That's just the way it is.

Always on the lookout for possibilities, is this a low-allergy house? It looks reasonable with polished timber floors and timber lining; any sign of carpet and we're not interested. It's sited on 5 acres of land, has two bedrooms and is rented out as a holiday house earning over $850 a week, according to the agent. Presently the house isn't earning anything because it's unoccupied and for sale. Ben would like to try living in it for a while but the agent insists on full rent, even in low season. "That's just the way it is," says the agent who sounds rather inflexible.


Ben's heading further south for a few days. He plans to catch up with friends at Cambridge and visit Boyd Sweeney, the gem cutter, in Hobart.