Marrakesh to London over land

Why travel over land across such a big distance when you can fly?

I have a lot of different answers to this question. Number one is that it releases less carbon as opposed to flying. Number two is that it makes the journey more of an adventure, and I’m always down for that. Number three is because I could. Number four would be that I had wanted to do some solo travelling and the length of the journey would give me some “down time” which I was looking forward to. Number five: Who wouldn’t want to try and cross between two continents - Africa and Europe - over land? The scenery was incredible.

This blog is about the route I took, how I booked it, and the experience of crossing two mighty continents by land.

The route: Marrakesh to London

Transport: Trains, taxi and ferry

Distance: 1431 miles / 2303 km as the crow flies

Carbon emissions: Approx. 40kg CO2e (versus 250kg CO2e on a one way flight)

Travel time: 76 hours

Cost: £347.50

Journey:

1. Train from Marrakesh to Casablanca

2. Train from Casablanca to Tangier

3. Taxi from Tangier railway station to Tanger Med port

4. Ferry from Tanger Med port to Barcelona

5. Train from Barcelona to Narbonne

6. Sleeper train from Narbonne to Paris

7. Eurostar from Paris to London

How it came about that I was travelling this route:

Tom told me he had a work meeting in Marrakesh. “Marrakesh?!” I said.. “I’ve always wanted to go”. Cue pouting face and sad eyes. I knew I couldn’t stay with him and join his conference, so I decided that I’d go with him for the journey and stay in my own place, exploring the city at leisure. We had been housesitting in southern Spain, close to Seville, and it made sense for us to travel to Marrakesh over land as it would be far less carbon emissions and a similar amount of time for the journey.

When it came to travelling home, I decided to stick to my eco guns and try to get back to the UK over land. Tom had to get back to the UK for work and so he flew back. I was nervous and excited at the prospect of travelling so far on my own across Africa and Europe. Whilst in Marrakesh I researched the route and began booking my travel.

I had done the journey from the UK to Barcelona by land before, and the trains to Marrakesh from Tangier, so I knew some of the route already. I would go by train from Marrakesh back to Tangier, and then I needed to search for ferry crossings that would take me to Europe and weren’t too expensive. There were lots of crossings from Tangier-ville port to Tarifa and Algeciras in Spain but not great rail or bus connections between those locations and Barcelona for me to continue my travels.

It was then that I noticed that if I departed from Tanger Med port instead of Tangier-ville, the ferry company GNV ferries (https://www.gnv.it/en) were operating a route that went all the way to Barcelona on a 30 hour crossing for just £75 per person. I booked the ferry, and then began booking my trains around it.

In total, pre-travel, I booked:

1. Train from Marrakesh to Casablanca, 20/09/23, 07:50 - 10:28

2. Train from Casablanca to Tangier, 20/09/23, 11:00 - 13:10

   First two trains booked together cost a total of 198 DH (approx £15.50)

3. Ferry from Tanger Med port to Barcelona, 21/09/23, 00:30 - 11:00 on 22/09/23, £75

4. Train from Barcelona to Narbonne, 22/09/23, 16:34 - 18:33, £80

5. Sleeper train from Narbonne to Paris, 22/09/23, 20:43 - 06:33, £62

6. Eurostar from Paris to London, 23/09/23, 10:07 - 11:30, £115

I was to leave Marrakesh early on Wednesday 20th September, and all being well I would arrive in the UK on Saturday 23rd September late morning.

Websites used to book travel:
https://www.gnv.it/en - for the ferry
https://www.eurostar.com/uk-en - for the Eurostar
https://www.oncf.ma/en/Home - for the Moroccan trains
https://www.thetrainline.com/ - for all other trains

The journey:

I could’ve had a better start to my day on 20th September, but as it was I’d been up all night with severe food poisoning causing sickness, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. I’d never had such bad food poisoning. Just my luck right?

Tom was trying to convince me to abandon my over-land travel plans and get a flight back with him later that day as I was so poorly. However, I knew there was no way I could deal with the civilised and regulated queuing and conformity of travel by plane, along with the dreaded seatbelt sign, when I was constantly to and from the bathroom. I’d take my chances with the Moroccan railways instead.

