House Sitting Magazine Issue 10: May 2017

You'll find extra news, reviews and snippets throughout the magazine!

Into The Wilderness Of Botswana Ian Usher

House Sitters - How to Target Expat Communities Vanessa Anderson

Who's Behind HouseSitSearch?

Interview with the developers

Some Dogs Will Eat Anything!

Compilation

Destination Colorado Springs, US Vikki Walton

Getting Around The Windward Isles (Caribbean) Yvonne Bauche

DogVacay - Airbnb For Dogs Brenda Middle

Living On The Land - Spanish Manor Style Jenny Lincoln

A Doggy Bromance Dan Cygler

House Sitting Magazine Group Poll House Sitting News

In the next issue...

INTO THE WILDERNESS OF BOTSWANA

by Ian Usher

As we prepare to publish the May 2017 edition of House Sitting Magazine, Vanessa and I are a couple of weeks into one of the most unusual, interesting and challenging assignments of our house sitting career to date.

We are now in Botswana, in Southern Africa, on a three month house sit out in the bush, on the banks of the beautiful Boteti River, to the east of the town of Maun.

We applied for this sit over a year ago, and were very proud to finally secure the assignment from a pool of more than 150 applicants. Our extensive background of off-grid and remote location experience put us among the front-runners, and several lengthy emails and a couple of Skype chats eventually sealed the deal.

NOTE: We covered off-grid living and some of the challenges involved in Issue 8 of House Sitting Magazine At the end of April we flew from London to Johannesburg in South Africa, and a shorter flight with Air Botswana brought us to Maun, the heart of the busy safari industry in Botswana.

Maun is the gateway to the Okavango Delta, an enormous area covering around 15,000 square km. Here the Okavango River spreads out to create an enormous flood plain, where wildlife abounds.

Inside the delta there are many safari options, varying from simple basic campsites to high-end luxury lodges. Those on the outskirts of the delta can be reached by vehicle, but the lodges in the centre can often only be accessed by plane or helicopter.

Our home is on the banks of one of the rivers below the delta, to the east of town, which is about 40 km away. Until recently the house relied on a petrol generator for all power, and a "donkey boiler" for hot water - basically a fire built under a big tank of water. The water for the house is pumped into a tank from a deep bore hole. The water for the garden is pumped straight from the river.

However, not long before our arrival our home owners made a couple of significant upgrades.

They installed a solar system for electricity, and a solar geyser for hot water.

They even installed a satellite internet connection, which seems to work fine during the early mornings and late evenings. During the day it currently appears to be nothing more than a useless decoration!

So for the past couple of weeks we have been adapting to new routines which enable us to keep everything running smoothly. We are up early to check emails and do a bit of work on the magazine before the internet connection slows to an unusable crawl. Then as the sun begins to power the solar system we can pump water to the header tank, and run the swimming pool pump.

Yes! We have a swimming pool, but as it is fast approaching winter here in the southern hemisphere the water is a bit nippy. We haven't been in it yet, and I'm not sure we will.

We have a couple of gardening staff who come to take care of the grounds of the property, making sure everything is watered and kept tidy.

In winter in Botswana the skies are clear, so solar power isn't too much of an issue, but we still need to keep a close eye on everything. Showers are best taken mid-afternoon, when the tank of solar-heated water is at its warmest.

In the afternoons we can sit out by the river - not too close, as there are hippos in the area (we have heard there are crocs here too, but as yet we haven't seen any). It's a lovely spot to relax, read a book, or just watch the water lazily swirl by.

We usually have dinner early, before it gets too dark, as lighting in the house isn't very bright.

And for evening entertainment we have a USB stick packed with TV shows and movies which we can watch on the computer.

We had hoped to do some teaching online while here (we both work as English (TEFL) teachers for a Chinese company), but the satellite link isn't stable enough to guarantee a decent connection. We managed a couple of lessons each early in the month, but failed to get into the online classroom for a few others, so have given up.

I can't say I am too heart-broken to have three months off, but we will have to watch the budget a little more closely while we aren't earning anything!

We'll bring you more stories from Botswana over the coming months.

Ian and Vanessa (currently house sitting off-grid in Maun, Botswana for three months)

HOUSE SITTERS - HOW TO TARGET EXPAT COMMUNITIES

by Vanessa Anderson

If you're an international traveler and house sitter, you've probably found that many of your assignments are in expat retirement or semi-retirement communities.

In Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama, you'll find North Americans and Canadians. In Spain and France you'll find Brits. In Bali, Indonesia and Asia you'll find Aussies and Kiwis.

And of course there will be a mix of many other nationalities too, just in smaller numbers.

Why expats need house sitters While most house sits are for home owners simply taking their annual vacations, a large number are also for expats returning home to see their families and friends. Or, for their own holidays and extended travel.

They might also need to leave a country periodically for immigration or visa renewal purposes.

In Panama for example, immigration rules have just been changed without much notice. Expats living without residency now have to leave the country for a month before they can renew their visa and re-enter the country.

This has opened up a completely new opportunity for house sitters wanting to spend time in this Central American country.

Feeling secure among expats For new or wannabe house sitters, it may be more reassuring to find a house sit in an expat community. You can benefit from the expat support system, which is especially comforting if it's your first time in a new, perhaps less developed country than your own.

In some countries, you'll find gated expat communities. Again, if you are concerned about safety or security you may prefer this option.

This is all a matter of preference. We like to live as locals when house sitting in a different culture, and tend to pick more remote properties. We find living in expat communities inhibits local interaction. But, it's still possible (as we found in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico), to live in a gated community, yet gravitate to local markets and local events, rather than fall into the trap of expat only activities.

Can't I simply find expat gigs on house sitting websites?

Yes of course, and in the majority of cases you will. But we've found, having just spent 8 months in Central America, that a fair number of house sits don't actually make it to a house sitting platform. Often they are offered as word-of-mouth referrals or among smaller Facebook or focus groups on the internet.

When expats move abroad, they often experience new challenges, especially if living off-grid (no mains electric or water). They tend to congregate at regular expat social haunts to discuss these difficulties, to look for solutions and to give each other support. Communities build and it's in these smaller social groups that the topic of using house sitters generally arises.

Taking on house sitters for the first time is a worry to many home owners, and so finding people through good referrals is often much more reassuring. We know people who have moved to an area to house sit, and found themselves staying for years as they move from one house sit referral to another.

Quality referrals It's important to stress here that we are talking about "quality" referrals. Opportunities that are passed from one professional house sitter to another, where the referrer has had personal experience with the home owners and pets. Or vice versa. As house sitters, you will have firsthand knowledge of other sitters, before recommending them for an assignment.

There are a growing number of regional Facebook groups and other online forums where house sit assignments and house sitter profiles can be listed free of charge. Whilst most are legitimate posts, there is more of a risk (in my opinion) that something could go wrong, and so caution and due diligence should always be exercised.

Most of the larger house sitting websites have introduced identity checks, trust verification and references or reviews - this is for a reason, and if you choose to by-pass this for a no-cost option you need to make sure you aren't putting yourself, your property or your pets at risk.

There are a number of common sense checks that you can make in these cases, and we'll look at those in more detail next month.

Identify where expats live Before you market yourself to expat communities, you need to: 1. Decide where in the world you want to house sit 2. Establish how to access any expat communities in these locations.

There are a number of popular expat websites that list countries and regions where expats choose to retire or work. You can also look up retirement websites where there's some crossover of expat living.

These are a great starting place for your research. Especially if you need some inspiration for international house sitting locations. As well as providing information about expat communities, you'll also get lots of info about climate, visas, safety, cost of living, excursions etc.

Here are some websites to get you started:       

http://www.expat.com/forum/ http://www.InternationalLiving.com https://www.bestplacesintheworldtoretire.com http://www.expatexchange.com/ http://www.expatwomen.com/ http://www.transitionsabroad.com http://www.justlanded.com

For a comprehensive list of websites and reading, check out these links:  

https://www.expatinfodesk.com/expat-guide/resources/websites/ https://expatmarketing.com/expat-websites

Don't forget to look in the "comments" as well.

When you find "lists" of other websites, you'll often find people suggest smaller, lesser known websites in the comments, that are also worth checking out.

Create some shareable information Once you've decided on an area, or while further contemplating your desired house sit location, you can also get started on creating some shareable information.

