House Sitting Magazine Issue 20: June 2018

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

Touch Down - How to Arrive in Style & Comfort Ian Usher

What to Expect When House Sitting in Canada Katie Stephens

I've Got My First House Sit, What's Next?

Vanessa Anderson

Life Lessons From a Dog Trainer Doug Dyer

3 Tips for Dealing with Pet Odors & Dander Patrick Holmes

A Typical Day as a Working House Sitting - in Cologne, Germany Nicola Rae

The Transition From RV Living to Full Time House Sitting Brooke & Buddy Baum

All The World's A Stage Andrew Redfern & Lori Grant

The Grey Gap Year Lamia Walker

Budgeting For Full Time House Sitting Tracy Kellermeyer

Making Connections - The Hash House Harriers Alison Keeler

How to Quickly Get Rid of Jet Lag Sara Westgreen

Family House Sitting - The Chiang Gang Interview with Carol-Ann Chiang

Off to a Flying Start Brittnay Sharman

In the next issue...

TOUCHDOWN - HOW TO ARRIVE IN STYLE AND COMFORT

by Ian Usher

Do you have a system or routine when traveling to a new country? What preparations do you make in advance so that you arrive and enter a country with the least amount of discomfort?

What's the first thing you do when the plane lands? And... what apps do you use to make things easier?

Vanessa and I are now house sitting on the tropical island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean. The island nation of St Vincent & The Grenadines is made up of 32 islands, of which only a handful are inhabited. It's a beautiful place, relatively untouched by tourism when compared to Barbados, where we sat for three months last year.

We didn't really know what to expect when we arrived here, yet our entry to this small country was smooth and trouble free. I realized that this was, to a large degree, due to the advance preparations we made long before we left the UK to begin our current house sitting adventure.

I've been an international traveler for almost 40 years, and have arrived at more new places than I care to count. Over the years I've developed a system that gives me the best chance of having a reasonably stress-free arrival in any new location.

I've honed and adjusted my arrival routine as times have changed. The internet has arrived and smartphones now connect us instantly to a world of information and useful tools.

Here are 12 tips to help you avoid hassles and pitfalls when arriving somewhere unfamiliar for the first time.

PART 1 - Accommodation & Transport 1. Book your first night of accommodation in advance If you're not being collected at the airport by your home owner for a house sit assignment, then it's a good idea to have your first night of accommodation already planned in advance.

We use Booking.com to look for hotels, or Airbnb to find a room in a private home, or maybe a small apartment. Both of these usually provide plenty of options to suit any budget.

Check that wherever you book is easy and inexpensive to get to using public transport, or simple for a taxi driver to find.

2. Plan your transportation in advance Spend a little time researching options to get from the airport to your first night's accommodation. Often when taking a taxi from the airport you will pay a vastly inflated price.

This is sometimes because the taxi companies have to pay an airport tax to pick up there, and this is obviously passed on to you, the customer. A higher price is sometimes quoted simply because you are a new arrival, and have no idea what a taxi should really cost.

So, know what the actual fare should be.

WikiTravel is a good place to start your research.

Here, for example, is their post on Panama City. Taxis will cost around $30 from the airport to the city. A local bus can be found for $1.25, but paying the fare means finding a local with a travel card and paying them the cash equivalent: https://wikitravel.org/en/Panama_City You have to make your decision based on your budget, and take into consideration your comfort level in new locations and situations.

TripAdvisor forums often have lots of advice from other travelers, but make sure it is up-todate info, as many of the posts date back several years.

Planning ahead significantly reduces your chance of getting ripped off. Always check taxi fares with the driver in advance, of course, before you get into the taxi.

3. An airport taxi secret to save money I discovered this little trick while in Cusco in Peru, and it has served me well many times since then.

If you join the line of people outside Airport Arrivals you will most likely pay a much higher taxi price for an official airport taxi, as the taxis usually have to pay a hefty fee to the airport.

Instead, make your way to the Departures drop-off area, and wait for a regular licensed taxi to drop off a customer heading for a flight out. The taxi will usually be happy for you to hop in, as he now has a fare for his journey back to the city.

In Cusco this meant paying around $3 US for the journey to town, instead of $20 US.

4. App - Uber Instead of paying inflated taxi prices, try using the Uber app to pay much more reasonable rates for the comfort of door-to-door service. Uber isn't available in all countries and cities (they've now withdrawn or been banned from certain cities, including London), but where Uber can be found, you'll usually make a significant saving.

Of course, you need access to data on your phone to do this... we'll come to this later.

5. App - download MAPS.ME for offline maps This is one of my favorite apps. I use this ALL THE TIME and love it. It is completely free, and works offline for any areas that you have already downloaded the maps for. Plan ahead, and make sure you have got all the maps you will need on your phone or tablet before you begin your journey.

You can use the phone's GPS to track your journey to your accommodation - perfect to check that the taxi isn't taking you on an unwanted tour of the city, or for making sure you get off the bus at the right stop.

You can pin locations on the map too, so pin your hotel or Airbnb, so it is easy to find.

We use Maps.me to get to hidden-away beaches, and to find secluded hiking trails. The level of detail is fantastic, and in places like St Vincent, or Thailand, we have often found there are more roads and trails marked on the map than on Google Maps.

That's because Maps.me uses OpenStreetMap.org for it's map info. You can actually add detail to this open source resource yourself, and I often add tracks and other landmarks to maps as we discover new things.

You can download areas of Google Maps for offline access, but I've had trouble with this before, and you don't want to arrive in a new city and find the downloaded offline map is no longer available.

PART 2 - Internet Connection Options 6. International roaming Before departure to your new destination, check your current home country cell provider's options and prices for roaming abroad. Many people are on a plan that makes it simple to use their phone abroad at a reasonable price. Make sure to check rates for all countries you plan to visit to be sure there will be no surprises.

If you are on a "pay-as-you-go" plan you may find roaming costs to be prohibitively expensive, or that your data gets eaten up very quickly.

7. Airport WiFi Obviously, the simplest way to get online when you land in a new country or city is to use the airport WiFi... if there is WiFi available, of course.

Some airports are great, and offer easy, quick, free internet access. Some require you to create an account, download an app, wade through lengthy adverts, or get a code from the information desk.

Relying on the airport for your connection is not ideal, and could potentially leave you unable to access anything online.

One of the biggest disadvantages of counting on the airport connection is that as soon as you head outside to meet your Uber driver, you've lost your internet connection. Surely there is a better option...?

8. Local SIM cards If your mobile phone is unlocked, and therefore able to accept SIM cards from other cellphone networks, you'll often find a vendor at the airport who can sell you a local network SIM card.

Once set up you'll have a local phone number, and with the right package, access to mobile data too.

Research the different cellphone companies in advance, so you know which one will suit your needs.

The major downside of relying on this method is that there may not be the option to purchase a SIM at the airport, or if arriving at an unusual hour, the shops may be closed.

You may also run into language barriers, and the initial setup of the SIM may be quite complicated.

9. FlexiRoam We recently started using FlexiRoam for mobile data, and have been very impressed with the service in several countries we have tried it in so far.

FlexiRoam offers international data roaming packages which work in over 100 countries. You have to buy a Starter Pack, which has a small data chip which sticks onto any SIM card. This allows the SIM to data-roam onto a huge choice of local mobile networks.

When you enter a new country you simply switch to the FlexiRoam SIM, turn on data roaming, and connect via the FlexiRoam app. We simply switch on after clearing customs and are instantly online.

We bought a 5Gb data package, which is valid for a full year, and seems to be lasting well. We don't use it all the time, because as soon as we get to our Airbnb, or our house sit assignment we usually then have access to WiFi. Initial setup was a little tricky, but once resolved FlexiRoam is easy to use. Get set up well in advance of your trip, instead of trying to resolve everything when you land at the airport.

PART 3 - Money 10. Know the currency exchange rate We use the XE.com currency app, and check exchange rates before we depart, so we know roughly what to expect when changing cash or withdrawing funds from an ATM.

This can also help if for some reason you can't get hold of any local currency, and have to negotiate a taxi fare in Euros or US$.

11. Withdraw cash from an ATM I don't think we've passed through an airport yet which hasn't had an ATM somewhere. Even in Cuba we found a cash point shortly after landing, and had local cash in our pockets before we exited the arrivals hall.

We usually try to withdraw the local equivalent of around $100 in cash, maybe more depending on our expectations of prices, based on our research. This should be enough to get you through the first few days, and find your feet.

We recently opened an account with Starling Bank, a UK online-only bank. They offer an amazing deal for travelers. Zero fees for foreign currency withdrawals, zero fees for MasterCard transactions in any currency, and 0.5% interest on any balance too.

The exchange rates are fantastic, usually coming in at mid-market rate, which is way better than you'll get at a bank currency exchange booth. Occasionally you may still be charged a fee for use of the ATM by the foreign bank.

For US citizens we've heard great things about Charles Schwab Bank, which even refunds any ATM fees charged by the foreign ATM.

12. Currency exchange If for some reason you can't get cash from the ATM, then a cash backup is wise. We always try to carry some US Dollars in good condition, small denomination notes that we can change at the airport currency exchange bureau. You probably won't get a very good rate, but having some local cash is better than none at all.

You'll need some small local notes or coins if your travel plans from the airport involve local buses. Ask for these when you change your cash, instead of just accepting large denomination notes.

IN CONCLUSION It's all about planning ahead and being organized...

This is how a perfectly planned arrival in a new location might look:        

Once the plane touches down you pass through Passport Control and go to collect your baggage.

While waiting you can connect to the internet, via airport WiFi if available, via FlexiRoam if not.

After collecting your bags, clear through customs and avoid the taxi touts.

Find an ATM and get hold of some local currency with zero fees, ideally with your Starling Bank card (UK residents) or your Charles Schwab Bank card (US residents).

Order an Uber online, if available, or check that you are quoted the correct price by a taxi driver.

Or head for your chosen method of transport, such as bus, train or subway.

Make your way to your pre-booked accommodation, following along on your pre-planned route on Maps.me to make sure you don't get lost.

Arrive at your accommodation, settle in, then head out to explore your new location.

This is exactly how our arrival in St Vincent went, and we settled into a lovely apartment just on the outskirts of town less than two hours after touching down.

Plan ahead to make sure you arrive every time, relaxed, organized and unstressed.