He walked me to the train station in Marrakesh, and off I went on the 07:50 service to Casablanca, running on time. The chairs weren’t very comfortable but all I cared about was the passing of time and the hope that I may improve as it did so. I have to admit here, that I was sick a couple of times in the bathroom on this train. It was horrendous, as the toilet bowl merely opened up below onto the tracks. Talk about leaving your mark on a place. Sorry Morocco!

Train 1 of the journey, Marrakesh - Casablanca

The first train passed quickly, and then I was at Casablanca, where I popped to use a stationary toilet and wished I hadn’t - the queues were horrendous! I only just made it back to the platform by 11am, the supposed time of departure. We waited, and waited, and eventually around 11:30am the train rolled in to take us onwards to Tangier. Luckily I wasn’t in a rush as the ferry didn’t depart until midnight.

Train 2, Casablanca to Tangier

On this train the seats were much more comfortable, and I managed to keep a little bit of water down, so it was a great success compared to the first service. We arrived in Tangier around 13:30 so only 20 minutes late. I still felt ill, but I thought that I might be hungry later on so I bought a sandwich to take with me to the ferry terminal, unsure of what awaited me there.

As the Tanger Med port was around an hour from the centre of Tangier, I decided to get a taxi there. Leaving the train station I found the taxi rank but everyone I asked to take me there waved me away or drove off, stating they only did short local trips. A Moroccan girl approached me and said she could help - there were other taxi drivers around the corner which the locals used and were much cheaper and would take me to the port. I agreed to go with her as she was nice and friendly.

We walked around five minutes to the side of the train station and down a small ramshackle road where there were indeed several cars and drivers waiting. Most of them were out of their cars, chatting away and having small coffees whilst waiting for customers. I saw some locals come and be driven away whilst here. The girl explained, in Arabic, where I wanted to go and for how much. The men replied and there was some excitable back and forth conversation between them - all in Arabic, so I couldn’t understand what was being said.

At the end of their conversation, the girl said that they were willing to take me to the Tanger Med port for a small amount of Dirham’s (around £5). I had been expecting to pay approx. £30/40 due to the distance involved. I was shocked at the price she told me and said they must think it’s the closer port. She checked with them and then told me that they knew where to go, it was around an hour away.

Around this time, I started to get a weird vibe. I felt on edge and I wasn’t quite sure why. As they say - my spidey senses were tingling. I trust my gut completely and so I took a second and said to the girl I wasn’t sure about going with them. She tried to reassure me but by now I had decided it didn’t feel right and I didn’t want to go with the man. Once I’ve made a decision, I don’t usually waver. Confident in trusting my gut feeling, I told the girl I was going back to the official taxi rank by the station and apologised to the man in broken Arabic. They looked very annoyed.

I turned and walked away, quickly getting back to the main taxi rank and immediately flagging down an official taxi. The driver spoke great English and said he could take me to the port for £30 - a price I was willing to pay for a legitimate journey with a man I could converse with. As I was getting into the taxi, the man from the unofficial taxi rank came to the door and started having a heated discussion with the driver in Arabic. After a few minutes of them going back and forth, my new taxi driver told me that the man was annoyed and that I owed him the price for a coffee. I gave this willingly - although baffled as to how I owed him for a coffee! - and then we departed with gusto.

The journey was beautiful. The driver put on an English news channel for me and opened the windows to let the breeze in. It was around 30 degrees Celsius and very hot, so this was really appreciated. We went the scenic route, as I wasn’t in a rush, and the driver let me decide which way. I said I wanted to see the sea. Boy, did he oblige. The views were incredible over Tangier and the sea beyond.

I arrived at the Tanger Med port at around 4pm. The place is huge. Full of shipping containers, freight and cargo ships as well as a few passenger ferries which were also huge. It wasn’t clear where I had to go but I got out of the taxi and asked a few officials whom pointed me in the direction of the passenger terminal.