You need to have something that you can present to people in your chosen expat communities, to demonstrate your professionalism and your house sitting experience.

For new house sitters: If you are completely new to house sitting, start by house sitting for friends and family. Even just a few nights here and there will quickly build-up your experience and references. More importantly, you will discover if house sitting is actually for you.

Not everyone is suited to living in other people's homes, with other people's pets. And… house sitting comes with responsibilities - it's not just a free holiday. Make sure you're OK with the restrictions of house sitting, before committing to an assignment in another country where the challenges and daily tasks may be even greater.

Assuming you're still keen to promote yourself, prepare one or more of the following support documents:       

Create a personal house sitting website * Make a simple house sitting "resume" in Microsoft word (with pictures) Duplicate your professional house sitting website profile as a word document Draft an introductory letter with links to your platform profiles and websites Make a document that contains all your best and most recent references, include someone that is willing to be contacted by email, phone or Skype.

Create a business card with contact details Make a short 2 minute video introducing yourself

*A personal house sitting website is one of the best tools you can create to market yourself. It's visual, informative and can easily be kept up-to-date as you progress through your house sitting career. For an example, check ours at: http://LongTermHouseSitters.com We've been told on numerous occasions that our website sealed the deal because we came across immediately as professional house sitters.

Network in expat forums & Facebook groups While researching different expat websites, you'll also come across forums and social media groups for the locations you are focusing on.

Start to make contact. But not like a "bull in a china shop".

If a Facebook group offers you the opportunity to introduce yourself, do that. Don't ask for anything at this stage, simply introduce yourself, and say that you're hoping to house sit and travel in the area, and you want to find out more about what it's like to live there.

Start a thread in a group or forum by asking a relevant question. Do a search of the group first to make sure the topic hasn't recently been covered.

If someone starts interacting with you specifically about house or pet sitting (and the group rules allow), you might be able to put a link in your reply comment to your website or profile.

Or you could offer to "PM" (private message) the person to strike up a more personal conversation.

Avoid blatant self promotion Unless the group is set up for house sitters and home owners to advertise their services, don't blast in with your first comment as, "I'm a house sitter looking for house sits in your area" - it's likely to get short shrift from moderators.

This is generally known as "self promotion" and is NOT allowed in many forums and groups.

Check out the "pinned" notices and read the guidelines for the group you are interacting with.

Instead try telling your story and people will naturally connect with you if they relate to your situation.

Sometimes groups will have specific posts on which you can "self-promote" periodically. Again, this is usually detailed in the "pinned" notice or forum guidelines.

Another tip is to search the group for "house sitting" or "pet sitting" to see if any threads have already been created. You might find some members that you can contact in this case.

This might seem like a lot of work, but if you are serious about house sitting, expat groups can provide quality contacts that may provide you with many repeat house sits.

For example, at our house sit in San Miguel, we met 3 sets of neighbors who all asked us about our availability. We could have house sat continually in that one gated community for most of a year had we wanted to stay in one area.

How to find Facebook expat groups It's quite easy really. Simply use the Facebook search and enter "expat" and the country you are looking for, "expat Mexico" for example.

You'll get a list of pages and groups that might be of interest. You'll also see how many members the group has.

Or you can narrow down your search to a town or city: "expat Madrid" where you'll discover a group with over 7500 expat members! This is also an indication of how many expats might be living in that city. In this “Madrid” example, it could quite possibly be working expats rather than retired expats. House sits here may be shorter term rather than long term.

Contact the moderators You can always ask the moderators or admins of a forum or group if it's OK to advertise your free house sitting services. They may see it more as a benefit to expats rather than blatant self promotion. It's always worth a try. Some groups are much more rigidly moderated than others.

As you build your contacts and network in expat groups, you'll find yourself connecting with people that you can then offer to house sit for. If they aren't interested ask if they know anyone who is.

Networking on the job Once you have your first house sit in an expat community, it becomes even easier to market yourself. Much of this will take place as you socialize with neighbors and other expats in the area.

This is when having a business card really works well. We find that when house sitting, we are asked about our lifestyle over and over. Having a card that we can hand out with our website details allows for an easy introduction.

Here are some other ideas to build up your contacts:          

Introduce yourself to the neighbors - tell them what you do, leave some cards Check social media groups and forums for details of local activities you can join Check out meetup.com to see if there are any social groups that you can join Find the busiest expat hair or beauty salons in the area and ask if you can leave a few business cards, or better still a few flyers Pin a card or flyer to every local notice board you find Discover where the local dog parks are and network Visit the local vets and rescue centres, network, leave information Ask around to see which bars and restaurants are most often frequented by expats Pop flyers or business cards in mail boxes at houses where you hear a dog bark as you pass by (you'll need to walk the streets for this one!) Or where you see a cat in a window!

Offer to do a short presentation to expat groups about your lifestyle

Before you know it, word will spread and you'll have more offers than you know what to do with!

One final tip is to network with other house sitters also in the area - they may give you some quality referrals once you've connected. See who we finally met up with in the image below in Nicaragua last year!

If you have any good ideas or experiences about marketing yourself to expat groups - please email and let us know!

WHO'S BEHIND HOUSESITSEARCH.COM? An exclusive interview with the developers HouseSitSearch.com first appeared on the internet in 2016. Since then there's been a lot of speculation in the community about who is behind this innovative website.

To summarize, HouseSitSearch.com pulls together house sitting assignments from a wide range of platforms. This is similar to the way that "homes for sale" are listed with many different agents or realtors, but are aggregated on one or two websites that manage all the information.

We approached the developers recently to see if they'd like to be interviewed for the magazine, and were pleasantly surprised when they accepted. We were even more surprised when their identities were revealed in a long Skype chat.

Many of you in the community will know them, but for others their names may be new. Either way, we hope you'll find it interesting to see how HouseSitSearch came to be. And to discover more about the developers and their own house sitting lifestyle.

Come on down… Mark & Maria Atkins

Originally from Spain, Maria is known by many in the online house sitting community. She was originally co-admin of the popular HouseSittingWorld Facebook group.

Mark may be less well known on social media, but as we discovered, he is a bit of a genius at computer programming.

Originally from England, he met Maria 15 years ago and together they became travelers and international house and pet sitters in early 2014.

They have now completed house sits in 13 different countries.

Q - You've remained a mystery for many months. What was your reasoning behind staying "unknown" until now?

There's no great mystery, we simply value our privacy. We are normal, honest people, who are part of the house sitting community. We just don’t enjoy the limelight, so to speak.

Our social media presence is at best minimal and we were just happy to offer a useful tool to the community. We really didn’t think people would be that interested in us anyway!

Even now we'd happily remain anonymous. But as there's been some speculation surrounding the website and how it works, we felt we should let people see that there's nothing untoward happening.

Q - Summarize, for those who don't know, how HouseSitSearch.com helps house sitters looking for assignments.

HouseSitSearch provides visitors with a tool to search for house sitting opportunities across a number of platforms. With the help of advanced search filters, visitors can narrow down the results to very specific listings according to their personal preferences.

For instance, visitors can search multiple locations at once - entire continents or particular countries. The more popular countries (UK, Australia, US and Canada) can be further divided into regions/states/provinces to fine-tune results.

Visitors can choose exact dates or flexible dates, preferred length of stay, and the platforms from which they want results. They can also select the type of responsibilities they want (or do not want), such as the type of pet(s), property tasks like gardening, pool maintenance, etc.

Once the search results have been returned, clicking on any of the listings displayed will take the visitor directly to the listing page on the relevant platform. Naturally, one would need to be a member of the platform in order to contact the home owner and pursue the opportunity further.

HouseSitSearch is merely a vehicle to find listings. It does not offer a shortcut to bypass the platforms. In other words, it is a complementary service to the platforms’ work, not a competitor.

Q - How does the HouseSitSearch website gather all the information?

HouseSitSearch visits supported house sitting platforms and retrieves publicly available data.

This is similar to the way that other search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo collect information. The big difference is what our website then does with the information it retrieves.

Google, Bing and Yahoo only allow you to do very basic text-based searches on gathered information. For example, they can only help you with simple searches such as “housesit Australia”. If you want to be more specific than that, you’re out of luck.

