Free house-sitting

[Vacajoe]

Walking the CA and the CF this year made me want to give back, but how? Perhaps my wife and I can help other pilgrims make the journey by offering free housesitting?

Just retired from 23 years as a firefighter and wife ran a Catholic day shelter for homeless women and children - in short, we have more references than day-trippers leaving Sarria! . Love cats, like dogs, and live in a century-old house that requires regular TLC to keep functional. More importantly, we just retired and have plenty of time to travel if you need someone to house/pet sit during your Camino.

PM me if we can be of service to you. Maybe this is a need that we can fulfill to honor the pilgrimage.

 

[Harington]

Walking the CA and the CF this year made me want to give back, but how? Perhaps my wife and I can help other pilgrims make the journey by offering free housesitting?

Just retired from 23 years as a firefighter and wife ran a Catholic day shelter for homeless women and children - in short, we have more references than day-trippers leaving Sarria! . Love cats, like dogs, and live in a century-old house that requires regular TLC to keep functional. More importantly, we just retired and have plenty of time to travel if you need someone to house/pet sit during your Camino.

PM me if we can be of service to you. Maybe this is a need that we can fulfill to honor the pilgrimage.View attachment 44010

What country are you in?

 

[jsalt]

What country are you in?

Hi, if you hover your cursor over Vacajoe's avatar, you will see that he is from Northern California.
Jill

 

[Vacajoe]

My bad - I live in Northern California, but don’t mind traveling. I figure folks get someone to watch their house while I get to spend time like a local in a new locale.

 

[mcopeland]

Will definitely look at that for our "next" Camino! We had house sitters for our first on the Frances, but couldn't find anyone for the second (Portuguese). We use an online house sitter site.

 

[Robo]

Want a couple of months in Sydney Australia?

 

[Yodapsy]

Two weeks in Hawaii while we do the Camino Portugues?

 

[Rick M]

I'll see your two weeks in Hawaii, and raise you two months in Vancouver!

 

[Former member 49149]

What a great idea!

 

[Vacajoe]

Too funny! Please PM me if you are serious, however. The caveat, of course, is that there are only 52 weeks in the year and I’d like to be home for a few of them!

 

[Mattnlucy]

Walking the CA and the CF this year made me want to give back, but how? Perhaps my wife and I can help other pilgrims make the journey by offering free housesitting?

Just retired from 23 years as a firefighter and wife ran a Catholic day shelter for homeless women and children - in short, we have more references than day-trippers leaving Sarria! . Love cats, like dogs, and live in a century-old house that requires regular TLC to keep functional. More importantly, we just retired and have plenty of time to travel if you need someone to house/pet sit during your Camino.

PM me if we can be of service to you. Maybe this is a need that we can fulfill to honor the pilgrimage.View attachment 44010

Good morning vacajoe, I think perhaps I would rather house sit for you in California , if your picture is anything to go bye, it looks beautiful. great idea you have.

 

[Vacajoe]

Actually, that photo is from Madeira where we went after the Camino. I live in Sacramento which is much hotter and much less green (but I live in a beautiful bungalow!!!)

 

[Mattnlucy]

Actually, that photo is from Madeira where we went after the Camino. I live in Sacramento which is much hotter and much less green (but I live in a beautiful bungalow!!!)
View attachment 44052

It’s certainly beautiful, picture post card. Good luck with you idea, and enjoy your retirement.

 

[Robo]

I'll see your two weeks in Hawaii, and raise you two months in Vancouver!

I'll raise that with 2 months in Sydney, with contribution to airfares

 

[Robo]

To be serious about this for a minute, maybe Ivar should start a new section of the Forum for this.
I for one would be delighted to find a fellow Pilgrim as a House sitter.
It's a real problem for us. Fish to be fed, plants to be watered, new Dog soon....

 

[Anamiri]

You may have found a retirement income. Rent out your house, and spend your time traveling around the world housesitting for Camino walkers.

 

[Harington]

Hi, if you hover your cursor over Vacajoe's avatar, you will see that he is from Northern California.
Jill

Hi, if you hover your cursor over Vacajoe's avatar, you will see that he is from Northern California.
Jill

Thank you! I didn't know you could do that!

 

[Rick M]

I'll raise that with 2 months in Sydney, with contribution to airfares

Eeeek! This is a high stakes game! I'll see your airfare contribution with a 10-hour drive, and raise you Zero Jetlag.........