Tanger Med port

The GNV desk was closed so I sat down for an hour or so, and when it opened they gave me my tickets, checked me in and told me that it would be quite a long wait and to get some food/drinks from the cafeteria upstairs or the shops as they would be closed later on.

I still felt unwell but I had definitely improved since the morning so I began to try and rehydrate whilst resting and reading my book. Time felt as though it passed very slowly. I napped for a bit, got a bite to eat and finished my book. I thought there may be a waiting room to go into, but there wasn’t and the passenger terminal was cold due to the aircon.

Upstairs in the passenger terminal

Eventually midnight rolled around and they called all passengers for our ferry - there were only around 20 of us getting on as foot passengers, not many at all for such a big ship, but most were boarding via vehicle. We waited in the pre-boarding area for around 30 minutes, and at 00:30 we were allowed on board. We departed approx. 30 minutes late, but all I cared about now was sleep.

Boarding the ferry

I’d booked a bed in a 4-bed female only cabin. I’d booked a bottom bunk as I hate being on the top bunk. I arrived, found my bed, and another lady was already in the room unpacking in the bed opposite me. We got ready for bed, turned the light off, and I was just drifting off to sleep when someone arrived and turned the light on. Another lady was joining us. However, she was convinced that the person I was sharing with was in her bed. Now ensued a shouting match of epic proportions. The lady in bed refused to move. The lady who had just entered wanted the bed she’d booked (and rightly so). This was what I gleaned from the gestures, volume, tone and actions of the ladies, as you see, the argument was entirely in Arabic. I went to the bathroom and hoped they’d sort it out, but it was getting worse and worse.

Due to the level of illness I was dealing with, along with sleep deprivation from the night before and wanting to go immediately to bed, I marched to reception and asked for assistance. Someone came, but the fight did not diminish and only got worse. People in neighbouring cabins were coming out to listen and watch. I was so tired and poorly, I wanted to cry.

I went back to reception and asked them how much it would cost to upgrade to a private cabin. It would be 40 euros more. I willingly paid it and went back to the cabin to begin packing up my stuff, gesturing that the new addition could have my bunk in 5 minutes as I was leaving. That calmed the argument down. Once I got to my own cabin with en suite and closed the door, I was so relaxed and happy. I quickly slipped into a 12 hour coma. It was the best 40 euros I’ve ever spent.

Food counter on the ferry

The next day we had a full day on board the ship, so once I was up and dressed I explored the vessel, buying some food and drink and eating it slowly to see if it would go down ok. The sun was shining and I sat out on deck for a few hours reading a book. The Wi-Fi wasn’t working at all and I had no signal but it didn’t bother me at all as I quite enjoy being offline now and then. I had an afternoon nap, showered, ate some snacks I’d bought for the journey, and read some more.

The ferry I’d been on

In the evening I went back on deck for a few more hours, basking in the golden hour sun and watching the most magnificent sunset over the sea. I felt content. A lady let me use her phone as a hotspot as she had signal, so I could message Tom and my mum and tell them I was ok and that the Wi-Fi wasn’t working. I relaxed. I finished another book.

Arriving into Barcelona port at around 11am on the Friday morning, the sun was still out and the city, as always, was thriving. Once off the boat - they weren’t quite sure how to disembark foot passengers, so there was some waiting around before being ushered off and onto a bus to get to the customs and border office - we had our passports stamped very quickly and in the blink of an eye were in Spain and one of my favourite cities, Barcelona.

Barcelona

I had around 4 hours until my train to Narbonne but I had some work to do so I walked towards the station I’d be departing from (Barcelona Sants) which was around an hour by foot. I made sure to go up La Rambla and see some of the sights on the way. Once I was most of the way to Barcelona Sants I stopped in a shopping centre to use the Wi-Fi and finish a magazine article I was writing that I had a deadline for. Once that was done, I continued to the train station and had some lunch in a café there.

I actively dislike Barcelona Sants train station. I’ve been there several times before and every time it is an utter shit show. The process is disorganised, chaotic and stupid. The queues are endless and they don’t let you go down to the platform until the last minute which results in a lot of pushing and shoving. This time was no different, although I knew what to expect which made it less stressful.

