Long before we officially retired (over 16 years ago!), I started subscribing to The Caretaker Gazette.
I remember the first listing that really struck me…it was somewhere tropical, maybe Costa Rica or something like that, and in exchange for a free beach house for several months, the successful applicant for the position would have to sweep up the fallen palm fronds each morning.
That was it. Palm fronds. Off the Sand. In the Morning. Done.
Needless to say I was hooked.
I should probably be on some sort of commission for the amount of people I have pointed in the direction of The Caretaker’s newsletter, but alas, I never got onto that plan. I just love the concept and want to share the love. It also appeals to my Inner Mennonite and my idea of trying to get something cheap!
But even with the appeal of a free place to stay, we still haven’t taken one of these opportunities.
There’s always some other fabulous (and sometimes not-so-fabulous) thing that comes up and off we go in another direction. But I’ve renewed my subscription again and continue to fantasize about all the amazingly weird and wonderful places and ways that one can travel.
One can do this travel thing without buckets of money. It is about wanting it bad enough to go for it within your constraints of budget and/or time.
Here’s an excerpt from the newsletter that came yesterday…
HOUSESITTER NEEDED IMMEDIATELY in Bocas del Toro, Panama. I am looking for a single, couple or small family, willing to live/housesit on an island in Bocas del Toro, located approximately 20 minutes by boat to town. You should have knowledge/experience with off-the-grid living. Some Spanish would be helpful. Accommodations are quaint with a choice of an over the water studio cabana or a small one bedroom home with beautiful grounds…
Not all of the housesitting opportunities are remote. Some are for a couple of weeks of canal-boat-sitting in Amersterdam. Some want a year commitment for their remote fishing camp in Alaska. Some want a butler (?!) But all of them make for interesting reading.
I’ve decided to start a Trip Planning Page (aka TPP) where I can add listings like the Caretaker Gazette, home exchange sites and hotel alternatives like AirBnB.
If you have any ideas/links/sites that you can personally recommend, please send them my way. I’ll add it to the TPP so we’ll all be the richer.
Bon Voyage!
Thanks for sharing. This is a great idea and definitely something I’ll look out for. House sitting on a tropical island would definitely be a dream come true!
Thanks for visiting Monica, I’m keen to do one of the Artist Residencies…another one on my Dream-List.
I will be adding more to this page as I come across groovy new ideas 🙂
Thanks for sharing! This is new to me. In case someone does not want to housesit even their own, I have found a great trip for Grandparents and Grandkids. Some spots still available for the July 29-August 3, 2012 trip. If I was a nanna, I’d definitely sign up! Priceless! http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/national/brochure/12215b.aspx
Hey Francesca, I looked at that Sierra Club link. Wow. That looks like a great program. I’m in the same boat….not a granny, but if I was, I’d be all over that one!
Oh yes, let the boys go hunting! I think we both deserve a “sabbatical’ by now. I’m going to check that option out as well, thanks Sarah.
Hey Barb…it’s a date! I just added the Sabbatical Homes site to the Trip Planning Page. It looks quite unreal. Thanks again Sarah.
Sabbatical Homes (which surely you know about but maybe your readers don’t) it’s a less $ alternative for all kinds of housing and you DON”T have to be a prof or in academia to do it.
Sarah, I did not know about Sabbatical homes, but I’m certainly on it now. I’ll check it out and add the link to the Travel Planning Page. Thanks for this.
I too subscribe to the Caretaker Gazette and dream of the day when i will be housesitting on some tropical island. I think your TPP is a wonderful idea!
I didn’t know you were a subscriber Barb! That’s great. Maybe we could do a housesit one time…just you & I! Leave the boys at home for a bit so they can miss us 🙂