If there’s no information about this in the listing, I ask about accessibility to groceries in the area.
To be honest, I have never thought I could be
What I think could happen and it has happened twice is that I might not be able to have dinner or breakfast without feeling awkward when the hosts are there so, even if I fly to the sit, I always prepare some instant coffee, sweetener and creamer and some cereal bars or biscuits. Once the owners have left, I check what perishables are left and plan my grocery shopping from there. Also, if for some reason I can’t pop in to the store the first day (not sure if this has ever happened) there’s usually something that can be used and easily replaced.
I just wanted to clarify that the worst scenario I think of is not being able to have a proper meal and I am prepared to fight hunger with cereal bars or biscuits. I have actually resorted to this twice. When I was not offered to share dinner or breakfast with hosts, I just felt awkward to say I was going out to get some food, instead, I went to my room and ate something, not a balanced meal but I make do with that.
I find it unbelievable that hosts don’t share or offer food to sitters, such poor manners (& yes I know they’re packing and getting ready to leave but it’s obvious to feed another human in your home). Hope it never happens to us. #poorshow
The first time, it felt most awkward.
It was in Fife, Scotland. I was supposed to get a bus that didn’t come and I had to wait for the next, which didn’t go to my destination, it just took me to another town where, hopefully, I would have more options. I informed the hosts and apologized. When I finally arrived, they were ready to have dinner, there were just two dishes laid down and they offered me … to go to my room and get settled! I took them up on their offer
The other situation was barely a month later, in Australia, the toughest sit I’ve ever had.
I had actually had dinner with them on the first evening but it was a family of six and I guess somehow they must have been each getting their breakfast at their own convenience while I was walking the dog with the housewife and she was showing me around, I was following her, trying to take notes on my IPad, as there was no WG of any sort, not a single written word. We were busy like that from 7 to 11, no mention of breakfast. At around 11, the locksmith came to install a keylocker, a task in which I was not involved, so I went to my room and had some biscuits.
Now that I think of it, in both cases the hosts were quite indecisive about when I should arrive. In both cases it had been established when the sit was confirmed that I would arrive the previous evening but when, closer to the sit, I tried to agree on a suitable arrival time they were either evasive or kept changing their mind.
That was the early days of sitting for me. I have learned a few lessons since then.
In my experience, when a host is inconsiderate in one way, they tend to be inconsiderate in others too. I guess the same applies to sitters and people in general.
Interesting the variety of stories here, right? As varied as our sits, pets, hosts and sitters!!
I think rule of thumb for all of us is the Boy Scout motto of being prepared! If you know you’ll get hangry or faint if you go without food or coffee, pack emergency back up supplies. A bag of almonds, granola bar, instant coffee, tea and shelf stable creamer - we often joke that we have to treat our travels as if we are “camping” at times - (if you saw this and the last 3 beautiful homes we sat in, it’s anything but camping!! But we still encounter issues)
We have learned to be flexible in our “old age” which we see as a gift bc many people become more set in their ways as they age and all of our travels (we do a lot both with sits and without) have forced us to be much more flexible and find solutions to any problems or inconveniences. It’s like stretching…need to keep stretching as we age!!
I usually check ahead for supermarkets, restaurants, food delivery, etc., well before I sit. I get the address early and use it to map amenities and to check apps.
You don’t need to be onsite to see what food apps/deliveries serve X neighborhood. You can see real time delivery times, etc.
Personally, I wouldn’t sit anywhere without same-day delivery, avoiding rural areas.