Queues at Barcelona Sants pre-boarding

We departed on time and made our way to Narbonne, an uneventful train journey although my seat was very comfortable and the train was modern and high-speed. In just two hours we were in France, European rules meaning that we had no border stop or passport check.

Disembarking in Narbonne, I was disappointed that everything in the railway station was shut - including the shop, café and main toilets. With two hours to kill but feeling exhausted I decided to call my mum and have a chat with her instead. I also had a sandwich I’d bought in Barcelona so I had that for my dinner and awaited the sleeper train.

Sleeper train from Narbonne to Paris

It arrived a little late, though as sleeper trains rarely run on schedule this was not a surprise. On boarding I quickly found my cabin - I’d booked a bottom bunk in a 6 berth cabin. I was delighted that there was only one other girl joining me for now, and she also had a bottom bunk. We quickly made our beds and sorted our stuff out - I was pleasantly surprised to find not only was I provided with a pillow and sheet, there was a blanket, water bottle, eye mask and ear plugs. Very nice indeed.

My bed on the sleeper

We went to sleep and an hour or so later were joined by 3 more people in our cabin, they very noisy and slow at getting their beds sorted, much to mine and the other girls’ chagrin. Eventually things settled down and we all went to sleep. I slept very well on the sleeper, perhaps because I was exhausted, but it was comfy and a nice temperature (not too hot or too cold!) and the rhythmic rocking of the train on the tracks helped too.

I woke around 6am and started to get dressed as we’d soon be arriving into Paris Austerlitz station. We arrived on time and as I had a few hours until the Eurostar departed, I decided to walk to Gare du Nord (approx. 1 hour on foot). It was another beautiful day although a little cold due to the early hour. Having a breakfast of a croissant and coffee at the train station I reflected on my journey so far.

Gare du Nord

There had been a few mishaps, illness and delays, but mostly the journey had been smooth sailing. I’d really enjoyed it. Time alone to relax, reflect, reconnect with myself. Reading for leisure, eating when I felt like it, sleeping when I felt like it. Of course the journey had been somewhat long and uncomfortable, but it had been an adventure. Sunsets over the sea, deserts whipping past train windows, watching people go about their daily life. And now I was about to embark on the final step - the Eurostar to London.

On the Eurostar

I’ve done the crossing so many times I’ve lost count. It’s usually very smooth and well run and that day was no different. Before I knew it I was on board the Eurostar and crossing over back to my own country, the United Kingdom. I felt a rush of emotions when I arrived at St Pancras. I’ve got no idea why, as I’m often to and fro’ between the UK and Europe. Perhaps it was the enormity of the journey, the distance and length of time, the organisation and planning, or perhaps I was just tired.

It felt good to be home, and I appreciated it all the more because of the journey to get there.

Arriving in St Pancras

Adventures with anxiety: Take time to recover

Anyone who has anxiety will know that it is absolutely exhausting. Feeling on edge, worried and apprehensive saps your energy quicker than a blast of cardio. Understanding that you will need time to recover after you’ve had a bout of anxiety is the start of really getting to know your own mental health. Taking the time that your body and mind needs after a spell of anxiety is as important as rest and recovery after a physical exertion such as a run and, just like they say in the physical sense, is an important part of “training”.

The recovery period that you need will vary massively depending on how anxiety has affected you recently, how tired you may be, any other life factors or stresses such as work or family, your diet and – for women – whether you are on your period. All of these things can play havoc with your hormone levels and your ability to cope in certain situations. If you’ve been through a huge event like an anxiety or panic attack that has really knocked your confidence your recovery time is likely to be longer than someone who has experienced a short burst of anxious energy.

What to do to “recover”

Recovery is different for everyone. Some people will need to rest or sleep for a long period of time to reset their equilibrium. Others may feel the need to read, watch TV or exercise – distracting their mind for a while. Spending time with friends and family can really help during this period, especially if you can talk openly to them about your experiences and needs, and as long as they will provide you with comfort, not judgement.

