Currently on a 2 week sit in St. Lucia. Vacationing via petsit is definitely a different travel experience. I couldn’t help but feel envious as we strolled down the beach in front of the swanky, Sandal’s resort last night. But when you pet sit, you are immersed in day to day life of people living in a different place. This morning as I sat outside and had breakfast, I learned that getting a child off to school is a universal experience. As the mom yelled in her thick Caribbean accent, “Where are your shoes…find your shoes…get your shoes on,” I suddenly felt a kindred spirit with this woman. I know that chorus well. So while I would certainly enjoy the all-inclusive breakfast at a fancy resort…my half-warm oatmeal out of a broken-down, old microwave comes with a side of something they don’t have to offer.
We do a mix of pet sitting and Airbnbing so we have the best of both worlds. Which one do I enjoy the most? Pet sitting. Yes, a routine has to be followed and there’s no long lies. If the weather is bad you still have to go out there. But, the positives outweigh all the negatives for me. Those happy eyes and wagging tail. The cold nose seeking out my hand. The look of joy as I’m looking for some sort of footwear. The whole enthusiasm of being fed.
Once in a while we book into a luxurious apartment or villa but it’s not the same without a dog. Come on folks, some of us want to go to all these out of the way places to look after your animals! Stop hesitating and try it.
A wonderful snap shot of a “day in the life” @Dawn … love the through the door view also.
The phrase “Authentic Travel Living Like A Local With Pet Companionship” brings the whole concept and proposition to life.
Thank you for sharing such lovely words and your oatmeal breakfast.
Yes. Our two weeks on Maui came with a cat that woke us up at 5 am and currently the dogs get us up about 6:30 to begin their morning routine. Its not for everyone, but we would probably never visit this beautiful place without THS, so the trade offs are worth it for us.