Personal Designations

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Community Designations

Languages

• English (Australia)^Expert

Groups I Belong To

New Hampshire 536:610 Why: Planning to visit in June July 2012	Maine 1016:707 Why: Planning to visit in June / July 2012 need some advice :-)
LETS CELEBRATE OUR CHILDREN B-DAY 58:323 Why: Brilliant idea, we have a 10 year old daughter, Shanice...just "found" this group...we also CS with Jeff in Olen in 2008...awesome visit...	Family Welcome Group 13841:22851 Why: We plan to travel as a family (3) and to meet and host other CS members who are travelling with their families in Australia!!
Active in 81 more groups. Show them all

Couch Information

We have a Queen bed in the guest room....Please read my profile...or email me with any questions...AFTER you have spent the time to read this info...!!...

I will not reply to "blanket" emails...

Please send me an email message via CS with your questions...

PLEASE be sure your profile is filled in with references and photos before you send a request to surf in our home...otherwise I may not answer you...

WE ARE A VEGETARIAN FAMILY...we do eat eggs and dairy...we do NOT eat fish or chicken....*¤*¨Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ¨*¤.¤*Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ*¤*

I have a phrase written in my profile, mention it in your email CS request to me...then I know you have read my profile and you really want to come and CS with my family...I don´t like COPY PASTE requests - be more personalised - don't make a request if you're in a hurry...you will not get an answer...

Our house is a home NOT A HOTEL/HOSTEL, if you use a glass, plate, toilet, shower or anything PLEASE LEAVE IT CLEAN (we don't have a maid/servant to do it)...if we come to your home we will behave the same way...

Our home is literally amoungst the Gum trees, view my pictures and you will see.....

We have a guest bedroom with a very comfy Queen size Bed. Full linen and towels supplied. We also have wireless internet connection available...you will need your own laptop to log on...

I am happy to offer you breakfast and a home cooked VEGETARIAN meal during your stay...You are welcome to use our kitchen, but you will need to buy your own food NO MEAT, or contribute to the groceries whilst CS with us and clean up after yourself when you have finished...we will do the same in your home...

PLEASE note we are a vegetarian household, so I prefer NO meat to be cooked in our home....

We can accomodate a couple of children also....possibly more if you write and ask...

We have 3 children Damien 23, Elisha 21 and Shanice 11, two cats - Fluffy and Crystal and her 2 kittens and 5 chickens

NON Smoking house...NO DRUGS...

We can spend a little time together and show you around as we live in a high tourist area, but also a very peaceful area in the hills 45 minutes from Melbourne centre, easy to access by train, cost about Aus$6.00...anytime of the week is fine to come and stay...

We go to bed at no set time some nights 11.00pm others 1.00am just depends how we feel each day...guests are welcome to go to bed whenever, the guest room is away from the living area so it is very quiet...

Please be sure to read the couchsurfing guidlines

http://www.couchsurfing.com/wiki/How_to_be_a_good_guest

Please NOTE - due to a few threads I have read on groups here I feel it is necessary to say we are happy to offer you a DAILY shower, we are on water restrictions in our area so 5 minute maximum ONCE A DAY is IT...


http://www.couchsurfing.com/group_read.html?gid=24&post=938618

We have the "Puffingbilly" 100+ year old steam train run along our back fence...

www.puffingbilly.com.au

www.bluedandenongs.com.au


This article from the Age newspaper has lots of links embedded in it of places to visit in my area....

www.theage.com.au/news/Victoria/Belgrave/2005/02/17/1108500206235.html


William Ricketts Sanctuary is a MUST see in our area it features Kiln-fired clay sculptures of Aboriginal figures set discreetly among rocks, fern trees and Mountain Ash. A testament to William Ricketts's philosophy - that all people need to act as custodians of the natural environment in the same way as the Aborigines, the inspiration for much of his work. The gardens contain a total of 92 ceramic sculptures of people and animals which merge with the natural surroundings. This truely is a unique experience...have a look at my photo album


http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=216

Also in our area are a number of other parks and gardens

Alfred Nicholas Gardens

Dandenong Ranges National Park

George Tindale Memorial Gardens

National Rhododendron Gardens

My son, Damien's business "Cloud 9 Recording Studio" is sponsoring the Rubys Unsigned Bands Competition at the local music venue in Belgrave "Rubys" every Wednesday night for the next month or two

http://www.rubyslounge.com.au/gigs/

http://www.cloud9recordingstudio.com

http://www.moshtix.com.au/record.asp?lEventID=16577

www.melbourne.world-guides.com

http://www.auinfo.com

For what's on around Melbourne

Melbournes train and tram system

For help planning your Aussie holiday try these web sites

http://www.oztourism.com.au/ozhols.htm

http://wikitravel.org/en/Melbourne/Central

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/destination/australia

"Be firm like a rock, deep and serious like the sea.
Think of the Earth as a Mother. This is one Earth.
Don't be divided by thinking of yourself as belonging
to different countries. This is one Earth." — Babaji

Friends (79)