HouseSitSearch is essentially what's known as a “bot”.

In simple terms, a bot is "a piece of software that carries out an automated task". But it’s important to point out that our bot has been programmed to only see what any "human" would see when individually browsing the platforms.

This action is carried out intelligently, so it doesn’t put a strain on their servers, nor interfere with their software.

Q - How do you select which house sitting platforms to include or exclude?

We only include well established platforms with a proven track record and a minimum number of live (current) listings. However, the main criterion is whether we are able to read and collate the relevant information, in situations where the platforms themselves cannot feed this data to us automatically.

Not all websites are built in a way that enables us to do this. Some platforms only make details available to logged-in members, and since our bot only accesses "public" information, these platforms cannot be included.

We'd also like to stress that we don't want to upset any of the house sitting platforms, so if they ask us to remove their listings, we comply. Of course this is a shame as they will miss out on a lot of traffic, but we will always respect their wishes.

Currently we include HouseCarers, TrustedHousesitters, HouseSitMatch, Nomador, MindMyHouse, HappyHouseSitters (Australia), StayMe (Australia), and Mindahome (Australia), Mindahome (UK) and Mindahome (USA).

Q - How did you first come up with the idea?

(Mark) When we first started our house sitting journey, with little experience and only a small handful of personal references, we joined a few different platforms to maximize our chances of securing our first assignments.

We soon found that searching for opportunities on various platforms separately was a slow and time consuming process. Search filters vary greatly from one platform to the next, so we often found ourselves trawling through many listings that weren't suitable.

I'm a software developer by trade and thought I could write something for our own exclusive use, simply to make searching for opportunities across the various platforms a much more efficient process.

Q - You do all the programming in your own time, while holding down a "proper job" too.

How many man hours do you think you've spent on this project and what have been the biggest challenges?

(Mark) I haven’t kept a record of how many hours I’ve put into the project, but it’s more than I’d like to admit! My estimate is that several months of man hours have gone into the project already. It continues to take up most of my spare time as further tweaks and improvements are introduced.

There have been over 600 updates to the website since I first started working on it. Some are behind the scenes changes that can’t be seen, whilst others are much more obvious through the website.

There have been many technical challenges getting the website to work. This isn’t a WordPress theme with a few plugins added to it. Every part of it has been created bespoke for the project and I’ve literally written everything from scratch.

One of the biggest challenges was to “teach” the website how to interpret what it finds, as it's not always obvious. For example, some dates can be difficult to translate into exact periods of time, when the listing only specifies the duration as “a couple of weeks”.

Another example is when a listing doesn’t specify the "type of pet" and all that’s mentioned in the text is the word “spoodle”.

Applying the complex search criteria (especially the location filters) proved an enormous challenge as well. It’s hard to get the balance right between powerful search filters and ease of use. We realized this when people started to use the website.

Q - Were you surprised by the enthusiastic feedback when you first went live?

(Maria) The truth is that the website got found before we were ready!

Initially it just lived on Mark’s computer and we bought the domain name just in case we decided to take it further at a future date. But after a few months, he put it online so we could both access it, and to show it to a couple of friends for their feedback. However, we put zero effort into promoting it, as it was still very much a work in progress. And we wanted to approach all the platforms first.

So when someone found it and word started getting around, we had an “eeeeeek!” moment and went into panic mode. But of course we were thrilled with all the positive comments and reactions, and very happy that people were finding it so useful!

Q - What are your future plans for HouseSitSearch?

(Mark) One of our first priorities is to achieve a better integration with the platforms. We really want the platforms to work with us and exploit the website’s potential. It could easily be one of their main sources of traffic, increasing their international exposure and helping them grow.

Ultimately this helps everyone in the community.

We also have a few ideas to improve the functionality and user experience. Right now I'm working on an improvement to the date filters. This is currently in beta testing, but might be live by the time this interview is published.

A long term plan is to create an iPhone and Android app, but that would be a lot of work so it won’t happen for a little while yet.

Finally, we need to find a way of monetizing the site. It’s currently consuming a great deal of our time and money, but we’re getting very little in return. Whilst we are happy that the community and the platforms are benefiting from it, it is unfortunately not sustainable in the long run, so we are working on some ideas for this as well.

Q - How would you describe your lifestyle?

For the first 2.5 years we called ourselves “full time international house sitters”. We started off in New Zealand and Australia, did some sits in Bangkok and Singapore, then returned to Australia and finally settled back in Europe.

We would love to be more flexible with our destinations, but Mark’s working hours (he works remotely for a UK company) do limit us to certain time zones. So we’ll probably restrict ourselves to house sits in Europe for the foreseeable future.

Now we only house sit part-time as we've set-up a little home-base that we can return to whenever we need a break from traveling. We do frequently get itchy feet and miss the pets though, so we have already lined up a few sits for the summer and another one for later in the year.

Q - How did you find your very first house sit and where was it?

We were living in New Zealand when we made the decision to embark on this new lifestyle.

We put together a profile on a couple of platforms, and just as we started selling our possessions, a couple got in touch with us.

Despite our lack of experience, they had liked our profile and the reference from our local animal shelter where we'd been volunteering. A couple of emails and a Skype call later and the sit was ours!

We then had under two months to finish selling, gifting and donating everything we owned, but we managed it somehow (just!).

The assignment was on the outskirts of Auckland - a farm set in 10 acres. It had a swimming pool, outdoor spa, tennis court, 4 cows, 2 chickens and Ollie the dog. We were there for nearly a month and loved every minute of it.

Q - You're known in the community for your website "CatMadSitters" - what's the story with dogs?

(Maria) Mainly that I am terrified of big dogs and certain breeds. I can’t help it, I just freeze.

However, you'll hear me squeal with delight if you give me something small and cute like a “maltipoo”!

It was actually caring for Ollie in New Zealand that made us realize just how little we know about dogs. Even though he was the sweetest, best behaved dog we’ve ever met (and I don’t mind admitting that I burst into tears when we said goodbye), we couldn’t help but wonder how different things might have been if he hadn’t been such an easy customer.

We take our responsibilities very seriously and understand how important pets are for their owners. Pets deserve the best care they can get and in our case, we feel more comfortable sticking to what we know best. We've both owned cats since childhood and have grown to understand them deeply.

But it’s not all about cats. I have a real soft spot for anything small and furry. I grew up with hamsters, and in New Zealand we had fancy rats. So if someone out there needs a rodent sitter, get in touch! Oh, and chickens. I love chickens! And ducks!

Q - What travel app would you never be without?

Google Translate.

In Hong Kong and Thailand, it saved us from ordering and buying exotic meals such as “pig uterus”. We don’t consider ourselves fussy eaters, but you’ve got to draw the line somewhere…

Q - What's the best piece of travel advice you've ever been given?

Pack light and be ready to change your plans, sometimes at the last minute.

Q - Name one stand-out moment from your travels together This is cheating a little, as it happened during a 21 month backpacking round-the-world trip, before we started house sitting. But it has to be getting married on top of a snowy mountain in New Zealand, overlooking Mt Cook.

Q - We understand you have two traveling companions. Who are they and how did they come to join you on your adventures?

Yes, Ben and Kylie! Ben is a teddy bear from the Lake District in Northern England. He came backpacking and traveled through the Americas with us. When we arrived in Australia, we found him a girlfriend, Kylie the koala. They were the only guests at our wedding!

Q - How can the community support you?

Help us promote HouseSitSearch!

Share it on social media, blog about it, mention it to your house sitting friends and those who are looking at starting out. If your favourite platform is not integrated, write to them and tell them how useful the tool is, and how much it could help their exposure!

Encourage them to work with us.

Finally, share your thoughts, suggestions and feedback, good or bad. Negative feedback is surprisingly welcome, as it’s often more useful.

See our Facebook contact details, or Complete our simple questionnaire - your feedback would be appreciated!

SOME DOGS WILL EAT ANYTHING Inspired by Katrina Elliott, "Naughty Pets" is selection of stories about charges that get up to no good while you are house sitting.

This month we feature three pups who will eat just about anything!

While these are amusing stories, there are more serious considerations if you are house sitting, and your dog eats something he shouldn't. Especially if it's inorganic.

Foreign body obstructions In many cases the object will pass through the digestive system, but occasionally it can cause an obstruction. Foreign body obstructions can be potentially life-threatening, causing a lot of pain and discomfort.

