Travel by Pet Sitting

The sand dunes were beautiful but the car trouble was a bit frustrating.

One of the things we have learned while pet sitting around the world is that things happen that we could not have possibly anticipated. We have learned to Expect and Enjoy the Unexpected.

In this episode we talk about how we dealt with car trouble on a quiet Sunday in a tiny town on Cape Code, Massachusetts, when we could have been at the beach. 

This Cape Cod car challenge could have been a monster but went more easily because we relaxed through it. We had practice in dealing with car challenges.  In this episode we candidly rap about two other unexpected car situations during pet sits in Australia and France. 

How does a June pet sit on Cape Cod, for homeowners that are life-long dear friends, a sweet dog, in a lovely yellow Cape Cod style home with blue shutters, walking distance from the beach sound to you?

Summer can be brutally hot in Arizona with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees. We were "all-in" before they finished the request.

We didn't have an inkling of a notion that it would take four pretty full days and a boat load of irritations to complete the travel plans.

Lots of moving parts, reduced airline schedules, fewer rental cars available meaning higher rental costs, and lack of reasonable accommodations topped our list of obstacles.

We cover it all in this episode where we describe the process we have just been through for our summer travel. As always, we had six overriding considerations to contend with:

1. Time changes
2. Connections
3. The different modes of transportation
4. Price
5. Experience (FUN)
6. Comfort (at our age this is high on our list)

We are in Groom Creek, Arizona caring for a mature Golden Retriever (Casey) in the middle of the Prescott National Forest. It may look like we are on a perpetual vacation because we travel so much, but it’s a lifestyle. We have basic life needs and interests just like you. The difference is we simply do them on the road.

Our last episode was about creating a Plan B. We discussed how nothing ever goes according to plan, things are constantly changing, and we need to get comfortable with adjusting and creating a Plan B.

Regardless of where we go and how many times we have changed the itinerary, there are constant needs to support our lifestyle. In this episode we’ll discuss our suitcase of needs like:

• Maintain our health
• Medical care
• Serve our clients (if we have any)
• Maintain our home (not just the one we stay in, but our own as well)
• Keep up with friends and family
• Prepare for our next pet sit or adventure
• Minimal shopping for food, clothes, and necessities
• Keeping up-to-date on technology
• Keep an eye on trends and world events
• Let’s remember hobbies
• And, of course, caring for the pets

Very little goes as originally planned. If there ever was a time when we needed to have a plan B - it is now. Unexpected change abounds in our lives, travel, and definitely in Pet Sitting. Fortunately being on the road for several years, we have learned the valuable lesson of having a Plan B. It helps us from getting ruffled feathers, stressed out, or disappointed. So here we go. In this episode we discuss: * the importance of having a Plan B * having a positive mindset about embracing change * our sometimes frustrating but effective process for creating a Plan B * magical travel moments * and enjoying our very cool financial surprise.