» Armchair travel

Travel the World Rent Free

Leigh — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:51:01 +0000

I get such a thrill when I check my e-mail first thing in the morning and there is a message like this sitting in my in box:

‘House sitter needed for 1 month in Tuscany’.

As I click further I see a picture of a gorgeous cottage in the hills of Tuscany. The owner writes, ‘All I want is someone to look after my house and cat while I leave for a short visit abroad. No other duties! ‘

Is this for real? Yes, it is. It’s straight off Mind My House, one of a handful of reputable house sitting web sites for those that want to travel the world yet live rent free. What’s the catch you ask? About 70% of the assignments from this particular site just ask that you take care of a pet or plants while they are away. That’s it! While I’m not really a cat person, I would certainly consider taking care of one for a free month’s rent in Tuscany.

You register on line, pay a small annual fee, and put up your profile. Select your preferred dates and countries and have weekly or daily assignments delivered to your in box. Simple! Some homeowners will ask that you pay utilities during your stay. Also, some house sits require your own transportation although I’ve seen a few that will allow you to use their car, bike or are near public transportation.

A few months ago, I put up a profile to test it out. One day, as I was whiling away in my cube, I see a request for a house sitting assignment pop up in Zurich, Switzerland. I click further and find an adorable looking 3 bedroom cottage with a garden, porch, and incredible view. ‘Bike to the market! Free wi-fi! Need someone to care for our lovely home May through July’. I was feeling the travel itch in a major way at that time so I spontaneously sent a response message indicating my interest… just to see. To my amazement, they responded right back and said (after checking my profile out) that they were interested in having me and could I chat over the phone, come a few days early to meet them, etc. Wow! It was that easy. I came so close to quitting my job and hopping on a plane bound for Switzerland but sanity (or insanity) prevailed and I had to decline.

Not all house sitting assignments are this easy to get. In fact, I hear it can be competitive. However, if you have a thorough profile up and are open to different locations, there’s a pretty good chance of you finding something. There are many people that house sit full time. It’s a lifestyle for them and they jump from one location to another for years. There are also those that just need a break from reality and want an extended vacation somewhere remote where they can get some peace and quiet. Whatever the reason, house sitting is a very cheap way to explore a destination without fully committing to it. Music to my ears. And while a lot of these assignments are in more remote areas, there are plenty in medium to larger sized cities to go around. It’s definitely worth a look.

Reputable house sitting companies:

MindMyHouse.com (my favorite)

Housecarers.com

Caretaker.org

Sabbaticalhomes.com (home exchanges, rentals, house sitting for those in the academic community)

Housesittersamerica.com (only in the US)

This is the first of a 2 post series on house sitting. My next post will look at more reasons why people house sit and how you can do it too. Also I’ll talk about some productive (and non productive) things you can do while living rent free (a.k.a. house sitting) in your new location. Stay tuned…

Has anyone had experience house sitting or with any of these sites? If so, please share your experience, I’d love to hear about it!

Other articles you may like:

Lonely Planet Housesitting Forum (check out the house sitting threads)

Why You Should Become a House Sitter

How to Re-ignite Your Wanderlust

Leigh — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 02:14:33 +0000

I’m leaving for a six month trip in May, a mere four months from now, yet it seems so far away. It’s January, it’s cold, and it’s dreary. I know I want to travel but my wanderlust is lying dormant. This cold, winter weather makes me want to curl up in a ball and stay indoors with a blanket, some hot tea, and a good book.

In this state of mind, it’s easy for evil thoughts to creep into my head such as: The economy is tanking, why are you quitting your job to travel? You should feel lucky to have a job. You have great friends, a decent income, and a comfy apartment downtown; why are you rocking the boat again? My mom’s voice then echoes…’This is really not a very responsible thing to do right now, honey. Can’t you just wait a year?’

Well, no. While these thoughts do give me pause and the occasional panic attack, gut instinct prevails. You see, I MUST do this, I MUST travel. I want to explore, and have adventures. I have a plan and I’m sticking to it.

In order to remind myself why I’m taking this trip, and gear myself up for my great adventure, I’ve been doing several different things. Some may spark your own dormant wanderlust.

Plan your trip

This is the really fun part. I bought a travel Atlas and am plotting my route. I’m making new connections in the travel world, contacting long lost friends in their home cities for a heads up that I’m coming through town, browsing Couch Surfing, Mind My House, Craigslist and travel blogs, and reading guide books. I get such a rush from doing at least one of these a day.

Listen to inspiring music

This is one of the best ways to put yourself in the travel zone. I pick songs that inspire me and play them often, mostly at full blast. Any kind of rock or dance tunes is always great for making me feel like I can do anything. The Motorcycle Diaries soundtrack is mellow yet dramatic. I also love any kind of world music such as Putumayo and the Hotel Costes CD’s feel very European loungey. Check out these other great travel songs and download your own playlist.