It would be wise during this time to honour your body and mind – nourish yourself with good quality healthy foods, take time to stretch and do some gentle yoga, journal and do some meditation, have a bath or pamper yourself in some other way. Reacquainting with yourself in these fundamental and basic ways are vital to grounding back in.

Self soothe but don’t wallow

During this recovery time, you will need to learn to self soothe. This means looking after yourself and prioritising your needs without relying on others to do it for you. If you are in a relationship then it is important that you communicate to your partner what you are doing and why so that they don’t feel pushed away.

Self-soothing is a skill that will serve you well throughout your life once you’ve learnt how to do it effectively. It is a way to regulate your emotions and manage any distress that you have felt, from anxiety or any other experiences. The act of calming your nervous system in this way is something that you can take with you anywhere and can use when anxiety hits you out of the blue. You can try listening to music, breathing techniques, low lighting, aromatherapy, incense/candles, positive self-talk, physical contact with others or simply allowing yourself to have a good cry.  

Wallowing in your emotions is quite different to self-soothing. Wallowing is the act of allowing yourself to linger in certain emotions or a state of comfort or relaxation in an effort to hide from the world and your place in it. The emotions may be negative, and you may find yourself over-thinking those things that have already passed – words, actions, situations. Self soothing, however, is the act of attempting to understand your emotions in an enlightened way.

It's best to move past the wallowing stage – don’t get me wrong, you are entitled to allow yourself to do what feels best for you in the moment, but once you feel you’ve sufficiently sat with an emotion, do not linger there – and get to the self-soothing as quickly as you can to improve your resilience to anxiety.

The more frequently that you try out techniques and decide which ones work best for you, the quicker you will be able to defer to them as a recovery kit.

And this recovery kit is exactly what’s going to help you acknowledge and move past any bouts of anxiety that crop up for you.

How to be green in someone else’s home

This blog post is going to be about how to be green in someone else’s home whilst housesitting.

When we made the decision to start housesitting full time, I knew that I’d have to work hard if I wanted to keep my lifestyle and habits as green as possible. I’d spend a lot of time putting green initiatives in place in our own home over the four years we’d owned it – for example any vegetable or fruit waste went into the food bin, we’d rarely waste food as I used leftovers in inventive ways and had a lot of good quality Tupperware to enable us to keep them fresh in the fridge, and I’d started shopping for meat for Tom at butcher’s and buying fresh produce as locally as possible to lower our food miles.

We recycled so much that we barely had any waste for the black rubbish bin. We bought better quality brands that promoted green and sustainable ethics and had 100% recycled packaging. We’d switched toiletries brands to eco-friendly products such as Ecover and had reusable cases and refillable deodorant from brands like Wild.

It's quite hard work keeping your mindset and actions green. It takes a long time to put all of these procedures in place – weeks, months and years. So when it came to us hitting the road once more on our full time housesitting adventure, I knew that I’d have to work hard to be able to prioritise my eco lifestyle and greener ways of living.

It can be hard work, but it’s absolutely worth it.

So here are some of the things I’ve learnt about how to keep your lifestyle more eco whilst you’re on the road, and how to be green in someone else’s home.

Thinking about your food waste is probably the quickest way to immediately up your green credentials whilst on the road. If you’re going to do a sit where the homeowner doesn’t have a food bin or compost food waste, that doesn’t mean you’re essentially off the hook and you can live exactly how they have been living. It means you need to think outside the box and create your own system. For example, we did a housesit in Vienna where the homeowner didn’t separate food waste, but I decided I’d do this for the duration of our sit and take it down to the “biomass” bins which were located at the end of the street.

The same thing goes with recycling – no matter what the homeowner says they do, that doesn’t mean you have to do the same if there is an easy system for recycling products in that area. Research this on council websites, ask neighbours or try looking up Facebook groups for that area and search for what other people do.

Something which has been interesting has been what homeowner’s instruct us to do with their animal waste. If their procedure for discarding animal waste isn’t quite as green as it should be, you can decide to deal with it in the way that you know is more environmentally friendly for the duration of your stay.

