After five years of living the dream of early retirement in Panama, it's time to say, "Hasta Luego,".....or see you later. We have enjoyed our time here, made some good friends and leave knowing that we can always come back since after all, we are permanent residents. Panama has been good to us! We've learned to speak Spanish, mas or menos, learned about living in a foreign culture where everything is different, and so much more. Panama has really opened our eyes to a world outside of the US that we never knew existed. But now it's time to move on to explore more of this big world in which we live. Thank you Panama for changing us and helping us grow and move out of our comfort zone. Now it's time to expand our gringo trail to other countries and see what we discover.
For most of my life the idea of throwing a few things into a bag and travelling the world sounded wonderfully exciting. But although I had the interest, I never had the money, courage or a partner crazy enough to do it with. Now I have a crazy partner with more than enough courage for the both us but we still lack the necessary funding. But where there's a will there's a way so we just had to find that way and perhaps we have?
It was about a year ago when we splurged on a month long trek through Europe that included a 12-night Mediterranean cruise, plus a side trip to Paris. We visited Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Florence, Venice, Piza, and Rome, Italy; Istanbul and Ephesus, Turkey; Athens and Mykonos, Greece; and Toulon, France. We even opted for an overnight layover in Zurich, Switzerland for an added bonus on our way back to Panama.
We returned to Panama as two changed souls that longed for more adventures anywhere in the universe. But how could we do more world travel on Clyde's small pension? A friend suggested house sitting and the rest was history. With many websites out there that serve to match up potential house and pet sitters with homeowners, we quickly set up profiles on several sites. Literally within two weeks we were offered our first sit in Ajijic, Mexico. The next month we did a sit in Costa Rica and after that Ecuador. We were hooked and decided it was time to sell ALL and do this fulltime.
In the past year we've given away or sold much of everything. We sold the house to a couple from the states looking to relocate here; sold our car to our friend Louise who first told us about house sitting, and donated our clothes and shoes to needy locals. Literally we are leaving here with only TWO CARRY-ON SIZED suitcases EACH. One will be checked in and the other will stay as carry-on.
So where in the world are these two crazy gringo's headed now? When we leave here on Friday we'll head to Austin, TX for a three week house sit. There will take care of a small dog, a large house with a pool and they are even letting us use their car. Clyde's daughter and her husband live just 15 minutes from our sit. My daughter and Clyde's youngest son live in San Antonio while Clyde's oldest son lives in Corpus Christi.
Next we'll fly into Newark, New Jersey not far from where I spent my childhood to visit my sister. For a few weeks I'll get to visit with some old friends, chill out at my sisters backyard pool and enjoy her company.
Then it's onto JFK Airport in Queens, New York for a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Because it's such a long, expensive trip we wanted to spend the maximum amount of time in Thailand. We are allowed to stay there for 30-days as tourists and our house sit is not until the later two weeks of the month. But the home owners will allow us to stop by, drop off our luggage, take a backpack and tour Thailand before returning to their condo for our sit with their cat.
This brings us into late August when we'll fly to Venice, Italy for yet another house and pet sit. For the next three months we'll truly be living like locals in a tiny, Italian village. Our temporary home will be the former bell ringers house right next to the church with a cemetery in the rear. The town of Giavera del Montello is located just 25 minutes from Venice. As the home owner comes home on occasional weekends our plan is to take weekend trips to Rome, Verona and other parts of Italy during our stay.
From Italy we'll transition to life in the UK and house sit our way around. This Christmas will find us in Storrington village in West Sussex, England through the New Year.
I guess you can say we'll be ringing in the New Year with a bang, or a "banger" (a sausage since we'll be in the UK) as we can be truly thankful for a year spent wandering around the globe. So many places to see on a shoestring, making new furry and human friends along the way as we travel the world one house sit at a time........along the gringo trail.
