Homestay: A New Experience

Normally when I travel free and easy I like to stay in hostels. It is because staying in hostel can have the chance to mingle with other travellers and enhance our experience. After all most of the time during the day I will be out roaming the place, so a clean room with clean toilet and comfortable bed will suffice. One of my favourites is the YHA hostel. I have stayed in YHA hostels in China, New Zealand and Cambodia.
When I was preparing my self-drive tour in NSW Australia recently, YHA  came into my mind naturally.

For example in Armidale I was looking at this :

For Byron Bay I was looking at this :

Before I left for Australia I have renewed my Hostelling International membership . Membership fee in RM40/yr. HI members can get a 10% discount on room rates in YHA hostels and entrance fees on certain tourist attractions worldwide.

But there is no YHA hostel in the area of my first night stop over,  Mudgee and Gulgong. So I have to scout for other options.

After some browsing I discover this website :
Airbnb

As listed in the web page :
Travel
From apartments and rooms to treehouses and boats : stay in unique spaces in 190 countries.

Host
Renting out your unused space could pay your bills or fund your next vacation.

Airbnb is like a social media community where registered members can rent out any free space that they have and be a host to some travellers . The guest may be staying in a room in the same house as the host, in a cabin or detached unit in the same compound of the host's house or even in a unit where the host is not there. Of course there is a quoted room rate and the Airbnb charges a service fee as well. An interested traveller sends in his/her request and it is up to the host to accept or reject the booking.

There is another social media community, Couch Surfing. But this is a voluntary service where members host guest for free.

So I gave it a first trial at Airbnb.
When I keyed in Mudgee as my destination, I found these options :

Among those options I chose a farm house in Menah, Mudgee, hosted by the couple Craig and Janelle.The host has written a very comprehensive description about the place and surrounding area. Previous guests have given very good reviews too,

On the day of my trip , this is the scenery seen from my driver's seat when I was approaching the entrance of the farm house

Passed the entrance od the 25 acre farm and approaching the gate of the house

The house already in sight

Pressed a button on a pillar and the auto gate swings open

I was fascinated by this solar-powered auto gate.

After a bout 30 sec the gate swings to close behind you

The farm house

The host is a flying school instructor as well

The lady guest relaxing in the back yard

Sheeps in the farm

And a horse too

Close-up shot of a parrot in the cage

Three more parrots. Too bad they didn't talk to me

The friendly dog

Another pet in the house

It's meal time.

The hosts went to work. We have the whole lounge to ourselves.

On the night of our stay, our hosts fired up the fire place to warm up the lounge expecting us to join in the TV session. But we were too tired and went to bed immediately after dinner. Sorry Craig and Janelle, wasted your kind gesture :)

Nice and comfortable setting

Cosy room and comfy bed

Our hostess Janelle prepared this awesome egg and toast for us

Smiling faces after a nice morning chat at the breakfast table

This was our first go at homestay and I would say it was a fantastic experience. We were lucky to have Craig and Janelle as our first host. Thanks for the warm hospitality, Craig and Janelle.