It usually takes no longer than 24 hours for foreign objects to pass through the entire digestive tract, but in some cases it can take much longer and so symptoms need to be looked out for.

If a dog in your care ingests something inorganic or of an unusual shape, you need to monitor the situation carefully. Whilst unpleasant, checking poop will determine quickly whether the object has passed through theit system.

Here are some common symptoms to help you decide whether you need to involve a vet:        

Vomiting Diarrhea Abdominal tenderness or pain Lack of appetite Growling or nipping when touched or picked up Constipation or straining Unusual tiredness Less active than normal

Thankfully, none of the pups in these stories suffered from their adventures, other than the humiliation of their stories being shared in House Sitting Magazine!

Rémy from Brussels My name is Rémy. Here I am with my older brother, Stanford. Sometimes Stanford likes me all right, but most of the time he cannot believe what I get away with. And he never wants to play.

We lived in Brussels when Betsy and Pete came to stay with us. I was just a puppy then. One time when Betsy and Pete went out to dinner, I decided chewing up my black rubber place mat would show them I didn't like to be left alone with Stanford.

I also liked to pull the upholstery tacks and braid off one of my mom's antique chairs. It was French, just like me!

You can visit Betsy and Pete at their travel blog, PassingThru.

The last time I saw them, we had beers at the Manneken Pis Taverne with my parents.

Everyone loves me there. Now we live in Seattle.

I've been in trouble on two continents!

Au revoir!

Dixie May and her fetish for ear-plugs Dixie May, a rather rotund but lovable island dog, was rescued from a life on the streets as a youngster. My husband Michael and I were looking after her and adopted brother "Big Dog" on St Vincent in the Grenadines.

Dixie May is living proof that some dogs will eat anything.

We had been warmly welcomed as substitute pet parents and everything was going well. So well that I was having a sleep in. The dogs had been barking most of the night at the herd of cattle that liked to wander down the road at all hours. As I heard Michael get out of bed and open up to greet the dogs, I snuggled down for some peace and quiet.

It wasn’t to be. Dixie May came bounding in to wish me a good morning and in doing so found an unexpected treat.

As the sound of enthusiastic gobbling reached my ears, I realised what it was that she was so evidently relishing.

My ear plugs!

They had disappeared in seconds, because silly me had taken them out and left them at the side of the bed.

We spent the next three days anxiously waiting for hot pink, soft, squishy ear plugs to emerge.

Even though they weren’t attached to cords it was a tense time. The sight of that hot pink, glimmering through a pile of still soft and smelly poo was greeted with such glee the neighbours must have thought we were mad.

Find out more about Michael and Yvonne at their website - www.YourEscapeBlueprint.com

Romeo, Romeo, why art though eating the TV remote?

We met Romeo whilst walking another similar breed dog in a park in Australia. The owners loved us so much they begged us to come and house sit their three dogs, including Romeo.

I was on another house sit that month in the next street, so my husband Dave agreed to sit for these three dogs just around the corner.

Dave happily looked after Romeo, an Australian Labradoodle for 10 days. Romeo, on the other hand, was not happy at all that his owners had left him while they'd gone away on a cruise.

He was pretty good when Dave was home with him, however, as soon as Dave left the house to get his morning coffee, Romeo became extremely busy.

Over 10 days he managed to eat a stapler (including staples), the window sills of the house, a TV remote control, my tax returns, the owners engineering plans, pillows and even a picture frame complete with wedding photos. Amazingly, he didn't break the glass - now that's clever!

Romeo had a cage where he slept, but whenever Dave locked him in and went out, he somehow managed to escape and continue his destruction of whatever took his fancy.

The last straw was when the owners returned. To show his dissatisfaction and annoyance, he walked straight past them and sat with us, refusing to acknowledge them at all!

You'll find Katrina on Facebook at this link.

If you've got a funny story or anecdote to tell about pups (or other animals) you've looked after, please send them in by emailing this link

DESTINATION: COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, USA

by Vikki Walton

Colorado Springs (elevation 6,035 ft) sits at the base of Pikes Peak (summit 14,114 ft), along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains known as the Front Range.

Home to a growing population of more than 600,000, Colorado Springs is bordered by Monument to the north, Fountain to the south, Manitou Springs to the west, and Falcon to the east.

Each area's population is diverse in nature. However, the one thing that ties the people together is their over-riding love of Colorado and the outdoors.

Some quick facts about Colorado Springs:     

No. 1 - Outside Magazine, "Best Town" No. 1 - Forbes, "America's Most Pet-Friendly City" No. 1 - Men's Health, "Best Cities for Dogs" No. 2 – Livability, “Pet Cities” No. 2 - Men's Fitness, "Fittest City in America"

You may notice a common denominator in these awards.

People in Colorado Springs love their pets.

Dogs aren’t the only animals found outdoors, so don’t be surprised to see goats or llamas being walked while hiking.

Yet for the most part, you’ll see people with dogs out hiking one of myriad trails found in and around Colorado Springs. In many cases, pet sitting involves dog walking, so what better way to get outside and enjoy the area?

Before you head out…

There are some important things to remember as you head out for your hike, with or without dogs.

Plan your Outing: As with most parks, you’ll find the busiest days are the weekends. Major parks such as Garden of the Gods will see lots of people throughout the summer. So if you prefer more solitude, hit the trail early in the day. Or check out local parks that may not be as frequented by tourists or workers off for the weekend.

Bring Water: Water for you and your dog is extremely important due to Colorado’s high elevation and low humidity. Altitude sickness is a serious matter. Therefore, it’s imperative that you drink lots of water on a daily basis and even more when you are hiking.

In many cases you will experience some elevation gain on even the easiest of trails. You’re already up higher when you start the Seven Bridges Trail and will gain another 1100-plus feet when you reach the last bridge.

This is one of most frequented trails and you’ll want to arrive early to get a parking spot.

Know Your Limits: You may currently walk, run or bike for miles on a daily basis. However, here in Colorado Springs you may find that you struggle to breathe.

Being fit does not exempt you from altitude sickness, which occurs due to less oxygen in the air.

If you begin to get a headache, feel nauseated or fatigued, descend to a lower elevation and rest.

Walking around where you’re staying will give you a good indicator of how the altitude is affecting you personally.

Know Where You Are Going: In most cases trails are marked. However, as in the case of Seven Bridges you need to know when to exit the main road and which way to turn at the T (left).

You can find maps and information on the hikes at: AllTrails.com Cover Up: Those blue skies are gorgeous. But they can also lead to sunburn and heat exhaustion. Wear a hat and apply sunscreen. A jacket tied around your waist or in a backpack can mitigate any weather fluctuations that are common in the mountains.

Stay on the Trail: There are many reasons why you shouldn’t leave the trail, but suffice it to say that remaining on the marked trails will ensure you and your canine companion stay safe.

Be Cognizant of the Weather: Colorado skies may be beautiful blue as you head out, but mid to late afternoon it can rain or even worse, hail.

If you’re going out during the later part of the day, make sure you take a weatherproof jacket (actually good to have on hand almost all the time), and know what to do about lightning. www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/lightning-hiking-rocky-mountains.htm

Primarily the key things to be aware of are that you should get off ridge lines or higher elevations close to the summit, and don’t go under trees or out in the open. If with someone else, stay some feet away from each other.

GARDEN OF THE GODS PARK Garden of the Gods Park is the most appropriate place to start. For some, its name is nothing like you'd expect—in fact there is no garden of any type in the park! Instead you will find a mélange of towering rocks that thrust you back into prehistoric times. Its beauty is captured from many angles.

While pets ARE allowed at any time on a leash, in the tourist season it can get crowded. At this time you'll encounter hikers, bikers, runners, and those simply touring the primary concrete sidewalks that meander throughout the park.

After taking in the spectacular views of the main section, head down to the Scotsman/Buckskin Charlie Trail and enjoy an easy walk among the rock formations and scrub oak. If you want more of a view, check out the Siamese Twins Trail, an easy one mile round trip. You can see Pikes Peak through the natural window of the twins.

Details of both these trails can be found on the Garden of the Gods website in a post by Eric Poole.

OLD COLORADO CITY After enjoying your hike, head over to Old Colorado City for a stroll down Main Street.