Terry and Clyde are able to "Travel The World House Sitting" and so can you! We have created a website to help people who want to learn about house sitting. Information for both the prospective house sitter and for someone who needs a house sitter.
the New Website --> CLICK HERE
How to Get Your First House Sit --> CLICK HERE
How to find a house sitter ----> CLICK HERE
For most of my life the idea of throwing a few things into a bag and travelling the world sounded wonderfully exciting. But although I had the interest, I never had the money, courage or a partner crazy enough to do it with. Now I have a crazy partner with more than enough courage for the both us but we still lack the necessary funding. But where there's a will there's a way so we just had to find that way and perhaps we have?
It was about a year ago when we splurged on a month long trek through Europe that included a 12-night Mediterranean cruise, plus a side trip to Paris. We visited Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Florence, Venice, Piza, and Rome, Italy; Istanbul and Ephesus, Turkey; Athens and Mykonos, Greece; and Toulon, France. We even opted for an overnight layover in Zurich, Switzerland for an added bonus on our way back to Panama.
We returned to Panama as two changed souls that longed for more adventures anywhere in the universe. But how could we do more world travel on Clyde's small pension? A friend suggested house sitting and the rest was history. With many websites out there that serve to match up potential house and pet sitters with homeowners, we quickly set up profiles on several sites. Literally within two weeks we were offered our first sit in Ajijic, Mexico. The next month we did a sit in Costa Rica and after that Ecuador. We were hooked and decided it was time to sell ALL and do this fulltime.
In the past year we've given away or sold much of everything. We sold the house to a couple from the states looking to relocate here; sold our car to our friend Louise who first told us about house sitting, and donated our clothes and shoes to needy locals. Literally we are leaving here with only TWO CARRY-ON SIZED suitcases EACH. One will be checked in and the other will stay as carry-on.
So where in the world are these two crazy gringo's headed now? When we leave here on Friday we'll head to Austin, TX for a three week house sit. There will take care of a small dog, a large house with a pool and they are even letting us use their car. Clyde's daughter and her husband live just 15 minutes from our sit. My daughter and Clyde's youngest son live in San Antonio while Clyde's oldest son lives in Corpus Christi.
Next we'll fly into Newark, New Jersey not far from where I spent my childhood to visit my sister. For a few weeks I'll get to visit with some old friends, chill out at my sisters backyard pool and enjoy her company.
Then it's onto JFK Airport in Queens, New York for a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Because it's such a long, expensive trip we wanted to spend the maximum amount of time in Thailand. We are allowed to stay there for 30-days as tourists and our house sit is not until the later two weeks of the month. But the home owners will allow us to stop by, drop off our luggage, take a backpack and tour Thailand before returning to their condo for our sit with their cat.
This brings us into late August when we'll fly to Venice, Italy for yet another house and pet sit. For the next three months we'll truly be living like locals in a tiny, Italian village. Our temporary home will be the former bell ringers house right next to the church with a cemetery in the rear. The town of Giavera del Montello is located just 25 minutes from Venice. As the home owner comes home on occasional weekends our plan is to take weekend trips to Rome, Verona and other parts of Italy during our stay.
From Italy we'll transition to life in the UK and house sit our way around. This Christmas will find us in Storrington village in West Sussex, England through the New Year.
I guess you can say we'll be ringing in the New Year with a bang, or a "banger" (a sausage since we'll be in the UK) as we can be truly thankful for a year spent wandering around the globe. So many places to see on a shoestring, making new furry and human friends along the way as we travel the world one house sit at a time........along the gringo trail.
Terry and Clyde are able to "Travel The World House Sitting" and so can you! We have created a website to help people who want to learn about house sitting. Information for both the prospective house sitter and for someone who needs a house sitter.
the New Website --> CLICK HERE
How to Get Your First House Sit --> CLICK HERE
How to find a house sitter ----> CLICK HERE
how exciting, sounds like a great life
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful life) George Bailey would surely enyy the both of you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful life) George Bailey would surely enyy the both of you!
ReplyDeleteCongrats guys! I look forward to more of your adventures!
ReplyDelete