What To Expect When House Sitting in Canada

by Katie Stephens

It has been eighteen months since my partner Matt and I decided to take the plunge, pack all our worldly belongings into storage and start traveling.

We're both from the UK and eligible for "Working Holiday Visas" for Canada, but we were only a couple of years off the 30 year age limit, so we knew it was now or never.

Canada had long been a dream destination for both of us. After a short trip to the Great White North in 2014 we had fallen in love with the country. Beautiful landscapes, endless hiking and poutine were calling. Family and friends were just as excited about our adventure as we were, but one question kept popping up, where are you going to live?

After a bit of online prowling I came across house sitting.

We'd inadvertently been doing this for our loved ones for several years and thought it would be a wonderful way to save on accommodation, meet new people and make furry friends, without being tied to one location.

Getting Started We took time in setting up our online house-sitting profile as we didn't want to fall at the first hurdle. As home owners ourselves we understood the responsibility of looking after a house and garden. We'd also both grown up surrounded by pets and hoped this would help the process.

I like to cover all my bases so I also took an online pet first aid course, hoping never to have to use this knowledge!

Uploading our information onto Housecarers, TrustedHousesitters and eventually HouseSittersCanada, we started applying for sits. Location didn't matter too much, however we wanted to do longer house sits over the winter months, allowing us to work and save up for travelling during the summer months.

Lucky for us many Canadians head south for winter sun so there were several longer assignments available. We managed to secure a winter sit for our arrival in November 2016 in Calgary, Alberta, looking after an elderly Sheltie.

Shock to the system Calgary was an excellent location to start our journey and gave us a true Canadian winter experience, complete with snow and temperatures as cold as -30 degrees Celsius!

Coming from the UK where everything shuts down over a few centimeters of snow, it was a novelty to be somewhere that embraced it. Other than shoveling snow and wearing every item of clothing I owned, it never hindered the adventure.

In fact, we were able to go hiking in the Rocky Mountains, only an hour away, on several occasions and we viewed frozen lakes and waterfalls as we walked through snow covered trees.

We also tried snowboarding and fat tire mountain biking for the first time.

Whilst we spoke the same language and ate the same foods, there were a few things as Brits that took some time to adjust to. Things like driving on the other side of the road and being able to turn right on a red light took some getting used to. At Christmas I went to three stores before I found parsnips, and pre-made "pigs-in-blankets" proved to be even more elusive!

However, the hospitality and helpfulness of the Canadians made the transition a smooth one. A few times we went for brunch with the home-owners' sister and they even gave us Christmas presents to welcome us to our new home. Other times our accents sparked conversation with the locals who were more than willing to share tips on the best hikes, restaurants and attractions.

Contending with weather Whilst the snow was enjoyable there have been times when it has felt like nature was not on our side. Our second winter housesit was on the East Coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia looking after an energetic dog and two cats, but with that came the Nor'easters. Nor'easters are intense storms which combine rain, snow, ice and winds… super fun!

In the supermarket one day I noticed everyone was buying huge amounts of bottled water and couldn't figure out why. Later that evening we endured 110km per hour winds and treacherous rain. The power and water flicked on and off over the next few weeks with the longest stretch lasting nearly 48 hours. Fortunately for us after the first few times we learnt our lesson and had an emergency kit of snacks, water and torches. As well as frequently checking the weather reports for incoming storms. (what did you use) Unfortunately, the storm had left a trail of destruction, several large trees had come down during the winds, a glass balcony panel had flown 20ft shattering on the ground and had taken the owners grill with it. We spent days clearing the glass and all the pieces of the BBQ that were scattered around the garden. It was a swift learning curve as it was the first time anything had gone "wrong" on a sit. But, these type of events are why people engage sitters in the first place.

An encounter with a porcupine Another time we battled with nature was with the local wildlife. Our Nova Scotian homeowners had warned us of a porcupine that sometimes visited the property but noted that they hadn't seen him in a while, so not to worry about it. A few weeks went by and we hadn't seen any sign of him either.

However, one evening, whilst taking the dog out for her bedtime walk, the spiky creature was lying in wait. On seeing the porcupine the pup couldn't resist a meet-and-greet and stuck her nose straight into his quills!

My pet first aid course hadn't covered this!

Luckily, the quills were small and weren't too deep so, we were able to keep her calm enough to carefully pluck them out.

After emailing the homeowners, they informed us that she had done this before and just hadn't learnt her lesson! We kept a close eye on her for the next few days to make sure infection didn't set in and were grateful to never meet the porcupine again.

Enjoying all Canada has to offer Most people, Canadian's included, only ever get to visit a small portion of this massive country.

We have been extremely fortunate that house sitting has enabled us to see more of it than we ever expected. Traveling as far north as the Yukon and driving over six thousand kilometers coast-to-coast has been a once-in-a-lifetime journey.

A car makes all the difference Having a vehicle has been key to our adventure and is by far the best way to see Canada. Whilst trains, planes and buses are available, having a car allows you to go off course and experience what Canada does best… the great outdoors.

If you enjoy hiking, camping, canoeing, skiing, snowboarding or anything outdoors then Canada is the place to be. Trails are often well marked, campsites are clean, and parks are easily accessible. What's more, they utilise these facilities year-round, so house sitting is fun during any season.

Continuing the journey Having enjoyed our first winter in Calgary so much, we have lined up several house sits for the coming summer. It will be great to see the Rockies now the snow has melted, and the lakes are glistening turquoise. Moreover, it will be great to catch-up with the friends we made during our first house sit.

It may not have been a smooth ride (every house sitter has their story to tell!) we've had vet trips, porcupine encounters and ridiculous winds. However, we fully recommend the experience to anyone considering it.

In fact, I actively encourage it!

Katie and Matt met nine years ago while studying at Aberystwyth University in Wales. They developed a love of traveling after embarking upon a 3-month road trip around the USA visiting over 20 states.

Their love of the outdoors led them to Canada on 2 year working holiday visas. Currently the couple are house sitting in Calgary, Alberta for the summer before returning home to the UK. You can read more about their journey so far at their blog: airmailadventures.wordpress.com

I'VE GOT MY FIRST HOUSE SIT, WHAT NEXT?

by Vanessa Anderson

This was a question asked in the House Sitting Magazine Facebook Group this month, The question was quickly echoed by a number of other members who had all successfully secured their first sits, but were also wondering, "What do I do now?"

You may be surprised to discover there's a lot more to the house sitting process than just a quick, "Thanks for selecting me and I'll see you on the 5th".

Here are our top suggestions for what to do to make sure your first house sit goes as smoothly as possible:

Congratulate yourself - you're on your way!

First of all take a moment to congratulate yourself. All that hard work, researching the best house sitting site, writing profiles, creating appealing photos, and sending in applications, has paid off. Your house sitting adventures have begun!

Get all the contact details you can Many house sitting platforms use messenger systems. These are great for keeping all your house sit correspondence in one place, but if the system is down, the home owner forgets to renew, or you have no internet for whatever reason, it's important to have another way to make contact.

Ask for an email address, telephone number, WhatsApp, or Skype details. A telephone or cell/mobile number will ensure you can call / chat, or at least leave a message when you arrive at your destination, if you haven't yet got internet sorted.

Skype chats or other interviews?

Sometimes you'll find home owners will accept you without anything more than your initial email or message application. Whilst that's very flattering, we think it's extremely important to have some form of spoken dialogue to ensure expectations are being met, and more importantly that you have all the correct details about the location, the dates, the handover, the pets, and the duties involved. This is where your interview questions will come in handy.

You can email us if you'd like a copy of our comprehensive list.

Send an email confirming all the most important details We always send a confirmation email and have a template that includes the sit dates, the handover date and length of time, the address, email, telephone, pets and names, any specific duties like pool care, solar management, pet medications etc. We ask the home owner to check the details and confirm back that this is all correct. A couple of times we've had small date changes as the home owner has noticed they've incorrectly listed the start date (forgetting the handover period). It's a good habit to adopt. This confirmation also ensures that there has been no misunderstandings from the Skype or other chat.

House Sitting Logistics Once everything is confirmed for your house sit job, you can start to research and organize your travel arrangements. If you are well organized, you'll already have looked into the costs of getting to your destination, as these will probably have influenced your decision to take the house sit.

But now you can start to firm up on arrangements of flights, visas, transfers etc. Remember that some smaller countries don't have such full flight schedules as others, and this could affect the date you arrive. You might need to arrange first night accommodation, or negotiate an extra night with the home owners. We quite like a night in an Airbnb if we are traveling long haul, as it gives us time to relax and get a good night's sleep before getting involved with the house sitting handover.

Send flight confirmations Sending copies of your flight confirmation will serve a couple of purposes. Firstly it reassures the home owners that you are actually going to arrive. There's sometimes concern when selecting house sitters from across the world, Aussies to the US for example, that they will actually make the commitment.

Secondly, it shows the home owner that you've made a financial commitment to the house sitting exchange. Most home owners would feel uncomfortable about making changes or even cancelling a sit when they can see how much you've invested in flights and travel.

This works both ways too, and we've often found that sending our confirmation prompts the home owner to send us a copy of their flight details too!

Provision of a car If a car is being provided, you'll need to check in advance that your standard driving licence is sufficient. You may need an international driver's license or you may have to register once arriving in the country. For instance, we had to get a special temporary licence in Barbados and on our day of arrival, it was in fact a country wide holiday. This impacted our ability to take the home owners to the airport. These are all things to be considered.

You'll also need to look into insurance - something else you'll want to organise before arrival if possible, not just as the home owners are leaving for their vacation!

Get a copy of the Home Book If your sit is with TrustedHousesitters, you are now able to request a "welcome guide" from the home owners. Not all members use this as some have their own version which they can send you by email, or it will be printed out for your arrival.

If you can get a copy by email in advance, it's very helpful to check through and can avoid surprises on arrival. It also helps make the handover less stressful for everyone if you've already understood a lot of what's involved.

If the home owner is new to house sitting and doesn't have a house sitter guide then you could suggest sending them a questionnaire of your own that they can fill in before the sit begins.

This would include information about the pets' routines, emergency contacts, and so on.

House sitting agreements We don't personally use a house sitting agreement, but if you want to, this is a good time to put this in place with all the agreed terms. You'll find most of the best international house sitting platforms have a downloadable agreement that you can use or adapt.