You can grab something to eat and take it to Bancroft Park (above). Or enjoy your meal at restaurants offering outside dining. Most restaurants don’t allow dogs inside but as long as they are leashed and well-behaved, they are welcomed on outdoor patios.

Most people love dogs, but choosing a place away from the entrance is appreciated by all.

DOG PARKS - OFF LEASH While Garden of the Gods gets all the accolades, Colorado Springs is home to many parks and trails that offer walking and hiking with your furry friend.

Here are just a few of the many parks available to you throughout the region: Bear Creek Dog Park: [Southwest Colorado Springs] - This park is one of the few off-leash dog parks in the city. As its name implies this dog park covers 25 acres bordering part of Bear Creek.

This allows for dogs and owners to play in the creek, walk the trails, play catch in the open spaces and even enjoy an agility course.

Water is provided, as is a "clean-off station" for muddy paws or boots. There is also a two acre fenced section for smaller or older dogs.

Palmer Park: [Central Colorado Springs] - Centrally located and offering a dog park as well as an off-leash area.

The dog park is on the right as you enter and may be a good place to take your dog if you want to talk with others. If you want to stretch your legs though, head on past the park. You will come to a junction that offers a beautiful view of all of Colorado Springs. If you’re ready to get walking, there are trails off from this area.

If you want to let your dogs run off leash, go back to the main road and turn left. You’ll drive a short way further until you come to a turn-off on your right. This dirt road curves left and continues to the parking lot.

Here you can let dogs run off-leash. This area has extremely limited shade so don’t forget your hat! There are trails off the main roads, but you’re expected to leash your dog on those routes.

Fox Run Park: [North Colorado Springs/Black Forest] - Located up in what is known as Black Forest.

As its name implies, the area is largely wooded. Fox Run has two off-leash dog parks which are three acres (for larger dogs) and two acres (for smaller dogs) respectively.

So, compared to Bear Creek or Palmer Park, they are very small areas. However, again, if you need some human companionship, this is a great place to allow your dog to run while you chat to other dog owners.

There are numerous longer trails throughout the park, but your dog is expected to be on-leash during that time.

Along the trails, look out for the bent trees which were created by Native Americans as signage.

TRAIL ETIQUETTE While Springs’ residents love dogs, they also are cognizant of rules around keeping the city beautiful.

On leash: There are many reasons for this leash rule, and it is safe to say that if you are stopped by a ranger for not having your dog leashed, you may receive a fine.

Leashing your dog provides comfort and safety for other individuals and dogs, but it should also be remembered that Colorado Springs is home to many wild animals. Bears, Bobcats, Coyotes, Deer, Long-horn Sheep and even Mountain Lions do live in the area and may be spotted on your walk.

Leave No Trace: In simpler words, "scoop the poop".

Owners must ensure that dog waste is removed. Trash cans are often located in parking areas to dispose of bags.

Right of Way: In many areas, you may encounter bikers (Ute Park), runners (Red Rock Open Canyon Space) and horses (Black Forest Section 16). In most cases, the walker is expected to yield in those situations.

There are so many trails and everyone seems to find their favorite. If you want more, you can check out a listing of all the trails with pictures, difficulty and mileage here.

DON'T MISS OUT ON THE CITY SIGHTS & BREWERIES While you could go to a different park almost every day, you might want to check out some of the city sights as well.

Colorado Springs is home to many outdoor art installations. And, if you love American architecture, take a stroll through the Old North End and view the many homes that date back to the 1800’s.

Colorado Springs is also proud to be known as home to many quality micro-breweries. The award-winning Bristol Brewery and Pub is housed in the old Ivywild School.

Bristol’s is joined by the Old School bakery, The Principal’s Office—an espresso/cocktail bar, Axe and the Oak (whiskey bar), to name a few.

During the summer you may find a Farmer’s Market in full swing. Outdoor seating offers a great place to bring your favorite beverage of choice and hang out.

And finally, no matter where you go in Colorado Springs, you’ll usually have a beautiful view of America’s Mountain—Pikes Peak. Once you visit, you’ll want to return again and again.

Colorado Springs Population: 600,000+ Elevation: 6035 Hottest Months: July/August - Avg Temps: 84F (28C) Coldest Months: Dec/Jan - Avg Temps: 42F (6C) Snowiest Months: March/April Best Off-Season Month: February or “fake-spring” Parkland: 9000 acres Trails: 500 acres

Vikki Walton is the author of Work Quilting: Piecing Together Diverse Income Streams; Live an Insanely Awesome Life.

She is also the founder of girlswantago, a woman’s Facebook group and travel blog (see link below).

When she’s not writing or traveling, you’ll often find her in the garden or hiking in the Colorado sunshine with her dog, Ginger. If you want to know more about what you can do in Colorado Springs sans pets, you can check out her blog post 3 Days in Colorado Springs. http://GirlsWantAGo.com

GETTING AROUND THE WINDWARD ISLANDS, IN THE CARIBBEAN

by Yvonne Bauche

If you've ever contemplated inter-island travel or house sitting on the islands of the Caribbean, you may have wondered which transport providers are best.

Yvonne and Michael Bauche are regular sitters in the Caribbean and this month they've imparted their local knowledge of the Windward Islands in particular, to give an informative guide on getting about by air or sea.

For those unsure of where exactly the Windward Islands are, they are the mostly larger islands of the Lesser Antilles and lie south of the Leeward Islands. Starting at Dominica and reaching southward towards Trinidad & Tobago.

Having spent a considerable part of the last four years house sitting in Barbados, St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines, my husband Michael and I have come to know the transport system intimately.

Take the "Dollar Bus" Getting around on the islands themselves is relatively inexpensive, thanks to the profusion of gaudily painted ‘dollar’ buses. As the name suggests, a ride costs only a few dollars and a little tolerance - each driver loves their music loud!

Referred to by the locals as "land-planes", they hurl at breakneck speed from point to point throughout each island.

However, getting from island to island is not quite so easy.

Inter-island travel Ferries and water taxis connect Grenada with Carriacou, and St Vincent with its sister islands of Bequia, Mustique, Union and Mayreau.

They are operated by Osprey Lines in Grenada, and a selection of providers in St Vincent.

There is surprisingly, only one operator connecting island nations, L’Express des Iles. They run services between St Lucia, Martinique, Dominica & Guadeloupe.

It’s not cheap though with fares from US $100 and upwards per segment. Whether you're traveling from St Lucia to Martinique, or Martinique to Dominica, you pay the same amount.

One way to reduce the fare is to get an "Express Card", which gives a fare discount, saving substantially more than it costs.

We used this operator for a trip from St Lucia to the sophisticated and chic island of Martinique, and from there to Dominica. The ferry was comfortable, spacious and clean, and to us was a much more intimate way of getting from island to island than the usual short aerial glimpses we get from inter island flights.

Airlines There are a number of airlines servicing the islands, each with their own character and foibles.

LIAT is the main provider in the areas we travel. But LIAT does not have a stellar reputation.

Locals in the islands joke that LIAT stands for "Leave Island Any Time" or "Luggage In Another Terminal".

Our personal experience is that the airline has always got us and our bags from point A to B, albeit sometimes 8 hours later.

LIAT staff are not always the friendliest either. Getting information out of them regarding a flight's status can be a bit like pulling teeth. However a smile and a polite but firm inquiry will eventually get you some answers.

Any review of LIAT would not be complete without including this hilarious complaint letter from Arthur Hick: Dear LIAT, May I say how considerate it is of you to enable your passengers such an in-depth and thorough tour of the Caribbean. Most other airlines I have traveled on would simply wish to take me from point A to B in rather a hurry. I was intrigued that we were allowed to stop at not a lowly one or two, but a magnificent six airports yesterday.

And who wants to fly on the same airplane the entire time? We got to change and refuel every step of the way! I particularly enjoyed sampling the security scanners at each and every airport.

I find it preposterous that people imagine them all to be the same.

As for being patted down by a variety of islanders, well, I feel as if I’ve been hugged by most of the Caribbean already.

I also found it unique that this was all done on "island time", because I do like to have time to absorb the atmosphere of the various departure lounges. As for our arrival, well, who wants to have to take a ferry at the end of all that flying anyway? I’m glad the boat was long gone by the time we arrived into Tortola last night — and that all those noisy bars and restaurants were closed.