Another thing that we make sure we do whilst at housesits to boost our green credentials is to spend some of the money we’ve saved on accommodation on organic and locally produced food, reducing our food miles and supporting small businesses. We also support other businesses in the area such as local cafes and shops by staying local and spending some money during our stay. This doesn’t have to be a lot – as Tesco says, every little helps!

Looking for sits that already have green initiatives in place will remove some of the hard work for you. We’ve seen sits advertised showing that homeowners have solar panels, grey water irrigation systems, grow their own vegetables and have chickens which produce eggs, and they may even be off grid completely. We did a housesit in 2022 for a family who had a well on their land and used the water for all the toilet flushes and to irrigate the garden and vegetable patch. If the homeowners are doing their bit for the environment, they’ll be shouting about it on their profile, and if you write about your green ideals in your application you’ll be sure to land the sit.

It's long been our ethos that we mainly buy clothes and shoes in charity shops – with the exception of sportswear – as most of the stuff you can get second hand is great quality, better for the planet than buying new and much cheaper too! Win’s all round. We also donate any clothes that we no longer need (due to changes in season or items that aren’t getting enough wear) to charity shops to help them keep going. The fashion industry is responsible for a huge amount of carbon emissions due to the sourcing of materials, use of water in the production process and the mileage that clothing travels before it is sold in a shop.

Consideration around your use of energy whilst in someone else’s home is very important – just because the homeowner is paying the bills doesn’t mean you should have the heating on all the time or have a bath every day and use an excessive amount of water. Use your head here – if it’s cold, turn the heating on, if you need to use water, do so. But don’t go to extremes with energy resources whilst at a housesit. There are some easy things you can do to reduce your water consumption every day such as turning the tap off whilst brushing your teeth, and placing watering cans outside to catch any rainfall which you can then use to water the indoor plants.

Try walking instead of driving a vehicle to explore the area near to the sit and when walking dogs try to walk them from the front door of the property. This will decrease your carbon emissions massively.

My last tip for being green in someone else’s home is related to departing a housesit. We always have leftover food when it comes to leaving a sit, and the best thing we’ve found to do with it is to either have Tupperware in the car so we can take it to our next sit or location, or to make a meal from the ingredients and leave it as a “welcome home” meal for the homeowner. This reduces waste and will increase your chances of getting a good review.

I hope this blog post has enlightened you to some ways in which we endeavour to be eco-friendly whilst in someone else’s home. Most of our top tips are simple enough to be implemented by anyone, so give some of them a try whether you’re on a housesit or in your own home.

Housesitting Horizons: 6 days of madness

No walking. You must carry me, human.

I never thought I’d wake up spooning a dog. I was momentarily confused as I came to from my slumber, thinking that Tom had shrunk and grown a lot of hair overnight, and come to think of it I didn’t usually spoon him. As my faculties returned I found myself tangled up with a four legged friend and felt even more confused. The position we were in was intimate. Am I now in a relationship with this dog? How did I get here?

We had arrived at the sit on a Monday, not ideal as we were both supposed to be working but this sit filled a small gap we had in our full time travelling life and we decided to jump at the opportunity of 6 days free accommodation. The dog we would be looking after was a Cocker Spaniel, which is a breed we really like as they are usually well trained, cuddly, easy to walk, independent and a nice size (not too big or too small). We weren’t excited about the sit but at the same time we weren’t worried about it either. To tell you the truth we hadn’t really thought too much about it. Having done over 20 housesits now, we’ve looked after a lot of pets, some that needed extra care and attention, but it didn’t seem like this dog would need too much from us other than walks and cuddles.

How wrong can two people be?

When we arrived at the house we were met by the lovely couple who lived there and introduced to the dog. She was lovely - cuddly, enjoyed a stroke and seemed to like Tom and I.

However, almost as soon as the homeowners left to go to the airport, her behaviour changed. She became very needy, wanting attention all the time and barking incessantly if she didn’t get it. Her bark was loud, high pitched, and seemed to echo through every room. It instantly gave me a headache. We tried playing with her, cuddling her, distracting her, but not much worked.