Research the location We always research the area, checking Google Maps and Maps.Me (for off-line maps) to see what's close by the property. We check for remoteness, access to public transport, supermarkets, local sight-seeing etc.

This is another reason why it's good to have the accurate address. We also check out options for getting to and from the airport if they home owner isn't or can't provide that service.

Questions for the handover It's a good idea to have a checklist for the handover so that everything is covered that you want to know about. Give this some thought before you arrive, taking into consideration your location and accessibility to shops and services.

Stay in touch Maintain a dialogue with the home owners up to the sit. If a sit is 6 months off for instance, we would send an email every 2 months, but always a month before to make sure everything is still on track.

If you keep track of all of these issues you should find yourself having a problem free house sit and you'll be looking forward to finding sit number 2.

Oh, and don't forget to ask for a reference!

Have we missed anything?

Is there anything you'd do differently for your first house sit?

LIFE LESSONS FROM A DOG TRAINER

by Doug Dyer

As anyone who has been to "Obedience Training" knows - it's not about the dog!

Training the dog is just the topic - the dog owner is the actual student.

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a dog trainer and learn how to better manage a dog. In the process, I also learned more about myself and how to be a better human.

And, I came away with four life lessons that can be as effective in everyday interactions with people as they are with pets.

It was challenging, requiring a lot of concentration, but was, however, very rewarding and I'm most grateful for the experience gained.

My partner and side-kick in this endeavour was a rowdy white Shepherd pup named "Tazz". My guru on the path to enlightened animal handling was a guy called Galo.

Tazz wants to be a good dog but just has a lot of fun puppy energy. A lack of focus and a streak of anxiety are two hurdles to learning for Tazz.

Galo is a very experienced animal trainer - much like a Zen master/dog whisperer kind of guy. I wanted to call him Yoda.

Classes were at 8am, three days a week, and man did I have lots to learn about the interaction between human and dog.

On day one I strutted into class and when Tazz wouldn't obey I immediately raised my voice.

"Tazz Sit! Tazz SIT!!"

Galo, the master, taps me on the shoulder and softly said "Do you think the dog cannot hear you"?

OK, so let the learning begin.

Lesson 1: Sensitivity Dogs, like humans, primarily receive their input from non- verbal communication. Remember the theory we learned about communication being 80% physical and 20% verbal?

For a dog, this rule still applies, but ten-fold.

Despite what some dog owners think, dogs don't speak our language (and they don't speak Spanish or French either). They are however very astute at reading our movements and physical subtleties.

A gentle voice and a soft hand on the leash go a long way in getting the results that are desired.

Raising my voice actually caused more anxiety for Tazz and my own frustration level to soar.

After observing Galo for some time, it dawned on me that the dog is taking it clues from his body language and responding in a purely physical way.

Hmmm, sounds like a life lesson to me.

Can I do a better job of paying attention to how people communicate? I think so.

Not just being a better listener, but also tuning in to what people are communicating with their body language.

Sensitive guy here we come!!

Lesson 2: Forgiveness Oh this is a biggie!!

Have you ever noticed that your dog will be just as thrilled to greet you whether you have been on an extended trip to Europe or just out to the corner store?

It is widely believed that dogs have little sense of elapsed time.

So being angry and scolding your dog for chewing your slippers while you were out is just a waste of breath. They have no idea why you are angry.

For learning to occur, you can only correct or reward your pet for their most recent action. No point in holding a grudge, the dog doesn't get it. Most likely the humans that you are still angry with don't get it either. They have long forgotten about your chewed up slippers. Best let it go.

If we pay attention, our pets can teach us this divine attribute. What if we were able to forgive all of our enemies for their previous misdeeds, could world peace be achieved?

Lesson 3: Patience In the second week, Galo asked me, "How easy do you think it is for a dog to learn to heel"?

Like an idiot I said "it should be very easy".

"Really? Follow me".

With me heeling at his side, and trying to follow his lead, Galo quickly demonstrated the need for patience . I soon realized just how difficult it was to stop when he stopped, turn when he turned, back up when he did. If you want to feel really foolish try this role-play at home with a partner. You be the dog.

Maybe I could practice being a tad more patient with the people near to me? Certainly I need to be more patient with Tazz.

"Poco a poco" - "Little by Little"

Lesson 4: Observation What will send this dog into a barking frenzy next?

Well, a C A T racing into the alley certainly will.

Once Tazz has seen the cat, squirrel, dove, etc., the likelihood of a calm walk is all but lost.

It's so much easier to walk a dog that is at heel and obeying you, than to correct one that is trying to dislocate your shoulder.

In our world, if we can learn to observe and anticipate that C A T headed down the alley, maybe some of life's unwanted surprises could be avoided.

With the lifestyle that Johanne and I have chosen, we are changing our address, city and sometimes country every five weeks or so. Observation in new surroundings is critical.

Where are the potholes (literally) and what should we be aware of to make our journey comfortable, with few surprises?

Actually, I have learned this skill by watching Johanne, who is very much in tune with her environment. Her skill of observing and anticipating the C A T on the next corner has often kept us safe.

I am certain that there are many more lessons that Tazz and Yoda could teach me, but these 4 life lessons come with a lot of homework!

Doug and Johanne are currently house sitting full time throughout Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. You can connect with them at www.joyfultravellers.com You can also learn more about their transformation by picking up Doug’s first book on Amazon A Tale of Two Geckos

3 TIPS FOR DEALING WITH PET ODORS & DANDER

by Patrick Holmes

Having a pet is not all positive. Along with your lovable fur-ball, you may also have to deal with pet dander and odors. This can be off-putting for both you and any potential pet or house sitters.

It doesn't matter how loving or caring you or your pet is, pet dander or pet odors can result in you having to find ways to deal with these troublesome issues.

What is "dander" ?

Dander is material shed from the body of humans and various animals that have fur, hair, or feathers. Dander is microscopic, and can be transported through the air in house dust, where it forms the diet of the house dust mite. Through the air, dander can enter the mucous membranes in the nose and lungs, causing allergies in susceptible individuals. Dander builds up in carpets and in mattresses and pillows. More pet dander is sloughed off in older animals than in younger animals. Source: Wikipedia But don't worry, we have some tips for you to ensure your home smells nice and fresh and not like a kennel. So you and your house sitters can enjoy time with the pets you love without the worry of pet smells and dander.

Tip 1: Combat Odors With Baking Soda Baking soda should be a necessity for all pet owners as it serves as a wonderful cleaning and neutralizing agent. It works wonders when it comes to pet odors, completely getting rid of them.

While most people use baking soda as an added ingredient in baked goods, it also helps neutralize the most pungent of smells. It's fairly easy to use - all you have to do is sprinkle baking soda in the affected area, let it settle for a few minutes and then vacuum it.

The baking soda absorbs the odor which is vacuumed away. So if your pet accidentally urinates on the carpet all you have to do is apply baking soda to the affected area and the smell will go away.

A lot of pet owners use vinegar as an odor-reducing agent. However, vinegar has a strong smell of its own and since it has an odor similar to ammonia, you will pretty much be designating the area as a urine spot for your pet.

Cleaning the surfaces around your home is another option. However, this solution is timeconsuming as you need to ensure the surfaces are thoroughly cleaned in order to get rid of any smells.

Think about it, not only do you have to ensure the floor or carpet is clean but also the furniture, curtains, and upholstery, which takes a lot of effort. If you don't clean thoroughly, the smell not only sticks around but latches on to surfaces, making it a lot tougher to get out later.

So make your life a little easier and use baking soda to get rid of pet odors quickly.

Tip 2: Bathe & Brush Your Pet Weekly If pet dander is an issue in your home then the best solution is to bathe your four-legged companions on a regular basis. We know, bathing is not the easiest thing to do as pets normally don't like it. It's also a little time-consuming, however, the process will save you from having to deal with pet dander.

Most pet owners can be lazy when it comes to bathing their pets and do it just once a month.

However, if you want to get rid of the dander, you'll have to bathe your pet at least twice a month. We recommend doing it once a week.

There are studies showing that bathing your pet helps to reduce dander by over 80%. You can find many products that are specifically formulated to combat dander, but be sure to use a shampoo that's suitable for your pet (and approved by the home owners if you're pet sitting).

Along with bathing your pet, you also need to ensure their fur is nice and healthy so it doesn't easily fly off. That is why brushing your pet's fur is important as it helps keep the fur intact while also gets rid of any excess. Brushing pets once a week is recommended, however, if your pet has longer fur then you may need to brush two to three times a week.

Tip 3: Buy An Air Purifier Cleaning your home on a daily basis or every other day to get rid of dander is not only timeconsuming but not feasible for most pet owners. That's why getting an air purifier will ensure this daily maintenance of cleanness and will rid you of some annoying tasks.

Not just that, but for those who have pets, it's better to get informed and search for specific purifiers like a HEPA grade air purifier made specifically for animals.

Air purifiers work to purify the air in the room, and during this process they also pull in the dander from the air and surfaces around the room. The purifier has a filter that traps the dander ensuring that it doesn't go back out.

Air purifiers don't only help with dander but also aid slightly in reducing pet smells in the room as they purify the air too. They also works to reduce pet allergens.

The number of air purifiers you need for your home depends on the number of rooms your pet has access to. Usually, one purifier per room is enough but if you have more than one pet, you may want to consider using more. You don't really need to get a purifier for every room in your home, just those that the pets spend a lot of time in.

For more information on HEPA air purifiers, click the link below: Best Air Purifier for Pet Hair & Dander

Keeping pet odors and dander at bay shouldn't be an arduous task. It truly isn't if you properly take care of your pets and ensure your home is kept clean.

If you are house or pet sitting, it will help keep the pets in your care healthy and free from odors that might otherwise make for an unpleasant experience.

Our tips will help ensure that you save time in both. Resulting in a cleaner, odor and danderfree home.

Patrick Holmes is an indoor air quality specialist at Home Air Quality Guides.

His passion is to help people create cleaner, healthier and more comforting environments inside their homes by sharing expert advice that's easy to follow. He enjoys writing in-depth articles on air purification, household cleaning tips, home maintenance advice and more.

A TYPICAL DAY AS A WORKING HOUSE SITTER

by Nicola Rae

Finding my way to Cologne, Germany I wake up to sunlight and the sound of two cuddly cats purring close to my face. The cats, a brother and sister duo who are equally content to terrorize mice or snooze the afternoon away in your lap, like their breakfast around 7:00am. I don't mind. It's nice to get an early start to the day. While the cats eat, I drink a cup of coffee at the kitchen table and look out the large garden windows as the neighborhood wakes up.