So thank you, LIAT. I now truly understand why you are 'The Caribbean Airline.

P.S. Keep the bag. I never liked it anyway!

Top tips for flying LIAT 





Book your flights as early as possible. This can be done directly on their website and where you should choose the "web fare". It is much cheaper than the other fares. But of course these special fares sell really fast. It is now also possible to book LIAT through some of the flight-finding sites such as Expedia.

Minimize the risk of delayed departures by flying as early in the day as possible. With a tight schedule and a small fleet, any hiccups or problems accumulate throughout the day. Afternoon flights are more likely to have extensive delays and problems.

A little tip to help with those onward tickets that immigration always ask for. Book a Fully Flexible LIAT ticket and then later cancel it with no penalty. It costs a lot more, but you can use the credit against other LIAT flights. Be aware that you do have to phone them in person to apply the credit to a new flight.

Alternative flight options Other airlines serving the region include Caribbean Airlines, who cover some of the same islands as LIAT, plus a few others such as Jamaica. They also have flights into Suriname, Venezuela and the US. The only other airline that services the Windward and the Lesser Antilles (apart from Mustique Air which shuttles guests to and from the exclusive island of Mustique), is SVG Air. Focusing more on inter-island flights and connections to St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent, Bequia, Antiqua, Barbuda and Montserrat, they have an excellent reputation for being on schedule. But you pay a price for this punctuality, with 30 minute flights costing over US $200.

However, they are the only airline that connects Bequia directly to Barbados, and for many this is becoming a much more practical option.

When using LIAT, passengers have to catch a one hour ferry from Bequia into Kingstown, St Vincent, followed by a $50 taxi ride to the new airport, Then they have to deal with the unpredictability of LIAT. So, with a little pre-planning and forethought it is possible to travel relatively inexpensively throughout the islands. But make sure you arm yourself with plenty of time and even more patience!

READER FEEDBACK: Johanne Sauve shared her experience in the House Sitting Magazine Group discussion on this topic: "We are booked on JetBlue from Fort Lauderdale in Florida (FLL) to Barbados. Great fare. Then, the only company that flies between the eastern Caribbean islands is LIAT. Check the carry on weight limit (7kg). It's a lot less than the regular airlines.

We haven't found an airline that flies between Central America and the Barbados area. We have to fly from Costa Rica on JetBlue to Florida first and stay overnight."

For the past 5 years Yvonne & Michael have been house sitting homes in Europe, Central & South America, and the Caribbean.

Too young to collect pensions, they supplement their travels through writing, and books and photography sales. Their mission is to show others how they too can follow their dreams, retire or travel overseas and "live large" on a shoestring.

Yvonne and Michael have just finished their latest book: "Pet Care & First Aid - A Commonsense Guide for Sitters & Owners".

Check it out on Amazon at this link

DOGVACAY - AIRBNB FOR DOGS Make money easily with your own pet sitting business intro by Vanessa, feature by Brenda Middle

Have you ever wanted to start a pet sitting business, but not really known how to get started?

Would you like to earn $20 or more a day pet sitting in your own home, or $40 or more for an overnight sit in someone else's property close to your home?

Sounds great doesn't it, but when you start charging for your services there is an unspoken contract that comes into place. You have responsibilities to your clients that aren't always apparent when house or pet sitting for free.

In the USA and Canada there is an option that enables you to offer a variety of pet care services, including:      

Pet Boarding Pet Sitting Dog Walking Doggy Day Care Drop-In Visits House Sitting

You can set your own fees and offer your services, knowing that bookings, insurance, payments, and customer support are all handled for you. This leaves you to concentrate on what you love caring for and looking after other people's pets.

DogVacay and Rover are two organizations currently operating in thousands of cities throughout North America, and they've just joined forces. In answering the question why, the DogVacay website offers this explanation: "With our combined experience, insights, and learning, we'll provide tools that enable exceptional care for your dogs—and transform the pet care industry by putting dogs, and the people who love them, first. Now with more coverage than ever—in 10,000+ cities across the US and Canada—we're better able to serve you and your pets no matter where you are. With more trusted sitters offering a wide variety of services, you can easily book a belly rub, round of fetch, week of dog boarding, or a jog around the neighborhood".

Our friends, Val and Brenda, who are now temporarily back home in Colorado Springs after a year of travel, have used their time away to consider options for their early semi-retirement.

While deciding what steps to take next, and knowing that they’d be in the States for nine months, they've chosen to set up a DogVacay business.

This serves two purposes. As ardent dog lovers, it fills the pet void created when their own beautiful Labrador, Buddy, passed on. It also supplements their already thriving Airbnb business, providing extra income doing what they love.

Brenda Middle explains how DogVacay works for them...

Dog sitting with DogVacay – the perfect solution for me What do you do when you love dogs but because of your lifestyle can’t have one live with you permanently?

About a year and a half ago, I quit my job and decided to travel around the world for a year.

After returning, I decided I kind of liked that lifestyle and wanted to find ways to make traveling and living in other countries – in addition to spending time at my home in the States – a part of my life.

But I’ve always had a dog. Having a dog is critical to my well-being and happiness. There’s nothing like a dog pattering around, needing to go out, needing to be fed, or wanting to cuddle.

I also needed to fill the coffers before heading back out on the road again.

What to do?

One day while on social media, a post for DogVacay.com came across my news feed. I thought, Ah ha! I clicked, and did a little investigating on their website.

An hour later, my profile was loaded and I was open for business with DogVacay.

Airbnb for dogs DogVacay is like Airbnb for your dog, with the added benefit of a loving, responsible pet sitter to care for the doggy guest.

All pet sitters (hosts) are extensively vetted and, as with other similar hosting-type sites, count on honest reviews from the guests . . . well, at least from their owners!

DogVacay offers what they call a DogVacay Peace of Mind Promise which means every reservation includes customer support 24/7 and pet insurance which covers up to $25,000 in vet bills per pet.

It’s so easy to use A pet owner searches their area, reads the hosts’ profiles including all the reviews, and sees what services they offer: boarding, daycare, walking, etc. They send a booking request to the host and done!

An additional step before the visit is often to schedule a Meet ‘n Greet. After one situation where we didn’t ask for a "Meet 'n Greet" (see below), I now always ask for this before accepting a request. A short meeting ensures we are all going to get along.

I usually care for the pets in my home, but at times I’m asked to stay at the owner’s home. I had a four-night stay once where I not only cared for their two dogs, but for their three chickens as well.

Fresh eggs every morning!

All hosts are encouraged to send photos and daily updates to pet owners.

I offer boarding in either their home or mine, but also daycare and dog walking. The prices vary depending on where you live. I keep my prices in line with what others charge in my city to remain competitive.

Introducing some of my "guests" In the four months I’ve been dog sitting with DogVacay and a similar site, Rover, I’ve cared for almost 30 dogs (and three chickens).

One of my guests, Blue, has stayed with me twice. Blue! Such a sweet dog, greyhound with some other breeds mixed in. His size might intimidate, but his gentle nature says, “Hug me. Pet me.” I think I love Blue as much as his owners do.

The most challenging guest was a six-month old puppy who was a same-day booking. So, no time for a Meet ‘n Greet. Never again!This puppy didn't stop getting into everything in sight.

Multiple times. My day care fee of $20.00 was definitely not enough to cover labor costs in this case.

I love all our pet-guests, even if it doesn’t always start out that way. By the end of their visit, we have become fast friends and I can’t wait to care for them again. Whenever a guest leaves, it always takes me a couple days to stop looking for them in the corner where I put their beds.

For dog lovers and part-time travelers with homes, it’s the perfect solution. DogVacay and Rover both provide a profitable way to help fund your travel adventures, and you get to spend your time loving more dogs!

Check out my link at DogVacay.com, where you can also read more about how the whole process works. You never know, just like me, you might find yourself signed up and running your own pet sitting business within the hour!

Brenda Middle had a long career in Sales and Marketing, and then in Human Resources where she spent 10 years as a corporate trainer, training manager, and instructional designer.

In 2015, she made a decision to follow a different path. She quit her corporate job of 23 years and traveled the world seeking experiences and looking for the catalyst that would take her to the next challenge in life.

