
Civil Service Professionals
Profession
IT, engineering, farming
Our pets
1 dog, 1 cat, 3 chickens, 4 pet pigs and many sheep
Heather & John
New Zealand
Jenny & Malcolm
New Zealand
Beate
Norway
We had a wonderful stay in Darci and Andrews house. Chrischurch is a nice city and the area is perfect for many different activities. We did tramping ...
Read More...We had a wonderful stay in Darci and Andrews house. Chrischurch is a nice city and the area is perfect for many different activities. We did tramping in the Mountains, tubing in the beautiful Rainforest, visited several beaches, zipline, mountain biking and much, much more! Looking after the Kune Kune pigs and the chicken made our stay even better! Thank you!
Read Less...John & Lis
New Zealand
Ildiko & Francois
Hungary
We have been very friendly received in the new house of our exchange partners. The large rooms and the nice wood constructions gave us instantaneous a...
Read More...We have been very friendly received in the new house of our exchange partners. The large rooms and the nice wood constructions gave us instantaneous a homely feeling. We liked also to feed the Kuni Kuni pigs and even the chicken loved us. There are hundreds of possibilities for excursion into the mountains, visiting Christchurch (some times sad because of the destructions). Sunday markets, cliff walks and close to a trip to the West coast. Ildikó & Francois
Read Less...Torild & Cato
Norway
Non-simultaneous Home Exchange
Simultaneous Home Exchange
Weekend Home Exchange
Homesit Offered
Homesit Needed
Pet Care Needed
Smoking Not Allowed
Children Welcome
Use of Personal Car is possible
Open to all dates | New Zealand |
Open to all dates | France |
Open to all dates | Open to all destinations |
Description of the home we are offering for exchange
We are looking for exchangers/housesitters for June/July 2019 while we are away. Please get in touch!
Modern eco strawbale home set in the peaceful countryside just a 20 minute drive from Christchurch and the Christchurch International Airport. We built this house ourselves and put everything into it that we love- it is a warm, inviting space that is warm in winter and cool in summer due to the thick straw walls and positioning for sun. Lime and earth plaster walls give the house character, as does the recycled hardwood beams and poles and curved walls. There are three bedrooms and two bathrooms in our 240m2 house, including a restored claw-foot bath.
Outside there are "eco" luxuries as well- a woodburning sauna house that is fashioned from the traditional Finnish sauna. It is a peaceful experience to sit outside and watch all of the animals and birdlife while cooling down from the sauna.
We have lots of animals to entertain both children and adults. We breed kunekune pigs, the New Zealand native domesticated pig (similar to a potbelly pig). Our four pigs are real characters and enjoy attention and food! We have 20+ sheep, and lambs during winter and spring, which are happy to do their own thing. Three chickens will provide you with fresh eggs. And our lovely cat, Amelie, will give you lots of affection after she gets to know you. We also have many birds that visit our property, both native pukekos as well as quail, pheasants and the occasional blue heron.
Many sightseeing activities are within a few hour's drive of our house, from the ocean to the mountains. Check out http://www.christchurchnz.com/. Highlights are the seaside village of Akaroa, the Arthurs Pass National Park (alpine mountains), Hanmer Springs Thermal Resort, Mt Hutt Skifield, lots of walks and things to do in Christchurch. We can give you personal recommendations depending on your interests.
Type
House - 2 or more floors/ Main Residence
Amenities
Entertainment
Extras
Setting
Description of our neighbourhood and surrounding area
We live in a very quiet and peaceful place just outside Christchurch where you can listen to the birds and look at the beautiful night sky. But we are a very easy 20 minute drive into Christchurch too! We live on a road that will easily take you to many sites in Canterbury, although our property is off the road and surrounded by other "lifestyle blocks". It is nice to be so close to Christchurch for food and entertainment but yet come home to a very lovely and quiet place where you can sit outside and view the nature and the birdlife! And right across the road is a big river and a recreational area where you can walk along the river and other forest tracks, do biking or kayaking or even some fishing for trout. Many people use the river on the weekend. If you are into mountain biking, there are many opportunities next door or at McLeans Island (between us and Christchurch).
Outdoor Activities
Leisure
Cultural Activities
Transport Nearby
Neighbourhood Services
Our home exchange - places to go and things to do while staying in our home
We are close to many of the attractions in the Canterbury Region, such as Arthurs Pass National Park (where you can see our alpine forests and our native alpine parrot, the "kea"), Cave Stream (our closest film location for Lord of the Rings), Mt Hutt Skifield, the French seaside settlement of Akaroa, Orana Wildlife Park, Hanmer Springs Thermal Resort, or the winery region of the Wairarapa.
We have so many varied walks so close to us, like the cliffs and ocean track of Godley Head Walk at Taylor's Mistake and the numerous alpine tracks at Arthur's Pass National Park, and many of our favourites are the smaller less-touristy walks (see below for Washpen Falls and Glentui walks - they are our favourite!)
There is lots to see within Christchurch. Willowbank Wildlife Park for our native animals, like the kiwi and the ancient reptile "tuatara". The city centre is rebuilding after the 2010/11 earthquakes. The Antarctic Centre (we are the gateway to the Antarctic for many nations), etc!
Our favourite restaurants
Leisure and cultural activities
Walks or jogging paths
Interesting day trips
Our home exchange - here are our Preferences and House Rules
We are open to offers at any time. Our preference these days is for longer exchanges in areas of natural beauty, but we are open to any offer and respond quickly. Especially interested in weekend exchanges in New Zealand.
We like to stay in one place more than a week to relax and see everything. Rural is just as nice as cities if there is nice scenery/walking/kayaking etc.
House Rules- As we built our house ourselves, we ask that you take very good care of it. Our natural materials can be delicate, so special care needed on timber surfaces. No smoking inside. We will always make arrangements for our dog to be elsewhere, but if we agree that you will feed our cat and chickens and pigs, please do so! And we expect that the house and car will be as clean as the condition we left them in.
Conditions
Use of Personal Car
Home Exchange Type
Became a member in: 2012
Renewal Date: 31/Mar/2019
We are a couple in our 40s and we love nature and animals. Our holidays are usually spent doing outdoor activities. But on the other hand we love architecture and buildings and are fascinated by old architecture and new houses! We love to look after animals while on house exchanges. And we have recently discovered that we love finding a good antique/retro shop while on holiday to find the best souvenirs!
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Pets,
Hiking
Affiliations
Civil Service Professionals
Profession
IT, engineering, farming
Our pets
1 dog, 1 cat, 3 chickens, 4 pet pigs and many sheep
Heather & John
New Zealand
Jenny & Malcolm
New Zealand
Beate
Norway
We had a wonderful stay in Darci and Andrews house. Chrischurch is a nice city and the area is perfect for many different activities. We did tramping ...
Read More...We had a wonderful stay in Darci and Andrews house. Chrischurch is a nice city and the area is perfect for many different activities. We did tramping in the Mountains, tubing in the beautiful Rainforest, visited several beaches, zipline, mountain biking and much, much more! Looking after the Kune Kune pigs and the chicken made our stay even better! Thank you!
Read Less...John & Lis
New Zealand
Ildiko & Francois
Hungary
We have been very friendly received in the new house of our exchange partners. The large rooms and the nice wood constructions gave us instantaneous a...
Read More...We have been very friendly received in the new house of our exchange partners. The large rooms and the nice wood constructions gave us instantaneous a homely feeling. We liked also to feed the Kuni Kuni pigs and even the chicken loved us. There are hundreds of possibilities for excursion into the mountains, visiting Christchurch (some times sad because of the destructions). Sunday markets, cliff walks and close to a trip to the West coast. Ildikó & Francois
Read Less...Torild & Cato
Norway
Over 70 years of home exchange experience
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