My apartment is located in an eco-friendly community. There aren't any cars - everyone walks or rides bikes. It is quiet enough to hear the birds chirping and kids laughing as they ride their bikes to school somewhere in the distance. The sunlight is so bright that I'm almost tricked into thinking it isn't cold outside, but when I crack the door to let the kitties do their morning exploring and sunbathing, I'm reminded that it's still very much winter.

Cologne was a happy coincidence After house sitting and teaching English online around Europe for several months, I still hadn't made it to Germany. My house sits are planned as I go, so there is a little bit of serendipity involved in each successful sit, but this time it bordered on magic.

I was sitting at my computer compulsively refreshing the house sitting website as I thought to myself, “My, it would be lovely to finally see Germany. And I haven't had any kitty cuddles in a while, I sure would love to meet some cat friends.”

I hit refresh. Then there it was.

The exact house sit I had been wanting. Two cats and an adorable apartment in the heart of Cologne, Germany. I applied so fast my message must have made it to the family a mere ten minutes after they posted the listing. We talked on Skype a few days later and they were absolutely lovely. At the end of the call, we realized we had talked for hours, swapping stories about pets and travels like old friends.

When it was all confirmed, I stuffed my tiny winter wardrobe and my traveling English classroom into my backpack and practically ran to Cologne.

Have you heard about German bread?

I have some time before my first online English class, so I decide to take a ten minute walk to my favorite bakery, Merzenich, my affections for which are starting to border on obsession. I pass through a busy produce market where men shout in languages I don't understand and the fruit comes in more colors and shapes than I've seen in any grocery store.

Last week when I passed through this market, I stopped to practice my very poor German with a woman selling fruit and accidentally bought two kilos of kiwis that were so ripe I had to eat them all in one day. I suppose I've made worse mistakes.

I smell my bakery before I see it. Little breads, called Brötchen, topped with sesame seeds, nuts, grains, or cheese. Loaves of ciabatta and walnut bread, the size of serving platters. Pastries dipped in crystal sugar and donuts, jelly-filled, piled high in the window.

How is a girl to choose? Well, I usually don't.

Today, I buy a large loaf of dark bread with a name I can't pronounce, something that smells like an apple strudel, and my favorite, Kokosmakronen - coconut macaroons dipped in dark chocolate, that I eat on the way home.

My Work Day as an Online English Teacher At 9:30am, I start my work day. My “nomadic” classroom, complete with 2D print outs of maps and flags, a few stuffed animals, and a dozen finger puppets, is set up in the guest bedroom. On a typical day, I teach English to my students in China until 3:00pm with a thirty minute lunch (aka coffee and bread) break in the middle.

I am a teacher by profession and the transition from a traditional classroom to a virtual one has been a welcome change. I loved my students and colleagues when I was teaching school in the States, but I always knew I wanted to travel. Trying to cram all my international dreams into the fleeting two months summer wasn't working, mostly because by the time summer came around, all I wanted to do was sleep.

When I found out that it was possible to make a living teaching English online, I knew I had found something that would let me do both things I love - teach and travel.

One of the cats sneaks into the guest room and walks on top of the desk while I teach, pretending to ignore me while showing off for the students, occasionally mashing a stray key on my laptop. The students are delighted. It only takes a few days for them to beg to see the handsome cat each and every class. He is getting famous!

The Bicycle Affair When my work day is finished, I take care of a few chores around the house. I clean out the litter boxes, take out the trash, and wipe down the kitchen, just to keep things in tip top shape.

It doesn't take a long time in this comfortable, stylish apartment.

Getting dressed in enough layers to venture outside in a German winter, however, does take a long time. February is breezy and today is downright cold. Cologne locals cycle everywhere and today, I'm attempting to join them.

One step outside the apartment and I almost change my mind. But then I would have wasted the last half hour layering on every item of clothing I own, so I decide to brave it.

My homeowners thoughtfully left me a bike to use during my stay. Now, as icy wind whips my hair around my face like medusa, I look the bike up and down. I know how to ride a bike. I rode one in my neighborhood growing up. I even peddled around the quad during college a few times. But I have never ridden a bike on a busy road, surrounded by cars, in subzero temperatures, with frozen hands.

Travel is all about new adventures, right?

I am quite uncoordinated on a bike. Almost immediately, I narrowly avoid a collision with a child coming home from elementary school. Thankfully, he had much better biking dexterity than me so we both survived, but it was close. I pedal too slowly and teeter totter. I cause a backlog of other bikers because I go way too slowly in the bike lane and get passed by a chorus of slightly peeved but still polite little bike bells ringing.

My bike ride to city center is only ten minutes and my nose is completely numb by the time I arrive, but I arrive, so I'm feeling pretty good.

A Cathedral, an Art Museum, and My New Favorite Tradition The Cologne Cathedral will never get old to me. It stands so tall you have to do a back-bend to see the whole thing. The work of architecture is intricate and delicate but strong enough to withstand weather and war and time.

Right next door to the Cologne Cathedral is the Ludwig Museum - an enormous space filled with 20th century and contemporary art. I'd like to think I understand art. But sometimes the very edgy modern pieces go over my head. Like the piece that is simply a line of brown chairs in a hallway, which I learned was, in fact, an art installation and not for sitting in.

It's about 5:30pm, so I decide to grab a quick pick-me-up, German style. Kaffe und Kuchen, or coffee and cake, is one of my favorite German traditions. Right across from the Cathedral and the Ludwig museum is Cafe Reichard, a stylish cafe with chocolate displays so beautiful I could weep.

I get a cappuccino and slice of chocolate rum cake which I eat in a window seat with a great view of the Cathedral. A string of tourists try to line up the perfect “I'm touching the top of the Cathedral” shot with their friends.

The cake is gone far too soon so I take my coffee to-go and walk back toward the Cathedral.

This time I pass it and continue walking across the Hohenzollern Bridge that spans the Rhine.

From the other side, there is an overlook where you can see the bridge, the iconic Cathedral and the adorable rainbow old town store fronts all together during sunset. I sit with my coffee, surrounded by couples with wine, tourists with cameras, teenagers with skate boards, and a few other solo gals like me, sipping coffee, watching.

A quiet evening at home Back at my apartment, I enjoy one of my favorite parts of house sitting - a home cooked meal.

By house sitting as opposed to living out of a hotel or hostel, I have the luxury of a full kitchen.

After being on the road for months, eating out can get a bit monotonous, not to mention tough on the wallet and waist line.

Being able to make some pasta and listen to music in my cozy kitchen is the perfect way to end an exciting day. The cats don't mind it either and they rub against my legs, only leaving my side when I toss a treat across the room for them to chase.

After dinner, I do one final check of the house to make sure everything is in order. Dishes away, doors locked, lights out. The kitties do their rounds too, checking for overlooked cat treats and whatever other mysterious things cats do in the evenings, before following me up to bed.

I'm exhausted from a long day, but mostly I feel thankful. I'm thankful to be part of this house sitting world, this community of loving and interesting people who share a passion for exploring. With each new house sit, I cherish the connections I make with homeowners and their pets, built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect.

I'm thankful for my new kitty friends and for this city and for the cool breeze that blows in through the slightly open window.

All three of us fall into a blissful sleep.

Nicola Rae is an online English teacher seeing the world, one house sit at a time. You can find Nicola wandering around new cities while stuffing her face with pastries, enjoying her furry (or scaly) house sitting friends, and working on her blog, SeeNicWander.com.

Check it out for stories about long-term travel, house sitting, and teaching English online. You can also follow Nicola on Facebook and Instagram.

THE TRANSITION FROM RV TO HOUSE SITTING The journey to finding the right type of freedom

By Brooke & Buddy Baum

The desire to travel and be free of the constraints of a "normal" life have led us down some interesting paths. Although, we are currently traveling full-time by house and pet sitting, our journey as nomads didn’t begin this way.

In early 2017, we sold almost everything we owned to live in an RV full-time. We wanted a big, dramatic change to get out of the frustrating cycle of working too hard and buying too much stuff we didn't need, which was making us more miserable every day.

It was exciting and freeing to first drive off in our new rolling home. However, we quickly learned that this new lifestyle was not without its own set of challenges.

The struggles of full-time RVing The day-to-day planning, worry about something breaking, and trying to figure out how the heck to work from the road, was much more stressful than we realized it would be. We were overwhelmed almost immediately, but were determined to make it work.

Of course, it was also amazing at times.

Our summer was spent exploring Atlantic Canada – all the way to Newfoundland. Getting to sleep on farms in our RV, or waking up next to the ocean, felt like heaven. It really was the epic adventure we wanted. However, we only had those three months planned. The rest of the time, we were just driving around aimlessly trying to decide what to do and spend as little money as possible.

Definitely not the constant "vacay" we imagined.

When we decided to take the plunge, we also saw RVing as a way to save money, but that wasn't the case if we wanted to stay at campgrounds. So, we "boondocked" (camped without hookups on public land) as often as possible.

However, as we began to get more freelance work, the need for a steady internet connection pulled us out of the woods and onto the cement slab RV park life. It wasn't what we wanted.

We didn't feel free.

The big change Although we were beginning to wonder if this was the right decision for us around month two, it wasn't until our eighth month of RVing that things really changed for us.

One of the main reasons we began RVing was because we had a loving, fluffy cat named Sugar and we wanted her to be able to travel with us. Living in a rolling home with her just made the most sense. We got to see new places, and she still got to snuggle us each night.

So, when she passed away unexpectedly, not even a year into RVing, it was time to re-evaluate.

We were devastated by our loss, but no longer being pet parents meant we no longer needed any kind of home base – certainly not this RV that brought us so much stress.

We tried to push through and keep RVing, but we ended up selling just before our one-year anniversary of hitting the road.

Why pet sitting?

As we discussed what life would look like after RVing, we kept coming back to four big points:    

It was central to our lives that we could continue to travel a lot We needed more consistency than the RV provided Spending time with animals as often as possible was important We wanted to do something that provided value to others

After reading a blog about a couple who were house and pet sitting, we knew this was the right choice for us as well. Although getting another pet didn't make sense due to our desire to travel extensively, we knew being around animals brought us joy.

So, the idea of getting to spend time with someone's beloved pets while getting to travel was a dream come true.