Watch travel movies

My favorites are The Motorcycle Diaries, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Sex and Lucia, Out of Africa, Tango and Under the Tuscan Sun. And of course, there’s always the Travel Channel. A few minutes watching Anthony Bourdain sample exotic foreign cuisine or Samantha Brown frolic around Europe and you will be back in the bedroom packing before you can say passport. Here are some other travel movies you may like.

Read travel books and blogs

Oh, the list I could insert here. However, until I create my blogroll and book recommendations, I’ll just name the ones that really get my travel juices flowing:

Books: Eat, Pray, Love; Veronika Decides to Die (for it’s message to literally live like you are dying); Six Months Off; Change Your Life Through Travel; Vagabonding; Tango: An Argentine Love Story
Blogs: Almost Fearless, Ottsworld, Vagablogging, Brave New Traveler, Location Independent, NuNomad, Wanderlust and Lipstick and National Geographic’s Intelligent Travel blog. Also, for amazing photos, head to Flickr and enter any location you’d like to see photos of or simply type the word ‘travel’ for some amazing and inspiring photos.
On line travel magazines

Take a short trip

A short trip gives you that quick travel high and reminds you what it feels like to be on the move. I’ll be heading to a few places within driving distance this spring before my big trip: Asheville, Atlanta and the beach. It’s inexpensive, but still a trip and will help to ease me back into travel mode. (As if I need easing)

Act as if you are already traveling

I’m watching my money, buying only what I need, and looking for simple and inexpensive forms of entertainment such as cooking at home for friends, listening to music for hours, afternoon matinees, and reading at coffee shops. I’m also buying only clothes that travel well and going easy on the wine.

Investigate career options that let you be location independent

Once I return, I seriously doubt I will want to jump back into my cubicle, no matter what the pay is. Having a career that will let me travel while working is my dream. The more I explore opportunities for this and tell myself it CAN happen, the closer I am to making it a reality. And that ignites my wanderlust immensely.

Appreciate ‘home’

I’m really trying to enjoy the present and my ’home’ in Raleigh right now. This attitude will serve me well on the road. No matter what challenges come my way, I will learn to relax into the moment and take life as it comes. Realizing that I can call any destination ‘home’, wherever that may be, makes the jump to full time travel seem less scary and more enticing.

If all else fails, I just look at myself in the mirror and yell ‘Just GO already! You’ll have the time of your life.’

Is anyone else planning on traveling soon, either short or long term? What do you do to keep your eye on the prize?

Outside articles you may like:

Turning ‘Someday’ into ‘Right Now’

10 Reasons You Know it’s Time to Go Traveling

Why Travel is So Addictive

Leigh — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:23:52 +0000

I am addicted to traveling. I’ve never asked myself ‘why?’, the urge has just always been there. I know I’m not alone in this. There are thousands out there are just as addicted as I am for various reasons. There are the usual ones … new experiences, meeting new people, becoming bored with routine, etc. But what really makes us yearn for new places, sights, sounds and experiences? Deep down, why does travel always keep us coming back for more?

1. It’s in our genes.

Thousands of years ago before settled life became the norm, our ancestors were nomads. They traveled constantly in search of food and moved with the seasons. It was part of their daily life. We still carry that biological urge with us today. In fact, research shows that 30 minutes of movement on the land a day is essential to our psychological well being.

2. We get a chemical high.

When you take a risk, your brain produces the feel good chemical dopamine which gives you a short high. The more risks you take, the more highs you experience. Studies have shown that dare devils, such as those that climb outrageously high mountains or do extreme sports, have lower levels of dopamine inhibitors. This means when they take a risk, they get an even higher shot of dopamine than the rest of us, producing a more addictive high.

3. No daily pressures to deal with.

No bills, daily gym visits, work grind, etc. Traveling means not having to worry about daily minutiae and that is extremely enticing. Sure, travel has it’s own stresses but they are much more fun to deal with than say pulling an all nighter on a work project you don’t care about for a boss you don’t really like.

4. We feel like we’re actually doing something productive with our lives.

Being on the road can get tedious at times, but overall, it’s constant newness and wonder. Something we don’t experience in our daily humdrum lives. We’re constantly learning and experiencing life. Being on the road and interacting with different people is more productive than sitting in the same meetings, with the same people, in the same office every day.

5. It makes us feel adventurous.

When we set off on a new adventure, no matter how afraid we may be, feelings of boldness and bravery take over and we feel ready to take on the world. Anything can happen that day, anything is possible. This is what we dream about when we’re whiling away in our cubicle. These feelings are real and very addictive.