Either that Rob, or we can just agree to swap house sitting. Wait. Then neither of us will get to Spain.

 

[BmoreNomadic]

To be serious about this for a minute, maybe Ivar should start a new section of the Forum for this.
I for one would be delighted to find a fellow Pilgrim as a House sitter.
It's a real problem for us. Fish to be fed, plants to be watered, new Dog soon....

Well, this is an idea I could get behind!

 

[Jackieduda]

I’m all in. Who needs a house sitter in 2019? I will be retired and free as a bird. Wheee!

 

[Mattnlucy]

Just got say folks, I’m hoping to be on Camino Portugues May 2019, after that I’ll certainly free up my diary, “ little California would be nice” “a lttile Syndney would delight” “ Canada and the falls” Hawaii for the winter here I come” so where to for 2020.

 

[KYBirdman]

I wish this post had been a bit earlier in the year, we located a house sitter for the time we will be on the Camino in October. It would be nice to be able to ask those last minute questions from a veteran peligrino just as you are leaving.

 

[Vacajoe]

To me, it’s a win-win solution - less cost for the traveler, a new experience for me.

After walking the Camino, I value how the experience can affect folks and having a fellow pilgrim watch over the homefront just makes sense (plus it makes getting to and from the airport easier!)

 

[Lindy Loo]

I do loads of housesitting for friends when they take holiday and think this is a fantastic idea! Am an Aussie living on the Gold Coast and would love to see this take off. I plan on doing three months each year in the UK to spend time near family using a house sitting website from 2019 but would prefer helping fellow pilgrims where possible.

 

[Ellann]

Brilliant.

 

[Madamjoy]

This is a great idea. Thank you Vacajoe. I agree with comment that Ivar should start separate page for house sitting. And count me in. I have a 2 bedroom apt in Vancouver (competition for Rick so he’s gonna have to raise the stakes). I will do 2 caminos in 2019, possible a short one (3 weeks) this October.

 

[MeliCunn]

Walking the CA and the CF this year made me want to give back, but how? Perhaps my wife and I can help other pilgrims make the journey by offering free housesitting?

Just retired from 23 years as a firefighter and wife ran a Catholic day shelter for homeless women and children - in short, we have more references than day-trippers leaving Sarria! . Love cats, like dogs, and live in a century-old house that requires regular TLC to keep functional. More importantly, we just retired and have plenty of time to travel if you need someone to house/pet sit during your Camino.

PM me if we can be of service to you. Maybe this is a need that we can fulfill to honor the pilgrimage.View attachment 44010

Great idea VacaJoe! If i ever save enough money to walk again, I will definitely be in touch. My dream is the CP from Porto! Have you ever been to KY?

 

[Vacajoe]

No, but would love to see it!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi, if you hover your cursor over Vacajoe's avatar, you will see that he is from Northern California.
Jill

I learned that little trick, but have often noticed many forum members do not share what country or province they live in.

 

[Vacajoe]

I live in Sacramento, California but have no issues with traveling (even abroad) to help out.

 

[MeliCunn]

No, but would love to see it!

A great time to come is the end of April/beginning of May. That is when all the Derby festivities and the Kentucky Derby happen! Its a 2 week party for a 2 minute race!

 

[Anniesantiago]

To be serious about this for a minute, maybe Ivar should start a new section of the Forum for this.
I for one would be delighted to find a fellow Pilgrim as a House sitter.
It's a real problem for us. Fish to be fed, plants to be watered, new Dog soon....

I would do this also IN the western USA.
I love the idea of a section for this.

I’d include deep housecleaning and pet sitting in my services.

 

[KinkyOne]

I learned that little trick, but have often noticed many forum members do not share what country or province they live in.

Before the last update of the Forum features that info was available if you have put it in. Now it isn't. I'm missing it. So useful, especially when someone isn't a native English speaker and all the other members could've seen that info and gave some credit for possible mistakes.

 

[Anamya]

One more vote for the House Sitting section of the forum! With a cat to be fed at home, it would really be wonderful to have that resource

 

[grayland]

Please be careful to keep all personal information out of the open forum.
Please use PMs for email addresses or phone numbers.
Please do not disclose your address to anyone you have not personally vetted and checked out.

The forum cannot and does not vouch for or recommend anyone posting on this thread. Please do your due diligence before coming to any agreement.