We also love the consistency of having a home base for a few weeks or more. It helps inform our travel, so we don't feel like we are scrambling every night or week to make plans.

And, getting to help another traveler have peace of mind during their trip is such a wonderful thing.

First impressions We've only been pet sitting through Trusted Housesitters for a few months, but it is everything we wanted and more. It has allowed us to make so many friends already – from fluffy faced pets, to their sweet owners, to other sitters. And we get to stay in beautiful places with all the comforts of home.

Plus, we haven't had to buy any of the necessities we'd need at a home – it's all provided. We actually downsized even further after RVing to fit everything in our car!

It truly feels like freedom now There aren't any worries of our expensive "rolling home" breaking down on us. We aren't spending any money on campgrounds or rent. And, we are able to travel even more extensively than ever before.

This summer, we are spending two months pet sitting in Hawaii, and we are always on the lookout for other amazing far-away sits on Trusted Housesitters.

Being a nomad will always have special challenges. We'll constantly have to adapt and figure out what makes the most sense at the current moment. We're not sure how long we'll travel this way.

But, every time we meet a new happy, furry face, we are reassured that this is the best possible way we could be spending our time right now. And we are so grateful to all the people who trust us with their home and beloved pets.

It is a truly beautiful thing!

Brooke and Buddy Baum are digital nomads who pet and house sit while they travel full-time.

During and between sits, they like to explore new areas, hike, and spend time chatting with interesting people.

Buddy is the photographer and videographer, while Brooke is the writer and trip planner. They share their experiences on their website, TrailingAway.com, and love to connect with other travelers on Instagram

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE For House Sitters!

by Andrew Redfern & Lori Grant

Lori Grant and Andrew Redfern appeared in a community theater production of Calendar Girls whilst they were both house sitting in popular expat location, Ajijic, in Mexico.

Read about their experiences below and get some tips of how you too can get involved in a theater production whilst traveling and house sitting.

Getting involved Lori - I saw the audition notice on a local Facebook group page and thought to myself, "Why not?" I try to push myself beyond my comfort zone whenever possible, so this event presented itself as the perfect opportunity to do just that.

The auditions were held over two days, so I made sure to arrive bright and early on the very first day. I was super nervous and have always held the firm belief that auditioning for anything is the scariest part of the whole process. It really tests my vulnerabilities and since this was an open audition (everyone is in the same room and watches everyone else), I had even more butterflies in my stomach than usual.

After the auditions concluded on the second day, the director said she'd contact each of us to let us know if we had been cast or not. Sure enough, I ran into the director a few hours later and she told me that I'd been cast in the role of Elaine. I was ecstatic!

Andrew - Whilst at our first American Thanksgiving Party, hosted by the sister of our homeowner, I met the director and said, “I’ve always wanted to do Calendar Girls in the role of the photographer.”

Candace gave me a surprised look and responded with, “Really?” I thought nothing further of it until two days later, she rang me and asked if I had been serious, as it wasn’t working out with the person who had been cast.

I said I was and she dropped the script off for me to read with my promise of letting her know the next day as opening night was only eight days away! Christopher and I had both been heavily involved with theater in Sydney, Australia and I'd been involved in over 50 productions.

So, after reading the script and thinking I could do the role, I accepted.

Juggling house sitting tasks with theater responsibilities Lori - Once I learned I'd been cast, I checked my calendar to determine if I was available for all the rehearsal dates, and the actual run dates for the show itself. Randy and I had a three week trip planned to trek to Machu Picchu in Peru during this time, so I received special permission from the play's director to miss some rehearsals in order to make the trip possible. However, if I had been cast in a larger role, I would have had to choose between the trip or the play. I was very fortunate to be able to do both.

Our house and pet sit happened to be in a neighborhood directly next door to the theater where we would be rehearsing, so that was a definite plus for me. I simply made the brief walk down the road to the frequent rehearsals, which were at least three hours long.

As for juggling the house sitting and pet duties, my husband, Randy, did a great job helping pick up my slack. He walked the dog, changed kitty litter for the cats, and cooked for me so that I had a hot meal waiting when I arrived home from the theater. His support was very much appreciated!

Andrew - With only eight days before opening night, I really didn’t have much time to learn lines, stage movements, have photos taken etc. It was a busy time and there was really no time to do much else. However, because house sitting allows you a certain degree of free time, it was not too difficult to fit in the extra responsibilities.

Christopher was a great support with anything that needed doing, including feeding the animals (and me). I did continue to walk the dog, Toby, and used this time to rehearse my lines, although I'm sure the neighbors thought it a bit odd to see me walking the dog talking to myself.

Favorite memories from the show Lori - Our director had an actual Calendar Girls 2018 calendar printed. Each of us had our own special photo-shoot with a professional photographer. The only catch was, that just like the characters in the movie, we had to be comfortable with "baring all" for the calendar.

That's why my photo shoot is indelibly etched in my memory forever.

The location for my shoot was a local beauty shop (after hours) and only the photographer, our director and the stage manager were there. I was filled with trepidation about being nude in front of people I'd met just days earlier, but the whole experience was amazingly comfortable and professional.

Oh, and the two beers that I downed right before the first click of the camera may have helped a bit too.

The semi-nude photos were very tasteful and discreet. I was super proud of the finished product. Each calendar girl looked like the best version of herself, just wearing much less clothing than usual.

Andrew - For me it was definitely the people involved in the production, including cast, crew and production team. From my very first rehearsal they were so welcoming and friendly and really helpful in getting me up to speed with their movements.

Christopher and I were quickly included into the social circle that naturally forms around theater productions, and we instantly gained several more friends. Getting to know other cast and crew members back stage during breaks was awesome.

One such conversation actually led to a house sit in San Miguel de Allende after Georgette suggested we post our availability on a local yahoo community group. Two days later we were contacted and subsequently secured a twelve day sit complete with gardener and maid.

People in the streets of Ajijic also began recognizing me (without my costume and makeup) and took the time to talk to me about the show and my character, which was such a nice buzz.

Tips for getting involved in a local theater production Lori - My main tip for other thespians out there in house sitting land is... never try, never know.

If you're at a house sit that's at least a few months, and are able to commit to the structured theater schedule and responsibilities, then go for it!

If I'd let my nerves get the better of me, I would have missed out on so much fun and camaraderie.

Andrew - Do it as you won’t regret it. Becoming involved behind the scenes is a great first step you can see what goes on and what is involved.

Community theaters are always looking for people to assist rather than to be on stage. Helping out with props, costumes or any other aspects can give great insight into the whole process of theater making. And... if you do want to act, you can see how the cast, crew and director all work together to create the magic on stage.

Generally you would need to be in the same community for a couple of months due to the time commitment involved, but it will definitely be worth it!

Making new friends Lori - Theater is one of the most effective ways to make friends while slow traveling around the world. Each production promotes a team atmosphere and everyone, cast and crew included, bonds much more quickly and easily than when making acquaintances in almost any other situation.

Andrew - Appearing in a production is not something I thought would be possible whilst house sitting, but I have been proven wrong. The way the opportunity came about is so serendipitous, and it proves that anything is possible.

The power of social media has meant we have kept in touch with many theater community members in Ajijic and we look forward to returning there later this year to care for the same pets and home.

Christopher has been asked to design the set for a 2019 production so we will definitely be involved in the theater again.

Andrew Redfern is one half of Global Wanderers. He and his partner Christopher have been on the road since May 2016 and have house sat in Australia, New Zealand, USA and Mexico. Follow them at Facebook & Instagram.

Lori Grant and husband, Randy, are early retirees from the USA who are now traveling full time.

You can learn more about how they retired early at their blog https://freetirement.weebly.com/ and connect with them at Facebook.

THE "GREY" GAP YEAR FINALLY COMES OF AGE Enhanced travel for the over 50's

by Lamia Walker

Back in 2009 a novel was published called "Gap year for adults". It's the story of a woman in her 50s who takes time out of her life to move to Provence, in France, for adventure. She left her husband and grown up children to travel.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? Although reading this today in a 2018 issue of House Sitting Magazine, it might actually sound more like... so what?!

But back in 2009 this was still pretty rare.

We knew about the "Gap year", but the "Grey gap year" was unusual, though it was clear that something had begun to stir.

In 2010 P&O, the cruise company, ran some research and found that the numbers of people over 50, taking time out of their professional lives to travel, had increased 300% since the previous survey they'd run five years earlier.

We've all heard the apocryphal stories about the widows who choose to travel year-round on a cruise liner because it's cheaper than living in London, or perhaps because they make more friends that way. You've no doubt met people who sell up and travel as house sitters to try something completely new on a budget - indeed you might be that person.

WHY TAKE A GREY GAP YEAR? Meet Katherine and David, just turned 60, ready for semiretirement and travel!

Katherine and David, a professional couple from Maidenhead in Berkshire UK, are new to house sitting.

Katherine heard about this way of traveling through one of her business networking groups and thought it sounded exactly like what they needed after 35 years of professional lives, raising children, financing them through six and four years at University, and caring for family home and pets.

"While we can enjoy our health and our thirst for life we want to see something of the world. It's time to reconnect and find the things we enjoy doing as a couple, travel is definitely one of those things and we are experts at home and pet care, we've been doing it all our married life!

House sitting offers the chance to get to know a new area from a comfortable base rather than sleeping on overnight buses around all of Australia and the USA as we did when we were students - then we didn't mind the discomfort!

House sitting seems like a great idea to maximize our travel budget and get to know new areas from a local perspective."

Life Expectancy Has Increased Our Life expectancy is increasing across the world, with more people living longer. In 2011 women in the UK achieved an average life expectancy of 82.8 years, and men 79 years. That means people are living way beyond the UK state retirement age of 65 years.

Table of Life Expectancy - Data from OECD Publications

When the UK tables were first begun in 1841 the life expectancy for women was only 42.2 years, and 40.2 years for men! The dramatically improved expectations are similar, if not better, in many countries where, at HousesitMatch.com, we see "grey gappers" signing up.

Coincidence?

So many of us can expect to live longer and healthier lives than our parents and grandparents, but what should we do with our time?

Indeed, what do we want to do for the years ahead? Thinking this way, the grey gap year begins to make a great deal of sense.

