When people retire they often think about travelling the world, but not many feel like they have the funds to do so.
An Australian couple have managed to make their dream a reality by spending only $99 AUD a year.
Peter. 57, and Deb, 52, who are originally from Perth, have been travelling the world for seven years now – far passing their original 12 month goal.
Peter. 57, and Deb, 52, who are originally from Perth, have been travelling the world for seven years now – far passing their original 12 month goal (pictured)
Some may believe that this is impossible but the couple have managed to accomplish this by house and animal sitting wherever they stay through the website TrustedHousesitters.com.
‘When we first started house sitting it was simply a French Bed and Breakfast owner who enjoyed Deb’s company so much that she asked us to house sit her large Champagne region house with her pets for a period of 18 months,’ Peter told FEMAIL.
‘We had no idea that people did this or were willing to let others come into their homes and live like locals. We agreed and returned in 18 months in December 2011.
‘One thing led to another and we realised that there were websites offering services to match owners and sitters, so we joined to further the opportunities.’
The couple mainly house sit in Europe, here they were close to Chamonix Mont Blanc
The couple looked after a families household cat when they house sat in Turkey
This wasn’t their first time to France as in 2010 the couple were visiting the country for 12 weeks.
‘On the way home in June 2011, our Champagne sit was scheduled for later that year in December, we both asked ourselves why we were going home,’ Peter explained.
‘We decided that once home we would investigate the possibility of house sitting around the world for 12 months.’
The couple house sat in Lavaur in Southern France
‘Scenery can not get much better than this,’ Peter said
They applied for a house sit in Thailand and, as they say, the rest was history.
The couple set off to Asia with a one way ticket in 2011 and have now been travelling continuously since.
‘In Thailand we applied for and were accepted for a house sit in Southern Turkey and went from there,’ Peter said.
‘We have returned to Australia to house sit in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.
‘On the return home for these house sits, we had already booked our return to Europe to continue the adventure.’
Debra explained that they try to keep plans to a minimum.
This was the stunning view from their house in Guatemala
They also did a winter house sit in Toulouse, France being one of their favourite places to visit
Tranquil countryside roads are just the place to take a dog for a walk or run
‘The beauty about this style of travel and TrustedHousesitters.com is we really don’t know [our future],’ she told FEMAIL.
‘If something comes up that we’d both like to do, we go through the application process like anyone else and if it works for us we go.
‘We are fortunate after seven years house sitting we are asked to return and have done so many times.’
Each year the couple plan to come back home Australia but every year they change their minds.
‘We think that 2020 might be the time we return to Australia and return to living in one of our properties,’ Debra explained.
Of course with house sitting comes certain duties that they have to take care of
When they were living in Turkey they were lucky to witness many a beautiful sunset
‘House sitting is always fun with new animals to share with, Deb told FEMAIL
‘House sitting gives you the opportunity to do things you’ve always wanted to do, like clearing snow at -47,’ Peter said
‘But this will merely serve as a base while we continue to travel on shorter journeys, potentially a one to three month duration, not to travel continuously like we are doing now.’
Peter and Debra have stayed in 11 capital cities around the world including Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Paris, Toulouse, London, Vancouver, Antigua Guatamela, St. Georges Granada, St Peter Port Guernsey and Helsinki.
‘Most of our other 58 house sits are in country villages or rural settings in Australia, England, USA, Canada, UK, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Thailand and Switzerland,’ Peter said.
‘These are different houses, we have been asked to return on many occasions, the most being 10 times.’
They took the dog they were caring for walking near Felixstowe in England
They found themselves enjoying local delicacies on their stays, such as cheese in France
Most of the house sits they do are in the northern hemisphere and are rural or village style living.
‘City house sitting is not something we have concentrated on as we have mentioned before ‘in some cases we get to go places one has never heard of’,’ Peter said.
‘Having said that we have house sat in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Paris, Toulouse, London, Vancouver, Antigua Guatamela, St Georges Grenada, St Peters Port in Guernsey and Helsinki and as part of our house sitting travels have had wonderful opportunities to visit Singapore, Geneva, New York, Boston, Barcelona, Bordeaux, Marseilles, Istanbul, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Jersey and Bangkok between sits, travel to/from sits or being close enough to do day trips often.
‘Next month we get to go to Antwerp in Belgium.’
‘Beautiful villages like this one, Bagnoregio, are just waiting to be found while house sitting in Europe,’ the couple shared
They had the opportinuty to stay in a beautiful moulin house in Uzes France
Peter said that when considering costs they always believe they will spend the same as if they would be living at home.
The first cost they consider is travel costs, especially if they’re not sitting close to where they live.
‘Deb and I had a house sit in the Yukon in British Columbia Canada and the airfare costs were $4,000 to get there. Expensive? Yes!’ Peter shared.
‘However we were fortunate to string together six months of house sitting in Vancouver, Victoria, Mayne Island and Kamloops in the same area reducing that cost to average $25 per day, which made it a more acceptable cost to us.’
The couple bonded with all of the animals that they cared for when they house sat
The couple are currently completing their 91st house sit in the high French Pyrenees