After 38,000 miles, 16 countries, over 75 cities, and countless memories, she returned home to reconnect with family and friends.

On the personal side, she says, “You know that person at a party who can be found outside in the backyard playing with the family dog? That's me.”

She’s also an animal rights advocate who has fostered rescues, and spends as much time as she can with the guests from her dog sitting business.

LIVING ON THE LAND - SPANISH MANOR STYLE

by Jenny Lincoln

Our guiding factors It's important to know what you are looking for when applying for house sits.

We have 5 factors that guide our selection: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Unique locations or opportunities Expat families undergoing a sea change or overseas for business Strong unlimited WIFI Non touristic and non English speaking destinations Close access to nature

With every house sit we are looking for something new and unique that keeps us connected with nature.

From off-grid living on the side of a volcano on the gorgeous Lake Atitlan, Guatemala; overseeing a Pitaya (Dragon Fruit) plantation in the jungle of Belize; to caring for a 300 year old Spanish Manor and grounds.

Living like a local is important We want to be able to integrate into a local foreign community, so we can experience life through the eyes of another. It opens our minds to greater understanding and acceptance. It also creates an incredible amount of gratitude for the lifestyle we live, especially when compared with third world communities.

Targeting expat families has been very successful for us.

It not only ensures good living conditions and WIFI, it also allows us to share their visions and lifestyles.

Coming from business backgrounds, we are both team contributors. So we love the opportunity to roll up our sleeves and help our owners with a project or two.

300 years of Spanish heritage Our current home owners bought a broken down Spanish manor house 12 years ago. Their vision was to return it to its former glory and share it with others through Airbnb style studios.

They also wanted their children to experience another culture and grow up speaking fluently in a second language. So Spain it was!

Armed with engineering and interior design skills, their vision honored the heritage of the rural Galician region. All the original stone work, with fortifications, has been maintained.

Meter thick walls with strategically placed arrow-holds, create a keyhole presence of the lush green gardens that await you outside. Add in an open plan kitchen equipped with marble top island benches, enamel sinks, butler’s pantry and stainless steel appliances... you get the most amazing kitchen to create meals and dine in.

Old stable doors are a feature of the living area along with a cosy combustion heater and a bunker style TV/media room. All the bedrooms have a beautiful sunny outlook over the grapevines, pool and paddocks.

In rural Galicia - size does matter!

The wealthier you are, the larger your "horreos" or grain silo!

These iconic landmarks punctuate the countryside, whilst being in total harmony with their rural surroundings. Made from granite and wood they stand proudly alongside each homestead, creating a distinctive look only found in the Galician region.

Something about this house sit makes you want to do things!

Whether it's cooking a local paella dish in the fabulous kitchen, playing in the spring garden and veggie patch, or busting through a blackberry bramble in the back paddock.

It’s a total privilege and joy to be caring for this historic beauty, her grounds and all the wonderful animals.

Connections to community Typically we apply for house sits that are not in tourist areas or expat communities. This allows us to experience life through the eyes of the locals and forces us to practice our Spanish.

"Mucho practica" is the only way to master something new!

Whether it’s shopping at the "pescarderia" (fish market), making an emergency visit to the "veterinario" (vet), buying feed for "los pollos" (chickens) and "burros" (donkeys), or trying to stop the "consejo local" (local council) from cutting down "arboles" (trees) on your property.

"Situational Spanish", as we call it, accelerates your fluency and understanding … even if they do speak 6 words a minute faster than us Aussies!

Editors Note: We've found Synergy Spanish to be a great way to learn Spanish quickly and easily. No conjugated verbs, just phrases you need to use on a daily basis.

Wherever we travel we try to support local families and their businesses. It could be a B&B, restaurant, corner store, street food outlet or local market. We’d rather see the money go into the hands of the local community than an international chain!

So we were thrilled when we discovered our home owners had the same priorities. They too liked to keep things local.

This created many special connections and experiences for us while we were at the Manor house:      

Impromptu Spanish lessons from our local stone mason Cafe and "postres" with the local Major Roast lamb with our farm hand’s family Tea with the descendants of the original owners Engaging the post lady and her network of friends to help us find our runaway donkey Sampling the home brews of "vino rojo" and locally cured "jamon" in each village we ventured through

Funny how most of these experiences involved food!

The festival of Semana Santa One of the highlights of this house sit was being in Spain for the Easter fiestas - costumes, music and parades.

The Spanish really know how to party!

The heart of these celebrations was in Santiago de Compostela, a sacred city in the Christian faith. It is the final destination of the Camino Way, an age old pilgrimage from the 9th century.

Hundreds of pilgrims complete their 780km (500 mile) trek over the Easter weekend. So it’s a colourful and emotional celebration for both locals and travelers alike.

From corporate to farm-hands The property is remote and all about building a self sustaining lifestyle. So chickens, ducks, sheep, lambs, orange trees, strawberries, figs, kiwi fruit and a big old veggie patch are all an essential part of the gig.

Our passion for "off the grid" and rural house sits has seen a dramatic shift in our day-to-day activities.

Coming from the corporate world our days used to be filled training and supervising staff, project managing events, coaching and supporting leadership teams and problem solving "on time" production issues.

Now we are playing nursemaid to newborn lambs, wrangling wild dogs and problem solving leaks, filtration and solar systems.

On reflection, the tasks are vastly different but the underlying skills are the same - adaptability, flexibility, diplomacy, proactive problem solving and patience!

So if you are considering a remote or rural house sit, here are some of the capabilities you will need:     

troubleshooting skills resourcefulness quick thinking a good working knowledge of water filters, gas boilers, generators, swimming pools, alarm systems, and mowing devices handling and care of livestock

Remember, life is a continuous learning experience where you build upon existing abilities.

Your greatest growth gift is the ability to transfer your skills. For example, being able to use your office meeting skills to think ahead and get the necessary information from potential house sit owners during your interview.

Trusting your own capabilities is key. House sitting takes you beyond your norms and comfort zones. The big bonus is that you learn to be comfortable in your own discomfort.

This gives you the courage to step into new, exciting and sometimes scary opportunities… so go for it!

Editor’s note: Jenny & Gaye have an inspirational article in the Daily Mail Australia this month which can be found at this link: A Sydney couple reveals how they quit their corporate jobs to travel the world...

Two Aussie chicks smashing norms and finding the courage to explore the unknown!

On 9 February 2015, Gaye and Jenny rented their house and headed off overseas for a life of adventure. With only 20kgs each, downsizing from a 4 bedroom house on Sydney's Northern Beaches, it was the most amazingly liberating experience.

26 months, 25 countries, 200,000 km+ later they are still loving their nomadic life - traveling and house sitting around this wonderful planet.

Join them on: http://curlygirliestravel.com/ https://www.instagram.com/curlygirliestravel/ https://www.instagram.com/lincoln_speaks/

A DOGGY BROMANCE

by Daryl Cygler

The orders were in. I had just been given my next assignment. My editor had just read how a dog sitting couple had stayed in a beachfront villa in Thailand for a month. Breakfast on the beach, amazing sunsets and all free of charge because the villa came with a Great Dane dog they had to dog sit.

My editor wanted to know more, truth be told, so did I. I'm not going to go into the details about how you find these sort of dog sitting opportunities as that is a process in itself. What I will say is I used TrustedHouseSitters - a service that promises to connect home and pet owners with a pet sitter. I recommend you read their help guides on what to look out for prior to considering taking on a pet sitting opportunity in an exotic location.

The opportunity to dog sit in amazing homes First, let me set the scene. This was my first professional dog sitting job. I say professional, which is not strictly true because I never received a penny. However, what I did receive was benefits and memories in kind, something that money can't buy.

Whilst not paid, I did my take to my dog sitter role with a sense of responsibility and accountability. Heck, I had three fluffy mouths to feed so in that sense I was a true professional.

I had the pleasure of a beautiful 3 storey, 5 bedroom Victorian home with original features and great decor in the beautiful town of Reigate, Surrey (UK). It was complimented with gadgets galore and a fully stocked fridge. Hard work, right!

The house was within walking distance to town and was surrounded by beautiful parks and woodland walks. It also came with a Golden Retriever named Parker and two cats named Basil and Ben, who all made me feel very welcome.

