House Sitting:
The Ultimate in Slow Travel
Alison Browne | Article and Photographs
Did I ever think, in my retirement, that I would be looking after
donkeys, goats, and sheep? Or chickens named Buffy and Clara
that loved to escape yet laid me sky-blue eggs? What about an
elderly dog that I carried everywhere in a little backpack?
Welcome to the world of international house sitting.
House and pet sitting is becoming more and more
popular. Although I still talk to people regularly
who are amazed by the prospect of such an
arrangement, there are many travellers, both solo
and couples, partaking.
The biggest draw to house sitting is the opportunity
to experience slow travel and live like a local.
You know you are acing slow travel when the
market vendors recognize you or you fi nd yourself
on daily dog walks with your French neighbour. You
never know where these encounters may lead —
perhaps it is a few extra mussels scooped into your
purchase or the loan of a bike to cycle the nearby
canal pathways. Dinner invitations, the inside scoop
on where to visit, or a day spent with a neighbour
discovering an off -the-beaten-path area of Paris
Top: Those faces
Bottom: French manor house Alison lived in
48 | arta.net
are possibilities that await. The
kindness of strangers is astounding.
On the other hand, a house sit might
transpire into not meeting a soul but the freedom to
explore a new region and return to a wagging tail at
day’s end.
Is House Sitting for You?
Although you are on vacation, you are stepping into
someone else’s life and there are responsibilities
involved in taking care of the pets and property. You
need to be one hundred per cent comfortable with
animals, as the majority of house sitting arrangements
involve looking after the homeowners’ beloved pet(s).
Walking someone else’s dog or having that elusive cat
crawl into your lap unexpectedly are all part of the
experience. You can even push yourself out of your
comfort zone as I did when in charge of the donkeys,
whom I adored. The hardest part is saying, “Good-
bye” to your new furry friends.
There are also responsibilities involved in looking
after the property. You need to leave the home as
clean as you found it or even more sparkling.
How Do I Find a House Sitting Arrangement?
There are a variety of websites out there. My
experiences have mostly been through Trusted House
Sitters. There is a yearly fee of $130 which gives you
access to house sit listings. It is a great way to dream
of far off locations, ones that you may never have
heard of. I have house sat in places such as La Réole,
France and Shamley-Green in the UK, and also chosen
cities such as Cambridge, Paris, and Vancouver. Have
Google Maps open as you scan the listings.