Hi @Colin
Thank you so much for your very helpful response (and @Smiley through PM)
That is great info re the public transit options and not back tracking.
Perfect that home owners are receptive to you using their vehicles as well especially when you are doing longer sits.
Sounds like you will have an amazing trip, enjoy.
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Hi Colin! You are living my dream! I spent a short 3 weeks of heaven in NZ in January of 2020 and knew with certainty that I had to go back for a much longer stay… and then…LOCK DOWN! I don’t visit the forum very often, but when I do, I always appreciate reading your input as it always seems level headed. I will take your advice with kiwi and aussie and join them as well. I’ve taken a peep at them already. Yes, I would appreciate a referral code.
I’m not 100% sure of where I would like to stay in Australia but I’m leaning towards the Melbourne and Sydney.
What you said about changing my location makes sense as long as it doesn’t interfere with Sits I’ll be looking for in the meanwhile in the US. Do you change yours consistently? It totally makes sense.
Yes, the 5 max rule has made things more challenging to be sure. It’s interesting b/c when I spoke with a nice guy at the THS support center this came up and he said many people on the internal team don’t like it either. I try to tell myself that at the end of the day- I’m where I belong. Wishing you all the best in your journey’s!
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Hi @1gypsygurl - Thank you and, yes, we do feel like we are living the dream at the moment! We gave up our permanent address in September 2020 with the intention of randomly moving around the UK for a few months - we never in a million years thought that we would be here in New Zealand with three months worth of house-sitting ahead of us before we head over to Oz to do the same again!!
We found that all our private invitations were asking us to sit in Manchester as by looking at our profile it looks as if that is our base - however, it isn’t - it is where we were, not where we want to be! For that reason we now change our location constantly depending on where we want to go. It is currently still set to Auckland and I am leaving it like that for a while as I have a couple of applications outstanding and I have given that link to check out our reviews - I will soon be changing it again to Melborne or Sydney as they are the two cities that we also want to visit whilst we are in Australia
I think that I sometimes sound a little too critical of THS - They are not perfect, the review system is hopeless and the 5 application rule is such a bad idea, but I am still a big fan - we just have to accept the fact that we are not going to like all their rules, It’s a bit like buying a box of quality street knowing that you hate the strawberry cremes 
I hope your travel plans continue to go well,
All the best, Colin x
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Thanks for the tips and discount codes Colin! I’m researching the heck out of Australia and narrowing down my geographic journey.
I’ve run across a travel blogger that has some great info. Jonnymelon.com he is from Australia and has also been to several of my future destinations.
Have a beautiful day!
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Thank you to everyone for your great tips! There are some I’ve been using but definitely some things I haven’t ….and will now implement! I realized that I needed to study my destinations more closely (on it!) so I could make sure my search was matching my journey.
Yesterday I applied for a sit that I’m super hopeful about. You know… the kind of sit where you keep checking to see if they’ve read your heart felt application yet 
You guys are the best! Thanks 
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Thanks for the tip! I followed the directions and HOPE I’ve done it correctly. Have a beautiful day!
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That does look like a good blog. Thanks for that 
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| Colin
21 November |
- | - |
Hi @1gypsygurl - Thank you and, yes, we do feel like we are living the dream at the moment! We gave up our permanent address in September 2020 with the intention of randomly moving around the UK for a few months - we never in a million years thought that we would be here in New Zealand with three months worth of house-sitting ahead of us before we head over to Oz to do the same again!!
We found that all our private invitations were asking us to sit in Manchester as by looking at our profile it looks as if that is our base - however, it isn’t - it is where we were, not where we want to be! For that reason we now change our location constantly depending on where we want to go. It is currently still set to Auckland and I am leaving it like that for a while as I have a couple of applications outstanding and I have given that link to check out our reviews - I will soon be changing it again to Melborne or Sydney as they are the two cities that we also want to visit whilst we are in Australia
I think that I sometimes sound a little too critical of THS - They are not perfect, the review system is hopeless and the 5 application rule is such a bad idea, but I am still a big fan - we just have to accept the fact that we are not going to like all their rules, It’s a bit like buying a box of quality street knowing that you hate the strawberry cremes
I hope your travel plans continue to go well,All the best, Colin x
Colin, being a new(ish) user to this forum I’m not sure how to send private messages. Can you please enlighten me?
Thanks!
Yep! We can see your profile now!
Planning ahead for 2023, I would love to travel and do house-sits in AFRICA - but other than in English-speaking South Africa hardly ever an offer comes up in the African continent on THS. Does anyone know of another website or organisation, perhaps a French-based or Dutch-based one which could offer more opportunities?
3 posts were merged into an existing topic: Conclusion Of Pausing Application Test - Updated Post
@1gypsygirl NZ Homeowner here - we set up our 3 month sit (March - June 2023) with international sitters last August as we can’t travel without confirmed sitters and we don’t book anything till we have confirmed sitters. So I guess that says it’s never too early to start looking!
I wouldn’t worry too much about a car in NZ. As a kiwi and recently spent a year there house-sitting, a Kiwis approach to car use is much more relaxed than in the UK.
It is also very easy, and usually free, to add someone to an existing insurance policy. Usually done in 5mins online.
Even the ones that didn’t specify car use, they all gave me use of a car. Just check that you are happy with the excess payable in an event of an accident.
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Thank you for your reply! I must say, I’m feeling discouraged so far. In less than a week I’ve applied for and quickly turned down for 4 applications. 2 in NZ and2 in Australia. I guess I’ve been spoiled because My success rate in securing sits (up until now) has been much more favorable. (Percentage wise).
My plan has been to spend at least 3 -4 months (which I’ve expressed) hoping to reassure hosts that I’m very committed to my travel. Of course the time difference causes there to usually be several sits submitted prior to me being notified of the opportunity….and then 5 application max restriction exacerbates the challenge =( I really hope this turns around after Christmas.
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Well said!
“You can please all of the people some of the time…” [apocryphal; Lydgate, Lincoln]
Except it’s the green truffle that one needs to avoid of course 
Isn’t it more just trying to get the toffee penny first? Followed by the coconut one. The rest will eventually get eaten by someone else 
I am also starting to plan my travel for 2023. I intend to start of in Ireland. I see many listing for the coming Christmas period but nothing much for May onwards when I plan to start. I am also hoping for north Scotland as I was in Edinburgh this year and didn’t get a chance to travel too far out. Wales is also where I would like to visit.
I have saved searches and favourites to notify me when a suitable sit is listed. As I have never had a pet dog, I only offer to sit cats and other small animals. So that really limits my choices as well.
Perhaps based on the many sharings here, I will try out NZ for 2024 
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I have to be very honest, but I do smirk when I see a 2-day or even a 5-day housesit listed for May 2023 or even Sep 2023. We’ve experienced time and time again that the sits we agreed upon loooong in advance, are often the ones that end up being cancelled for various reasons. I understand if it’s a 2-4 week sit already being advertised, but come on, a 3-day sit, that far in advance?
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I’ll put that to mind. 
. Indeed plausible