ADVANTAGES OF HOUSE SITTING FOR GREY GAPPERS Cut the cost of your grey gap year House sitting is an excellent way to make your travel budget go further, because it minimizes your spend on accommodation costs. The funds you've saved for the gap year can be largely spent on travel expenses and upkeep.

Some sitters claim it delivers a 75% saving on travel budgets. This is because, even with an affordable AirBnB host you are still spending funds every night you are away from home. That soon mounts up! So, cut out the accommodation cost if you can and it makes more sense.

Dianne and Mike, Canadians who started house sitting through HouseSitMatch Dianne and Mike, have been house sitting for nearly a year now and plan to extend their grey gap year by creating their own online income streams.

They're taking the TEFL qualification in order to be able to teach English while traveling, they write blogs and Dianne is a qualified travel agent who has taken her business on the road. She reports about her own lived experiences in countries she previously had only hoped to visit.

Authentic travel experiences What's more, house sitting means you're living in someone's home, in a real neighborhood.

So wherever that might be, whether in Beijing, Alicante, Paris or the suburbs of London, you're not in a neutral hotel environment. You are in a culture immersion experience, and your hosts can guide you to their favorite places for market shopping, delicacies, views of their park-lands or cityscapes.

By living in a home and learning from your hosts you get the inside track. It can be terrific and better than any guidebook.

NEW TO HOUSE SITTING? If the grey gap year sounds like a good idea and you are planning to take steps in that direction, sign up with a house sitting platform that provides a personal touch.

HouseSitMatch.com has helped introduce many a new-comer to house sitting, assisting them to build a profile, optimize their online presence, crafting their best experiences in pet and home care for sharing online.

We‘re happy to take time to help you get started and we'll ensure you receive a free ID check on our platform to add credibility.

If you'd like to read more about the "Grey Gap Year", take a read of this HouseSitMatch article: https://www.housesitmatch.com/blog/grey-gap-year-house-sitting-over-50/

Lamia Walker is the Founder of HouseSit Match. Her career spans 25 years plus, but in 2012 the idea for HouseSitMatch became a thing, over a good curry shared with an Australian friend.

The friend had been house-sitting for a year and had saved a huge sum of money by not paying any rent in Perth, Western Australia.

The idea of house sitting so inspired Lamia that she soon left a senior role in publishing, to start an online venture that would turn her virtual quest into an international network reality. Now she runs HouseSitMatch and through this enterprise has made lots of friends all around the world who also enjoy house sitting.

BUDGETING FOR FULL-TIME HOUSE SITTING

by Tracy Kellermeyer

As house sitters, we have a unique opportunity to eliminate our mortgage and utility payments while traveling the world full-time.

It's easy to treat those savings as a pay-raise, but how can we better capitalize on this to be more prepared, and even more fulfilled, with life on the road?

Hidden House Sitting Expenses Although there aren't many costs associated with getting started as a house sitter, there are plenty of expenses to be aware of. Flights, car hire, car fuel, hotel stays between house sits, activities, eating out, etc., they should all be accounted for in your budget!

Budgeting Gives You Freedom to Say Yes! My husband Dan and I know that the mere mention of a budget can make some people cringe!

But here's our perspective - we are firm believers that budgets are not restrictive.

On the contrary, when you have a budget in place, it gives you the freedom to say YES to the most important things to you!

For example, in the 18 months leading up to getting married, Dan and I set goals to pay off our consumer debt before our wedding. I had my car to pay off and that was the most important thing for me at the time.

I didn't allocate much money at all in my budget for things like shopping or entertainment because I wanted that money to go for paying off my car early instead. People who were close to me didn't understand it and didn't necessarily agree with it, but Dan and I were determined to reach these goals and we knew we could do it.

If I wanted to go out to eat every weekend or buy lots of new clothes, could I have? Absolutely!

But that wasn't what was most important to me, so my budget reflected that.

My point being, you have the freedom to choose where you want your money to go and what it will do for you. You're in control! And that control gives you freedom.

So, when you're traveling around the globe, you might not be able to afford everything you want with the money you're bringing in every month, but you can be sure to prioritize the things that bring you the most joy in your travels!

Let's dig in.

Budget Your Cost Savings Dan and I have been house sitting full-time for 18 months now, and we love that it has allowed us to say goodbye to rent /utilities and hello to more money in our budget every month!

However, if you don't have a PLAN for all that extra money, it can easily drift away here and there without you even realizing it.

One of our favorite quotes about budgeting is, "budgeting is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went." This quote gained popularity by Dave Ramsey, but it started first with John Maxwell, a popular author on leadership.

So, what are you doing with your extra money every month?

Take advantage of the cost savings you're getting from house sitting full-time and set it aside in your budget for something that is important to you.

Maybe you want to build an emergency fund, accumulate more money for retirement, or pay off student loans. Perhaps you want to do something more fun with it! Spend extra money on activities in the new places you're visiting or gifting flights to your loved ones to come visit you!

Setting Priorities Whatever is most important to YOU, prioritize it in your budget. Whatever that is, it's not for anyone else to judge.

Recently on our Instagram page, I shared this photo of an amazing salad I had at a brewery.

One of the most frequent money-saving tips we hear people say (whether you're traveling or not) is to eat out less and make meals at home more.

It's 100% true. You will save a lot of money by not eating out!

HOWEVER, checking out the restaurant scene when we're visiting new places is one of our favorite things to do! It brings us a lot of joy, so we make sure we set aside a good amount of money every month, so we can try some new restaurants wherever we are house sitting.

We believe that just because you're on a budget, it doesn't mean you have to cut out the things you love to do!

Is eating out less often a good money saving tip? Yes. But if it's something you really love to do, cut down on something less important to you instead.

So, sit down with your travel buddy, or if you travel solo, with a pen and paper, and brainstorm your top priorities.       

What makes you the most fulfilled when you travel?

What are your favorite memories you have of the places you've visited?

What would you regret not doing when visiting a new place?

Do you enjoy trying the local cuisine?

Would you like to go on sightseeing tours?

What about finding local activities to join in with?

Do you get enjoyment from searching for souvenirs?

Answering these questions will help you determine what your priorities should be when budgeting money for travel.

The Importance Of An Emergency Fund As a priority in your budget, we highly recommend saving for an emergency fund.

Even though house sitting doesn't require much money to get started, it's important to be prepared for unplanned expenses, especially when living a life on the road.

There's always the possibility of your car breaking down, flight changes, or a last-minute house sitting cancellation that requires you to spend a little extra money on accommodation and travel that you weren't planning for.

Having an easily accessible emergency fund of 2-3 months' worth of expenses is a great goal to build up to. Set aside a certain amount every month. It might take you a full year to save this money, but it's worth it!

It's advantageous to have an emergency fund over using a credit card because you are removing the stress of having to pay off your emergency expenses after the fact.

One of our other favorite quotes is from our favorite budgeting software, You Need a Budget (aka YNAB). It's simply, "Make your money boring."

Did you have a last-minute house sitting cancellation and need an Airbnb for the next 2 weeks?

Did your car get stuck in the snow while exploring a mountain pass and have to get towed out the next morning? (This may or may not have actually happened to us!)

It's no big deal! We have savings ready for these exact situations.

An emergency fund will also help you in the event that you lose your job or have a bad month in your business.

Again, not only will it help as a financial backup while you travel but having that emergency fund takes some of the stress out of otherwise pretty stressful situations!

Stay tuned...we'll be back to talk more about money and travel!

Until then, we'd love to hear from you on if you travel with an emergency fund yet and what you like to spend your travel money on when visiting new places!

Dan and Tracy, nomadic entrepreneurs and personal finance experts, have been house sitting full-time in the US since January 2017. They share their travels and money tips on their blog, The Money Smart Nomad.

They also run a couple of remote businesses - a financial planning firm, where Dan helps people living a nomadic lifestyle optimize their finances; and a practice management agency, where Tracy manages a team of virtual assistants.

They love connecting with other house sitters and travelers. Feel free to join their journey on Facebook or Instagram

THE HASH HOUSE HARRIERS It's Not a Race!!

by Alison Keeler

The History It always surprises me how many people have never heard of the Hash House Harriers - AKA HHH, H3, The Hash, and a drinking club with a running problem!!

Did you know it was started in 1938 in Kuala Lumpur (KL) by British expats with nothing better to do on a Monday night? The theory was that in order to have a drink on a Monday night they should first get a bit of exercise and work off the excesses of the weekend.

In the beginning they always ran from the Royal Selangor Club. The city was not very urban in those days, so there were plenty of plantations nearby to run through.

The war interrupted them for a few years and the founder, A S Gispert, was killed in Singapore.

But, his friends started up the club again after the war finished. It began spreading in the 60s, 70s and 80s when expats who had run in KL wanted to continue running when they got back home.

I have been a member of several clubs in different countries since 1994. My husband, who I met on the Hash in Australia, has been a member since the early 1980s.

A Great Way To Make New Friends We have traveled extensively and lived in several countries for extended periods, including four years in Malaysia where it all began. We will always join the local Hash when there is one and we find it a great way to make new friends and get some exercise.

It also allows us to see parts of a country that you'd never otherwise see.

The Rules Every club is different with different "rules" and traditions, so it helps to be adaptable if you plan to join a number of different clubs. If you stay for any length of time with one Hash you'll inevitably receive a "Hash" name of your own – we often don’t know the "real" names of people we meet.

Each week, someone is nominated to be "The Hare". It's their job to lay a trail in a place of their own choice, for the rest of "the pack" to follow. False trails will be included, which are designed to hold back the "front runners" and let the slower people catch up.

Different clubs use different markers, usually flour, toilet paper or chalk. Paper squares and shreds are used extensively in Asia. The systems are very different for different places, so I won’t go into detail about that here. You would never be expected to be a hare as a visitor, you'd have to establish yourself first as a regular attendee, before this would ever happen.

What If I'm Not a Runner?

The big issue for some people is that they are not "runners" - be assured that neither are a lot of hashers!

There are many who walk the trail, find smart short cuts, or just hang out near the "esky" (Aussie for "ice box"), or in the pub until all the pack return. It didn’t earn the nickname of "a drinking club with a running problem" for nothing!

There will usually be food at the end of a run (we call it NOSH), anything from a BBQ on-site in Australia. to a great meal in a local restaurant in Malaysia. The Brits will nearly always start at a pub, where there may or may not be some food.

As I mentioned before, each Hash does things differently. However, the common thread is that they all like a bit of exercise, a bit of fun, and they welcome visitors from anywhere around the world.