Parker my wing man relaxing in the lounge room. Many a chilled out night in here together

On the day of arrival, I was greeted by Parker with Ben and Basil nowhere to be seen. No big deal regarding the cats, they pretty much did their own thing the whole time anyway, except when they wanted feeding of course.

One thing that soon become apparent and something I was not expecting at all, was this sudden sense of adventure.

I felt like I was on holiday. That sense of excitement of a week away staying in a lush holiday home. And so I settled in and quickly began to enjoy what the experience had to offer.

House sit, look after some animals, job done.

Little did I know it would be a great 8 days with my new best friend, Parker the Golden Retriever.

So what does a dog sitter do?

For us bachelors, whatever we wanted.

The morning ritual was regular. Breakfast for all, then Parker and I would review the morning papers to catch up on global news and the markets.

Here I was thinking Parker was a simple well kept house dog. Seems he dabbles quite a bit in the markets, with a broad stock portfolio from the FTSE 100 to riskier ventures down in the AIM. He offered all sorts of advice on options and how he is killing it with some very healthy returns.

Little over my head, but I know who to talk to when I need some stock advice.

So what are the options Parker, what about these ones?

Okay, getting bored now. Let’s go for a walk.

So dog walking time it was. Reigate is a great place for walking a dog. Access to the countryside and woodland trails is only ever a short walk and even shorter drive away.

The amount of local dog walkers we ran into was crazy. Turns out Parker is quite the playboy around town. He introduced me to all his bitches, lovely girls and so full of life. Their owners were equally as pleasant.

Parker the playboy checking out the ladies

This time of year is particularly pleasing, as with the changing of the seasons comes days that are full of sunshine and crisp cool air. Daily dog walks were a way to clear the mind and get a serious dose of Mother Nature.

One man wolf pack games Boys love games, and games it was in the back garden. We played a little one-on-one basketball.

When was the last time you played on a trampoline? Trust us when we say, it has been too long. Re-live the fun.

What started out in the spirit of a John Lewis Christmas commercial (popular sentimental UK department store TV advert, usually involving pets or animals), soon ended up as man-on-man, wolf-on-wolf.

It got super competitive and our little trampoline jump soon became a open version of a noholds-barred UFC octagon cage fight. I think it started because we both wanted to be Wolverine.

I'm Wolverine.

No, I'm Wolverine NO, I'M WOLVERINE…

It always starts off as fun and games until someone gets hurt

Let's just say the trampoline moment was not mentioned until some days later when both of us could eventually laugh about it.

It's all gone to the dogs Now let's be clear, Parker is a "kept" dog and as such does not have much to do. I, on the other hand, am self employed and whilst I have the freedom to dictate my own hours, I still have to work. So whilst it may have seemed like all fun and games, I was working as well.

This is something I am very disciplined at.

However one day the weather outside was awful, we missed our morning walk and come 4pm I think we were both getting a little stir crazy. Not only that, Parker was constantly distracting (disturbing) me on purpose.

He thinks I didn't notice. Yeah right! There was only one solution.

Poker Time…

This was serious stuff and, as much as I admired Parker, I was not going to let him beat me. I should have known better, as it seems that everything he touches or does, he does well. Part of the man love really.

Parker collecting his chips

Parker was a card shark. Dealing and sitting like a pro. Four hours later and he had cleaned me out. I quit before I ran out of chips. Parker definitely did me on my poker face.

He suggested that I offer up other collateral but I kindly declined, at which point he openly mocked me. I can say it was at that point that I knew our friendship was for life.

That's what mates do, you enjoy the presence of their company, they mock you, laugh at you and with you. You love them to bits and they drive you mad. Solid foundations for any long term friendship.

Another classic boys’ moment was after we had been sitting around and having a few beers.

Alcohol and cameras, many a career has been lost at the hand of these two instruments.

Handle with care I would say!

In our case it was just a moment of trying to pull silly facials in ‘slo-mo'.

Trust me, when you're in the moment, it is hilarious.

Keeping It Real I sit here now reflecting on what was a great dog sitting experience.

It's funny, you go into life experiences with an expectation of how things will play out. I originally warmed to the prospect of dog sitting in exotic locations as being the main focus of the experience. What I didn't count on was the bond that you build with these lovely creatures as well. They welcome you into their homes and ask nothing of you, yet give so much back in return.

Parker and I have since moved on, but what I had in those 8 days will definitely be the first of many more memorable dog sitting experiences. And like so many other first time experiences in life, this first one will always evoke the strongest of memories.

A dog sitting bromance in action

As for any wanderlust pet lovers out there, just do it. Get involved with dog sitting.

And for any pet parent and home owner thinking of going on holidays. If you're okay with welcoming someone into your home, pet sitting can be a positive experience for everyone involved.

Daryl Cygler currently splits his time between the UK and Australia with the intention of becoming a full-time digital nomad once his kids and pets grow up.

He is a freelance digital marketing consultant and lover of dogs. He volunteers as a writer for the Doggy Dream Team, an online community for those who lap up all things canine, so as to enjoy this canine culture.

Photo collaboration thanks to Mascot Video

Daryl secured his bromantic house sit through Trusted Housesitters

"House Sitting Magazine Facebook Group" is growing quickly - we are rapidly approaching 500 members.

It's a place where you can have a voice on any topic related to house or pet sitting, travel or roaming incomes. We welcome your feedback on the magazine, the articles we feature and also on what you would like to see in future issues.

There's no advertising of sits or profiles (there are plenty of other groups for this purpose), just a place to "hang out" and get inspired about the house sitting and roaming income lifestyle.

Each month we will have a poll and this month we asked where most of you find or advertise your house sits. With so many avenues available we wanted to see which you find most effective.

You can see the results in the image at the end of the page.

From your input It seems that paid house sitting platforms are still the best source for house sit matches. This is closely followed by word of mouth or referral.

The growing popularity of house sitting means that many home owners now use sitters regularly, often multiple times throughout the year. We think it's likely that quality referrals will increasingly fulfill home owner requirements, possibly easing the competition for newcomers on the house sitting platforms.

What do you think?

Join our Facebook Group today to have your say!

News release

HouseSittingWorld partner with HouseSitMexico

HouseSittingWorld.com is pleased to announce that HouseSitMexico has joined international house sitting platforms Nomador and House Carers, as a partner platform.

HouseSittingWorld.com members enjoy unrivaled, automated search flexibility and notifications through our SitWish and SitAlert features.

SitWish allows you to create and save up to 10 individual custom searches. SitAlert automatically scans our partner platforms every hour and notifies you via email or text when a house sit matches a SitWish.

You are among the first to know of new sits, allowing you greater opportunity to secure the assignments you want, in the locations you choose.

HouseSitMexico is a new regional house sitting platform that boasts exceptional functionality to rival the major platforms. They strive to maintain a homeowner/house sitter ratio to increase the opportunity for matches for sitters, who want to experience the beauty of Mexico.

It is very much a managed service house sitting site where the management will work directly with the sitters and owners to create win-win situations similar to that of Nomador and HouseSitMatch.

Visit HouseSittingWorld.com, sign up for SitAlerts and let us find the house sits you want in the locations you choose.

Next month is all about "staying connected" Amy Rutherford and Doug Dyer will be writing on this topic, and Ian will be introducing a great new resource that will help you stay connected with other house sitters!

We are very excited to be including an interview with travel guru, Nomadic Matt, and house sitter Jenny Lincoln kicks off our "Exotic" series in which she looks at the pros, and the cons of house sitting in "paradise" locations.

Don't forget to have your say by joining us in the House Sitting Magazine Facebook Group.

See you in June with more from Botswana.

Vanessa and Ian

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Issue 11 available 15 June 2017

The small print Reproduction - Reproduction in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited.

Disclaimer - Information provided in this publication is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.

It should not be used as travel, lifestyle, financial or legal advice. You should always consult with your qualified and licensed professional practitioner. The publisher accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any of the opinions, advice, representations or information contained within this publication. The publisher expressly disclaims responsibility for any adverse effect that may result from the use and application of the information contained in this magazine. Readers should rely on their own advice and enquiries when making decisions affecting their interests.

Publishers - The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. House Sitting The ultimate lifestyle magazine is published by Ian Usher and Vanessa Anderson.

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Copyright 2017 by Ian Usher. All rights reserved.

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