+ Add to my friends

Map of friends

Damien.w 23, Male Menzies Creek, Victoria Australia Friends since July 1988 "My parents profile...they have been members almost 4 years" Friendship Type: Close Friend    30+	Mela Joy 54, Female Melbourne, Victoria Australia Friends since February 1992 "Nicole and I met 16 years ago in country Victoria where we both lived at the time. We both think outside the square which means we share a wonderful mental rapport. And also a mutual support system intellectually, emotionally and spiritually." Friendship Type: Close Friend
James Grundy 23, Male Stavanger, Rogaland Norway Friends since July 1996 "Family friend" Friendship Type: Friend	Claire and Paul Haywood 52, Several people Melbourne, Victoria Australia Friends since January 2006 "Neighbours for 3 years, now good friends..." Friendship Type: Good Friend
Faye David Bennetto 72, Several people Melbourne, Victoria Australia Friends since April 2008 "Met through my Daughter " Friendship Type: Good Friend	PAUL Martucci 46, Male Chandler, Arizona United States Friends since July 2009 "She & her family stayed at my house when they were visiting Arizona." Friendship Type: CouchSurfing Friend    3
Dawn Costello 50, Female Livermore, California United States Friends since September 2009 "Nicole, Peter and Shanice sand anothr CSer stayed at my home for a couple days" Friendship Type: Good Friend    4	Tiffany Bray 38, Several people Perth, Western Australia Australia Friends since January 2009 "Our daughters are friends at school" Friendship Type: Friend
TRACEY DIBARTOLO 50, Several people Adelaide, South Australia Australia Friends since August 2008 "met on holidays in Bellbrae Victoria" Friendship Type: CouchSurfing Friend    6   1	Arne Nico Krage 21, Male Hamburg, Hamburg Germany Friends since May 2011 "I met Nicole and Peter whilst hitchhicking in the South Island of New Zealand...they picked me up..." Friendship Type: Friend    2
69 more friends

Christmas 2007
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Personal Description

Create your own travel map or travel blog.
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How I Participate in CS

CouchSurfing Experience

Interests

Philosophy

Music, Movies, Books

Types of People I enjoy

Teach, Learn, Share

One Amazing Thing I've Seen or Done

Opinion on the CouchSurfing.org Project

Locations Traveled

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From Marte Persdatter Tangvik
 Trondheim, Norway
 ^{Jan 13}    

Positive

I am so happy I got to stay with Nicole and her family for four days in their beautiful home. I had a great time! Nicole was nice enough to show me around a lot (including seeing kangaroos) in her area. Her youngest daughter, Shanice, and I went on the steam train the runs right through her backyard, as well as making a gingerbread house for Christmas. Nicole is an excellent cook and a very friendly person. Hope to see you in Norway soon!

From Damien.w
 Menzies Creek, Australia
 ^{Jul 30, 2011}     

Positive

My parents Nicole and Peter have been members of this community for over 3 and 1/2 years. We have had a number of CS come and stay in our home and they have travelled to many countries since joining with my youngest sister Shanice and surfed...
Check out their profile for comments and references.

From Bethany Brett
 Nelson, New Zealand
 ^{May 23, 2011}    

Positive

So Nicole is pretty much awesome. My best friend and I met Nicole and her husband in Milford Sound and we loved talking to them. I didn't have any experience with couch surfing, but they had such high praise for the community that I decided to join. I hope that everyone in the CS world gets the chance to meet such wonderful people. Nicole, I really hope that I get a chance to visit you in Australia some day.

From Danielle Thompson
 Brookline, United States
 ^{May 18, 2011}    

Positive

I was lucky enough to run into Nicole and her husband on a cruise boat! We shared a couple of meals and some wonderful stories of all of our travels. I instantly loved both of them and hopefully will get out to visit them at some point!

From Arne Nico Krage
 Hamburg, Germany
 ^{May 16, 2011}    

Positive

I was standing at the side of the road looking for a short lift in the South Island of New Zealand. Nicole and Peter picked me up and even offered me the next day two travel with them again. Instead of just having a short lift I had a lot of fun doing siteseeing for two days with those wonderful and nice people. And in the end Nicole teached me how to use couchsurfing, I joined before coming to NZ, but was not sure how to use it, so this is GREAT, now I can CS...

 

From PAUL Martucci
 Chandler, United States
 ^{Apr 29, 2011}     

Positive

I met Nicole & her family through a mutual CS friend. When they stayed at my house it was a wonderful experience. So very genuine and kind and just all around fun to hang out with. We've met again a few years later and have always kept in touch through CS (and FB). So nice to know good people from the other side of the world!

 

From Debbie Maclin
 Acworth, United States
 ^{Apr 27, 2011}     

Positive

Nicole, Peter, and Shanice surfed with us for three nights. The came for one night and we liked them so much that we asked them to stop again on their way back through ATL. The were great guests and I hope felt right at home. Shanice is such a lovely girl and a GREAT traveler. I can't wait to go to Australia to visit with them. By the way, Peter even helped me mow the lawn!!

From SSEQUELS
 Birmingham, United States
 ^{Apr 24, 2011}     

Positive

Nicole, Peter and Shanice were great guests and the time together passed all too quickly. I think my entire family enjoyed having them here and would love to host them again one day. We look forward to making the trip to Australia one day, or at least sending one or both of the kids for a visit.

From Jason McFarlane
 Lebanon, United States
 ^{Apr 17, 2011}    

Positive

I met Nicole and her daughter Shanice while they were surfing with my good friends. She struck me as a wonderful, well-traveled woman with a quick smile and a sweet personality.

If given the chance, get to know Nicole and you won't be disappointed! I wish her well as she travels around the world and of course, I wish her beautiful family the best!

 

From Elmina Beiler
 Gap, United States
 ^{Apr 12, 2011}     

Positive

Nicole and her daughter Shanice were great guests! Memories of our time include great discussions, cooking, and networking. We hope to visit them in Australia one day!

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