How to find the Harriers The internet makes it much easier than it used to be. There is a "World Directory" that lists clubs by country, although most clubs also have their own website and Facebook page.

Nothing is certain, and some websites are not kept up-to-date and some Facebook pages have no recent posts. Generally though you can find a contact number of someone who can tell you where the run is this week, or they will put you in contact with someone who knows.

There are clubs in some really remote places where you wouldn't expect a club to exist, and there are also big cities where there are none to be found! There are no guarantees of being in the right place at the right time!

In September this year, we'll be attending the 80th anniversary of the "Mother Hash" in Kuala Lumpur. This will be a full weekend of runs and celebrations. You can find out more at: http://www.motherhash.com/80thanniversary/ Every two years there is a also a weekend event called "Interhash" which has just been held in Fiji. In 2020 it will be in Trinidad & Tobago. There are annual "Nash Hash" events in most countries - Pan Asia Hash, Mekong Hash, Euro Hash, Inter Americas Hash, Inter Africa Hash and so on.

Really there are endless opportunities for traveling and hashing! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers http://gotothehash.net/ http://www.hashhouseharriers.com/local-hashes/ http://www.gthhh.com If you can’t find them through the web, try Facebook!

And if you really get stuck, you can email me, Alison Keeler at: aliandden@gmail.com to find out more!

Happy Hashing !!

HOW TO QUICKLY GET RID OF JETLAG

by Sara Westgreen

Changing time zones can wreak havoc on your sleep cycle. The body runs on regular circadian rhythms to help you start to feel tired and wake up at the right time. An hour or two difference in time zones can make a bigger difference than you think.

Full time International house sitters suffer more than most regular travellers, due to their nomadic lifestyles. It really doesn't help to arrive at an overseas house sit with the effects of jet lag. This is a time when you need to be aware and alert - there will be lots of new information about the pets and the property to take on board.

Planning in advance and playing it smart can help your body get back in rhythm so you don’t miss anything at your new location.

Before You Go On Your Trip You don’t have to wait until you get to your destination to start addressing jet lag, especially if you’re only making a one to three hour time change. Making small changes to your sleep routine a few days before you travel can help you stay energized and refreshed.

Adjust your bedtime by an hour or two a few days before you leave. Depending on your travel plans, you may need to go to bed earlier or later to fit in with the local time zone. If possible, change your wake time as well. Your body will already be on its way to fitting in with the locals thanks to good planning.

Bask in the Sunshine There’s a reason you start to get tired when the sun goes down. Circadian rhythms are largely controlled by natural light. Once you get to your location, take in as much sunlight as possible to help your body start to adjust. Use your outdoor time wisely and soak up those rays so you won’t be snoozing when you want to be out seeing the sights.

Cloudy days or lots of hours indoors can make it tough to get the natural light you need. You can also help adjust your internal clock by getting exposure to bright artificial light. Just be sure that you’re taking in the light during the day rather than at night when you want to be sleeping.

That means avoiding bright light from televisions, laptops, or smartphones at night when you should be sleeping.

Don’t Be Afraid to Nap Frequent travelers may tell you to avoid naps at all costs and in some ways they’re right, but in others, they’re very wrong. Napping for three to four hours during the day won’t help you adjust because too much sleep will leave you pacing at night.

However, a 30-60 minute nap can be enough to keep your mind sharp and body going through until bedtime.

In fact, naps are a good way to counteract sleep deprivation without disrupting your regular sleep cycle whether you are traveling or not. Get comfortable so your body and brain can relax, but you might want to set your alarm so you don’t find yourself waking up when you should be heading to bed for the night.

Eat for Better Sleep Food can have a big impact on your sleep cycle.

Stimulants like caffeine that are found in coffee, soda, and energy drinks might help keep you going during the day but leave you tossing and turning at night.

Try to avoid stimulants at least four hours before bed to keep them from interrupting your sleep. Be careful with alcohol consumption as well. Alcohol can make you sleepy, yet interrupt your sleep cycle part way through the night.

If you’re looking for something to help you sleep better, try eating foods that promote melatonin production. Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese have calcium that promotes the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone.

More Tips For House Sitters If you're traveling long-haul to get to your house sit, try arriving a day or two earlier to allow time to acclimatize. If your budget allows, book an Airbnb or other accommodation to have the space to recover from your journey.

Make sure your home owners appreciate the distance you've traveled and create enough quality time to go through all the handover information you need to, given that you could be extremely fatigued.

If you are arriving straight from the airport, ask for an hour to unpack (after you've met the pets if course), drink plenty of water to re-hydrate, take a shower, change into relaxing clothing and then start with the socializing and handover process.

Most home owners are understanding of the fact that you've traveled long-distance to get to them, and usually go out of their way to make things comfortable for you when you arrive.

Take notes or video instructions. It's amazing how jet lag affects the ability to absorb information, especially when there is a lot to take in about new daily routines.

If you follow all or some of this advice, it won't be long before you are enjoying your new location and waking easily at 6am to feed your charges!

Sara Westgreen is a researcher for the sleep science hub Tuck.com. She sleeps on a king size bed in Texas, where she defends her territory against cats all night.

A mother of three, she enjoys beer, board games, and getting as much sleep as she can.

FAMILIES THAT TRAVEL THE WORLD & HOUSE SIT Interview with Carol-Ann Chiang

Let me introduce you to "The Chiang Gang", a family of four who have packed up, sold up and are almost three months into their round the world travel adventure!

Until recently, Carol-Ann was a stay-at-home mum, living on the east coast of America with her husband Jimmy, and their two daughters, Lana and Alyssa.

Carol-Ann, who was born and raised in Scotland, met Jimmy in Hawaii back in 2002 while he was stationed there as a marine. They married three years later.

Since leaving active service in 2013, Jimmy became a little lost and unfulfilled, so he set about looking for a new challenge. Over the next five years the couple started a few local businesses, throwing themselves in at the deep-end and experiencing the stresses of small business ownership. By the beginning of 2018 they had made a fairly radical decision.

They sold their Cross Fit Gym business, along with all of their belongings in a huge "Living Estate Auction", leased their home, found loving homes for their 4 dogs, and on April 1st set off to explore the world!

Who's idea was it to sell up and travel? What was the driving force behind the decision?

Jimmy! He's always been the ideas guy and is constantly coming up with new ones. A much needed change and a complete re-set was the driving force. We'd had a difficult few years transitioning out of the military lifestyle and into civilian. While myself and the kids were pretty happy with our life as it sat, Jimmy needed more - he'd been unfulfilled for some time.

We've followed others living a more minimal life through tiny home shows over the last few years, and decided to sell our possessions in order to raise more funds to travel. This would also create less attachment to our home, and we hoped that as we traveled, we'd realize how much less we really needed.

It was clear from watching your YouTube videos that you had a lot of "stuff". Did it all sell at auction?

We sold a few things ourselves before but really not much. My dining table, some gym equipment. Just things we knew were worth quite a bit more and probably wouldn't make as much at auction. We were very keen for the auction house to handle the bulk of it and take the weight and stress off us. They took care of all of the rest and I have to say they did a wonderful job and were brilliant to work with.

Any surprises - what sold for more than you expected and what for less?

Mostly cool "man stuff" sold for more than we expected. Furnishings and clothing, although very nice and in great shape, sold for less than we hoped. It really showed us that in years to come if we ever settle down again, a great auction house sale might be the way to go about finding new things for a home at a great price!

How did the kids deal with leaving behind all their stuff?

The kids had heard us openly talk about the possibility of travel and selling our business and belongings, so it wasn't like an overnight new concept to them. They were initially a little hesitant about leaving. Mostly for worry about what would happen with our pets, and that they would miss their friends and school.

However, they quickly grew more open to the idea and became involved in discussions. I would say Alyssa, our youngest at age 9, was the slowest to come onboard. She has more attachment to her own possessions and takes a lot of pride in caring for her own things. It was harder for her to let go.

How supportive were your family and friends?

Family on the whole were very supportive of the idea. Initial concerns were more about the kids and their schooling Our family travels extensively when they can, so they could definitely see the benefits. Some friends were a little more hesitant - more traditional mindsets of "working hard until retirement and doing what is expected" can be hard to break.

Most of our friends are in full time employment and not running their own businesses, so don't fully understand the mind shift between the two. Many are also caught in the trap of consumerism like we were at one time. However, those initially just a little hesitant and more "on the fence", did show encouragement when they realized we were serious.

You talk about not planning too much, being spontaneous. How's that working out?

It allows us a ton of flexibility over where and when we do what. That's something we haven't had through years of military service, where even our vacation times were decided for us. We initially just tried to secure as many house sits as we could through North America. We are very happy that we've been able to secure 7 sits so far for our 3 month road trip.

The pressure is starting to pile on for me, as I'm more of a planner and like to know the next move. So I'd prefer to have a little more organized at this point, in terms of destinations and accommodation. I'm not too worried though. Jimmy has handled many more stressful situations in his career and I'm pretty sure we'll not be on the streets anywhere.

How did the girls react to being told they were being taken out of school and how is the home-schooling working out?

The home-school conversation is actually something that has been talked about in our household for a while now. Jimmy had identified a lot of wasted time that occurs in public school. It's apparent that kids often learn along with the slowest learners instead of being encouraged to push ahead. Our kids are good students and do well in school, but Jimmy had been trying to encourage us to home school for a year or so, but I was completely opposed.

It's something I never wanted to consider. My kids enjoyed school and I enjoyed my time to focus on other things. Look at us now! I finally agreed because of the circumstances and the travel opportunity for us all. I see that as a huge benefit to the kids.

The kids were not opposed at all to homeschooling but did protest about missing friends and the social aspect.

We're still facing our initial challenges with schooling. We haven't established any schooling routine to date and are two months in. Most learning happens on the road through what we see or experience, although so far we feel the kids have had mostly an early summer break, with some learning thrown in.

I know plenty of others who are new to homeschooling and manage it. I have heard through other Facebook groups that I shouldn't sweat it at this point - I'm trying to take their advice!

Although it does seem that a good plan of action to establish routine, would have been to start the home school schedule at home before we left.

How did you discover house sitting and how much do you plan to use this as a way to experience free accommodation while you are traveling?

We discovered house sitting through a Facebook group for travel families. It was recommended as a good way to save costs on accommodation. I researched it a little and registered for TrustedHousesitters and mindmyhouse.com.