6. We can be a completely new person.

When you travel to a completely new location, no one knows you, your fears, your quirks, or your desires. You are free to explore parts of your personality you don’t normally expose but have secretly wanted to explore. A completely foreign setting is the perfect place to open yourself up and see what lies beneath your everyday facade. Fear and inhibitions drop more easily. This is an incredibly freeing feeling and a fun way to experience new sides of yourself.

7. We can live several different lives all rolled into one.

Those of us who love to travel tend to be curious by nature. We are interested in how others live, however, we don’t always necessarily want to live that way ourselves. At least not forever. Travel allows us to vicariously experience other lifestyles without having to commit to them. We can test things out, experience, grow, and use what we’ve seen and learned in our own lives or simply store them as memories.

Why do you yearn to take off and explore? Why does travel keep you coming back for more? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

You may also like:

The Case for Nomadism: Explores our need to roam coupled with our desire for the comforts of home and community. Great article.

Why Do We Crave Escape from the Modern World?

How to Travel without Leaving your Hometown

Leigh — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:05:24 +0000

Ah travel… when I hear the word I immediately envision myself speeding down California’s Highway 1 in a red convertible with the radio blaring, screaming along to Tom Petty’s ‘Free Falling’ or zooming down the zip line in Costa Rica. As much as I’d love to travel full time to exotic places, it’s not always possible, especially in these economic times when fear keeps us wary of spending too much. So, unless I win the lottery (which I’m working on) I have to get creative and take smaller trips while planning the big ones.

Travel doesn’t have to be some far away, exotic destination. It can mean taking a different route to work and stopping by a cool coffee shop you see along the way. Or riding your bike to the next town over for their fall festival. This may not seem quite as exciting as say snorkeling in Fiji, but it can tame the travel bug a bit while you’re making your big plans. It can also really make a difference in your mental well being and open you up. Travel is essentially about movement, both physically and mentally. Even if it’s just in my hometown. Here are some ideas:

1.) Take a scenic route: Sure, it may cost you a little more in gas but the mental rewards will be worth it. On my way to work each morning, I could take the belt line (ug, traffic) and arrive in 10 minutes or I can take the back roads through tree lined neighborhoods and by a lake and arrive in 14 minutes. Guess which one I take? Yep, I arrive to work calm and refreshed rather than annoyed and harried from traffic.

2.) Grab a friend: Sometimes, it’s more fun to explore with a friend. Take turns introducing each other to places the other hasn’t been. It’s fun exploring together, plus, it’s not as daunting going into new places when you’re with someone. Find someone fun and open to new experiences. Make new friends who are from another state or country. Listen to their experiences and live vicariously.

3.) Pretend you’re new in town: This is one of my favorites. You know that high you get when you’re traveling and exploring a new place? Pretend you’re doing this in your hometown. Ask people where to go, what to do and see, and check out the visitor’s bureau. It’s so easy to get locked into routine when you’re living somewhere that you forget the jewels that lie within your city. Which leads into..

4.) Play host: How many of us have friends come to visit us and when we’re asked what to see and do, we’re at a loss as to what to recommend? We become accustomed to our surroundings and become lazy about exploring. Host visitors. It will force you to find and show them the best parts of your city. Join sites such as Couchsurfing, Hospitality Club, or Servas. I have personally used Couchsurfing and can highly recommend it. Show your city off! And appreciate it more as a result.

5.) Play hooky in the town next door: Take a day off work and head over to the neighboring town that you’ve always been meaning to visit. Check out their coffee shops, museums, and greenways. I do this here in NC and it’s always fun. Plus, it feels great to come back to Raleigh after exploring some of these smaller, more country towns. It makes me appreciate all the great things living in the city offers that I sometimes take for granted!

6.) Armchair travel: Part of the fun of traveling is daydreaming and planning your trip. Rent an inspiring movie, turn on the Travel Channel, or read a great travel book and take a trip from the comfort of your couch. Or armchair. No dramamine required.

7.) Utilize your trip return high: When I return home from traveling, I am on a high for 3 or 4 days. I feel like I can conquer anything, new experiences don’t frighten me as much, and I’m still in exploring mode from traveling. I usually meet a ton of new people in my town during these few days and am out and about much more. Plus, it always feels like something has changed while I’m gone, even if it was just for a week, and I’m always game for checking things out. Was that building there before? So after you get over that jet lag, don’t get down about being back home, get out and enjoy your city. You may meet a really cool new friend or discover a new favorite hot spot downtown.

8.) Rock the Casbah: There is a great Moroccan wine bar right down the street that I love. The decor is pure elegance and luxury. Jewel toned cushions, low lighting, cave like rooms.. it makes me feel like I’m in a totally different country while I’m there. Almost every city has some sort of ethnic restaurant, hookah bar, or place with an exotic atmosphere so you can feel like you’ve been transported across the ocean. Dress to match if you really want to get in the mood.

How have others ‘traveled’ without leaving home? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas.