Pearl & John

Dates now available: 18 - 22 January 2025
1 - 18 February 2025


We are a retired, healthy, young-at-heart Scottish couple who enjoy travelling. Have been house & pet caring for 14 years. Have a son in Scotland and a daughter & 8 y.o. grandson in Waikanae. He is our only grandchild and the main reason for our frequent visits from Scotland to New Zealand - this will be our 17th visit to your beautiful country.

Extremely fond of animals - especially cats. Have been owned by 4 cats in the past - all with their own individual personalities. The latter two were strays and it was a great honour being chosen by them! We also enjoy walking little dogs (or 'wee dugs' as they say in Scotland!).

We are members of Trusted Housesitters (listed under Edinburgh, Pearl & John) and at present have 37 5* reviews plus 4 external references from New Zealand home owners.

We are home owners (reside 7 miles from Edinburgh), non-smokers and also fully Covid-19 vaccinated (latest October 2024). We consider ourselves to be reliable and trustworthy with a cheerful disposition. Will respect your home and take excellent care of your pets, household plants etc.

John is a retired Principal Teacher of Physical Education (33 years total teaching) then 5 years as Active Schools Manager. He is a golfer & bowler.
Pearl is a retired secretary - prior to retirement I worked in our local Social Services Centre for 25 years - 10 with Children & Families and then 15 with the Criminal Justice Team.

In 2004, John was awarded a Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fund, choosing to spend 7 weeks in New Zealand studying team sport and recreation and its influence on adolescent development. Myself and our daughter accompanied him for 3 weeks - it was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience - however little did we know it would be the beginning of our love affair with New Zealand! Our daughter returned to New Zealand in 2005 and we have travelled many times since then to visit her and our wee Kiwi grandson.