TrustedHousesitters has secured 100% of our sits to date and seems the easiest and more user friendly for us. We plan to continue to use this throughout our travels. It's been a great experience for us so far and we've really enjoyed it.

Pet sitting hasn't restricted us and the trade off has allowed us a spacious environment for our family and all the home comforts we need. We've also met some really great homeowners, learned of their own travel experiences and met their families.

You left behind four of your own pups, which I guess was extremely difficult for you all. Are they in forever homes?

That was one of the biggest hurdles when making the decision to travel. We obviously didn't take on our pets with the intention of giving them up - they were part of our family. But we realized this opportunity for our family to travel was one that wouldn't be around forever, so we had to make some really tough decisions in order to make it happen.

We were very blessed to have so many great friends around us. Three of our dogs were rehomed to local friends that we knew. The other went to the parents of the people who are renting our home. They are all in forever homes, are well loved and we receive regular updates on how things are going.

We felt it unfair on the pets and the parents if we left them on an open-ended temporary basis, given that we didn't know our exact plans for return. Knowing they are in great homes and local to our home town means we know we can visit whenever we are back there. Spending time with pets on our travels while house sitting is definitely filling the gap for all of us.

What's been the biggest adventure so far?

Various parts of it. Selling everything to have this experience was an adventure in itself. Driving across the US in 5 days was pretty epic and a great experience for us all. Also, driving across the border into another country with the kids was something we hadn't done before.

We've just seen so many cool places, beautiful scenery and had a few new experiences together already. The kids loved learning to Ski in Canada.

With four of you to consider, how do you decide on a destination?

So far destinations have been decided on pure chance and opportunity. Traveling as a family has not restricted us in any way so far. We recently took the kids to Las Vegas, which they loved. Not necessarily considered a kid-friendly destination, but enjoyable for us none the less.

How much luggage do you travel with?

We have 4 osprey backpacks. They are 70L. We each have our own to carry. Since we've had our car we have spilled over some and allowed ourselves to carry a few more items than we should, so we currently end up unpacking the car with loose bags and extra stuff. We figured this 3 month road trip would show us what we really needed and by the time we fly to Europe, we will purge what we truly don't use or deem as excess.

What's your favorite KIND of travel?

We've visited Disney several times over the years so aren't prioritizing that again any time soon.

We want the kids to experience real life, different cultures and how other people really live. We want them to learn and remember from their experiences along the way.

Lots of people we talk to have safety concerns about travel with kids, or even as adults, what's your take on this?

While there's always stuff to worry yourself with nowadays, we try not to dwell on it too much.

At the end of the day, you really need to live your life and enjoy it and not be scared to experience things. Bad things happen in your own home town just as easily as they can anywhere else in the world. Just use your best judgement, don't take unnecessary risks and teach your kids how to be safe and read situations if they feel uncomfortable.

Tell us about something you've done together, that you hadn't experienced before you left home?

We all skied together which was a great experience. While you could ski in the mountains of North Carolina, we never have. For the kids it was their first ever experience and for Jimmy and I it had been at least a decade of two, so we were pretty rusty. We all loved it and would definitely like to do it again.

Being together 24/7 can be tough, how do you create personal space?

Jimmy and I had plenty of practice with this over the last 4 years working from home, running our business together. We each use our phones or computers as "time to ourselves" and also get outdoors as much as possible. We both enjoy running or working out, so we can do that together or apart, depending on the mood of the day.

House sitting affords us a lot more space than a hotel would typically give us. We often have extra bedrooms where we can have time to ourselves if we need it. We've even had a few sits with 2 living spaces for separate TV viewing.

Do you have an end plan?

At this time we don't have an end plan. We'd like to keep going indefinitely. Schooling may be more of a deciding factor in a year or two as the kids get older.

What do the girls think of their new lifestyle?

Lana – "I don't like that we don't see our own dogs. I like that we don't have to go to school every day. My favourite place to visit so far was Seattle, Washington."

Alyssa – "I miss my dogs a lot. I also miss my friends. I don't like being home schooled because I don't see my friends. My favourite place to visit was Denver, Colorado because I got to see one of my old friends from school there."

What do you most hope to achieve through this adventure?

A chance to just spend time enjoying experiences together without the distractions of work and other time limiters. We really just want to take this opportunity while we have it.

Everyone tells us "your kids grow up fast" and they really do. We just want to enjoy life together while our family is young, have great experiences through travel, and create fabulous memories we can look back on. We're all young and healthy enough to do it so this is the best time - before the kids have their own lives and agendas ahead of them.

Final words?

Over the years as a military family and subsequently as entrepreneurs, we endured a lot of time apart, a lot of stress and a ton of heartache - some of it self-induced.

It's been a great life lesson, but has really taught us to appreciate what we have together over and above money or possessions. As nice as stuff is, it means nothing and nobody will thank you for it at the end of their days.

Experiences and memories will trump it all.

Having a little more clarity about that is what really drove it home for us, showing us that we need to live differently and enjoy more. We hope we can inspire others to do the same through our journey, adventures and experiences of world travels.

OFF TO A FLYING START Our First Year Of House Sitting

by Brittnay Sharman

We are The Traveling House Sitters, AKA Britt and Jayden - a house sitting couple from Australia and New Zealand respectively.

This is the story of our first year house sitting overseas.

We met in the Australian Alps and quickly discovered each other's passion for travel, and were already eyeing up South America for our next big trip.

However, one snowy Sunday afternoon, we came across flights to London for $300 AUD ($220 USD), and the next thing we knew we were booked and applying for our UK visas.

Something was missing After living in London and a further two years traveling to 23 countries, we felt like we were missing something. We both longed for pooches to explore a park with, or our cats to snuggle up to of an evening.

On our travels we got to visit beautiful places like Sicily, Portugal and Croatia for ten days at a time, but we really wanted to experience locations for longer, more like a local would. We wanted to find the best local markets, the most delicious bakeries and the tucked away wine bars. Ten days in each location just wasn't enough.

It was then we learned about house sitting. I had a friend who house sat in London and she explained the concept to us. We realised that house sitting could give us all the things we missed in our lives, without having to settle somewhere.

So, 19 dogs, 6 cats, 7 chickens and 1 turtle later, we are well and truly loving the house sitting lifestyle!

We've described some of our favourite sits below:

Overlooking Finsbury Park This was our very first house sit and we were bloody nervous! However, it wasn't in another country or even in another city. We managed to land a house sit about 5 km from our (at the time) home in London. We would be spending Christmas and New Year's Eve looking after a gorgeous little kitten name Arya, in Finsbury Park.

This apartment was lovely. We'd endured years of being stuck in a typical English semidetached house, with lots of stairs, pokey little corners and strange roommates. Now we had an open plan apartment to ourselves. It was modern and had a kitchen that would make a professional chef jealous!

This wasn't even the best part - we had views from the bedroom, lounge and the kitchen over the gorgeous Finsbury Park.

It was all going well except that Arya took a while to win over. For the first few days she spent her time watching us from behind the Christmas tree. After a few conversations with the owners, we realised we were pronouncing her name totally wrong.

Neither of us being Games of Thrones fans, we had never heard this unusual name before.

After we corrected the pronunciation, we started to get a lot more attention!

A Scandinavian escape in Ireland We chose to do some house sitting before immersing ourselves in the city of Dublin. An hour west of the big city, down a quiet country lane, we found our next sit. It was a complete change from the hustle and bustle of London and we were delighted.

A Dutch couple had built themselves a stunning hidden away cottage with no neighbours or busy roads for miles. It had a gorgeous Scandinavian aesthetic, sleek and modern, yet snug.

We looked after two Siamese cats, two Scottish terriers and two chickens. The dogs warmed to us right away and were happy to cuddle up on the sofa of an evening. The cats took a day or two, however, once we realised that they loved to play fetch with a small toy rat, we were all best friends.

Surrounded by castles and celebrity neighbors Next we somehow ended up in the most affluent suburb of Dublin. While we were still in London, we had a Skype conversation with a lovely Australian couple who were off to France for three weeks.

This couple needed someone to look after their elderly lab Roxy and an eight-bedroom mansion. When we arrived and were ushered through the big gates, we met Roxy, the most relaxed dog in Dublin. He only required a walk up and down the driveway every second day.

With castles, beautiful harbours and beaches, Dalkey was a lovely area to live, and we weren't surprised when we learnt that musician Bono and Enya also lived there too!

Inner city cats After living among castles and mansions, we were a little apprehensive about moving into the inner city of Dublin. We had gotten used to the leafy streets, beautiful harbours and coastal walks.

Our next house sit was in an interesting area. It straddled what had been described to us as one of the roughest spots in Dublin and the leafy northern suburb of Clontarf.

To the left of our street, we had the coastal walkway, waterside coffee shops and a yacht club.

To the right of our street were the housing projects, which are home to some of the most notorious gangs and drug dealers in Dublin.

We had the task of looking after two very relaxed cats. Bobby had a very early stage of Parkinson's and Luc would just spend her days waiting in the kitchen for her next meal. The homeowners described Bobby as "a cat in a dog's body". He had absolutely no common sense and would fall off couches, run into walls and try to engage you in a game fetch.

Our two best (girl) friends We'd looked after many different small dogs, so we were a bit apprehensive about our next charges - a German Shepherd and a Weinerman.

However, after just a few hours, we had declared these two big girls our favorites! We loved getting up early every morning and taking them for a run along the beach.

We were in Newport, a bay-side suburb of Melbourne in Australia. From the beach you get a beautiful view every morning of the sun coming up behind the city.

It was hard leaving this sit, but we are only just up the road at another house sit. The owner is more than happy for us to walk the dogs while he is at work. We take the girls out for a walk along the beach every second day.

So what's next?

After 4 years away from Australia we are currently back in Melbourne for the next six months.

We are house sitting while we save us for our next big adventure.

We are planning to visit Thailand, India, and then Europe in 2019, where we hope to buy a van.

Then we can combine 1-2 weeks of travel in our camper, with house sits of 3-4 weeks at a time.

In this way, we will visit the west coast of France, the Basque region of Spain, the east coast of Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey and Israel.

Hopefully along the way we will meet up with some of you house sitters! If not you can keep up with our travels at the links below!

Instagram Facebook https://TheTravellingHouseSitters.com

Next issue available from 15th August 2018

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