 

[Martyduc]

fantastic idea

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Before the last update of the Forum features that info was available if you have put it in. Now it isn't. I'm missing it. So useful, especially when someone isn't a native English speaker and all the other members could've seen that info and gave some credit for possible mistakes.

I wasn't aware that the ability to add in where a person lives has been removed on the newer format. Maybe Ivar can put that feature back in.

 

[ivar]

To be serious about this for a minute, maybe Ivar should start a new section of the Forum for this.
I for one would be delighted to find a fellow Pilgrim as a House sitter.
It's a real problem for us. Fish to be fed, plants to be watered, new Dog soon....

I would be a bit worried about this... what if something goes horribly wrong with the house/the house-sitter does not behave... I would not want to get in the middle of this.. and also, it is a bit outside of the scope of this forum. Sorry!

 

[Robo]

True.

Maybe just have a sub forum, like those wanting to share taxis....

 

[kobevanreppelen]

I'd be happy to help people out as well!

 

[joyfulpilgrim]

I'd be happy to housesit as well. Anyone need a last minute sitter -- mid-August/September 2018?

 

[Vacajoe]

Recently back from providing two weeks of FREE house and pet sitting for a new pilgrim friend who walked the CP. Everything went great!

Happy to help out others for FREE as my way of giving back to the Camino community. If you are interested, contact me directly so we can discuss the details, I can provide references, etc. It’s my hope that this will help other pilgrims to experience the Camino with one less worry about their home, pets, or the cost of a housesitter.

Buen Camino!

 

[Former member 49149]

Recently back from providing two weeks of FREE house and pet sitting for a new pilgrim friend who walked the CP. Everything went great!

Happy to help out others for FREE as my way of giving back to the Camino community. If you are interested, contact me directly so we can discuss the details, I can provide references, etc. It’s my hope that this will help other pilgrims to experience the Camino with one less worry about their home, pets, or the cost of a housesitter.

Buen Camino!

Delighted to see that your generosity is reaping benefits, mutually. A great idea.

 

[Vacajoe]

Someone just liked this post, so thought I would update it! I’ve housesat now five times and have a sixth next month. My offer still stands if folks are interested in it. I have the time and the desire to make YOUR Camino a possibility; it sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Drop me a line if you are interested.

Peace to all and Buen Camino!

 

[Lindy Loo]

Vacajoe if you get inundated pass any my way I'm more than happy to help out.

Am busy all February and then May to August!!

Let's help people to help themselves!

Lindy

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Someone just liked this post, so thought I would update it! I’ve housesat now five times and have a sixth next month. My offer still stands if folks are interested in it. I have the time and the desire to make YOUR Camino a possibility; it sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Drop me a line if you are interested.

You are good with dogs and cats. . . how are you with large aquariums and parrots?

 

[Vacajoe]

Hah, honestly I have ZERO experience with either of those! While I could learn, I’m completely, 100% NOT familiar with them. Sorry.

 

[henrythedog]

Someone just liked this post, so thought I would update it! I’ve housesat now five times and have a sixth next month. My offer still stands if folks are interested in it. I have the time and the desire to make YOUR Camino a possibility; it sounds too good to be true, but it’s not. Drop me a line if you are interested.

Peace to all and Buen Camino!

Joe,

What in heaven’s name do you feed that massive cat on?




View attachment 68391View attachment 68392

 

[Robo]

Hah, honestly I have ZERO experience with either of those! While I could learn, I’m completely, 100% NOT familiar with them. Sorry.

How are you with a Fire Hose?

 

[Vacajoe]

The cat belongs to one of the folks where I house-sit, but couldn’t resist taking a photo with him. Oddly enough, he eats pretty normally but has ZERO activity.

 

[Former member 49149]

How are you with a Fire Hose?

A small side comment: just adding my voice to all who are concerned about the fires in your country...

 

[steve 217]

What a fantastic idea this is .

 

[grayland]

Please be careful to keep all personal information out of the open forum.
Please use PMs for email addresses or phone numbers.
Please do not disclose your address to anyone you have not personally vetted and checked out.

The forum cannot and does not vouch for or recommend anyone posting on this thread. Please do your due diligence before coming to any agreement.

This warning is re-posted since this thread has been bumped.
The warning is meant to be cautionary only and is not a reflection on any poster or member.
Be cautious as always.