It is now at the point of my travels where my finances are extremely low. Therefore, whenever I can, I swap trade for accommodation and food. Over the years I have picked up quite a few skills that have come in handy. I recently managed to bag myself a warm bed and food for a week by helping out with some renovations in a guesthouse in Melbourne. It has been a while since I actually worked on a construction site but I knew I could lend a hand. When it came to the specifics I was honest and said it would be better to call a professional, I could repaint a wall but window repairs were another story. I said I’d find her a good window repairs contractor in Melbourne. I did help out with some of the painting and brickwork but mainly I just organised the different labours to come and fix up the windows, doors and metalwork.
It was very kind of the landlady to give me the room especially because apart from the light manual labour, she was pretty capable of doing everything I was doing. It was nice to know that she trusted me to organise and book all the services for the renovation. The sweet landlady assured me that I was a great help and wished she could do more than give me a bed and food.
I think she enjoyed the company, as far as I could tell she lived alone. With the last bits of painting done and the timber window repairs complete it was time for me to move on. I thanked her for her extreme kindness and hit the pavement.
I’m on the road again looking for the next place that needs a skilled jack of all trades. The only issue with working for free is not making any money. It’s a vicious cycle. I need money to work to make more money. For the moment, I’m good with a balanced bank account, at least it’s not negative and as long as the generosity of humanity continues I should be comfortable.