When we walked her, she would refuse to walk certain ways. She’d simply stop walking. You’d try and drag her, stretching the lead to it’s maximum extension, and she’d roll over on the floor and become a dead weight. It meant that you’d have to pick her up for a few hundred feet, no matter how muddy or wet she was. My coat began to get ruined but I would not be dictated to by a dog.

On walks she was also very submissive towards other dogs, rolling over on the floor when she saw them, but when they approached to sniff her, she’d try and snap at them. It meant that as soon as we saw another dog we’d try and get her to go in a different direction or have to pick her up, afraid of the outcome.

Back at home, if I had a bath, she barked, if we watched TV, she barked, if she went in the garden, she barked. Work was becoming impossible as I allowed Tom to prioritise his job and mine went on the backburner as I had to entertain the dog. This took its’ toll on me as I love my work and had things I needed to get done. I became exasperated and short tempered as I struggled to understand what the dog wanted each time she was asking for attention from us.

Night time was the worst. We are heavy sleepers, deep sleepers. We’ve slept on the highest bunks on noisy trains in Russia, in tents whilst wild camping illegally and on the floors of airport terminals. We are hardcore sleepers. Not on this housesit. The dog wanted to be on our bed - we’d been warned about this by the homeowner. We were fine with that, as long as she stayed at the foot end and didn’t move around too much. We were assured that would be fine. We should’ve known better.

She clambered up onto the bed, staying on the covers but wanting to be in between us. We relented as we wanted to sleep. Light off. Wriggling. Shuffling. Suddenly the dog has burrowed her way under the covers and her head is on the pillows in between us. Marvellous. Not only that, but she routinely moved around, kicking us both in the face, in the back, in the stomach. It was uncomfortable and kept us awake.

She was a lovely dog for a few hours, but our time with her descended into a chaotic few days of just trying to get through the sit, which is never what we want. We felt she definitely had separation anxiety and some sort of attention deficit. She struggled to chill out. This felt like puppy behaviour but the dog was 8 years old.

We are experienced at pet care, especially when it comes to dogs. But this was a challenge that we struggled with. God forbid a new or inexperienced sitter takes on this challenge. Before the sit we had ideas that we may return to do another sit for this couple, but unfortunately it will be impossible for us to do that and do our jobs which we have to prioritise.

It really is a lottery with housesitting. Pets are usually well behaved, or behave as their owners describe them, but sometimes you get a sit where the owner hasn’t adequately forewarned you of a problematic pet, and spooning a dog in the night can feel like a rude awakening.

Slow travel & Housesitting

This blog post is about the travel phenomenon that is slow travel: What it is, why you should consider doing it, and how housesitting fits in with the slow travel way of life.

Slow travel is exactly what it says on the tin – travelling slower. It prioritises connection and understanding of a place over ticking off the tourist sights. It emphasises ways of travelling that are more sustainable and ecologically sound. You could also call it “conscious travel” as you are more mindful of your impact on a place both during and after your visit.

A great example of slow travel is travelling overland rather than by air – it literally takes longer to do so. Another example would be staying in a place longer, and visiting only one location rather than hopping around 5 cities in 2 weeks.

Slow travel means doing lots of research before taking a holiday or travelling to a place. I love this part – finding out what green or sustainable initiatives are in place in a city such as their public transport systems, spotlights on local talent, tours conducted by people who live there, and cuisine which showcases the countries’ produce.

Why should we be travelling slower?

 A great question. In a world where we are all obsessed with time and schedules, slow travel allows us to refocus and shift our perspective, allowing the world to drift by at a slower pace, as it was intended. This will leave us feeling more relaxed and as though we really have been on a vacation rather than attempting 30,000 steps a day in 3 days to see everything a city has to offer.

More importantly though, slow travel is a huge step towards green travel. By choosing to take the train rather than fly, we are reducing our carbon emissions by a huge amount. For example, the carbon emissions for a flight from London to Seville is around 330kg per person. We did this route by train to get to a housesit, and it worked out as approximately 71kg per person. That’s 259kg less carbon emitted per person. 78% less carbon released into the atmosphere!

Some say that slow travel is the art of living like a local. If you work remotely like we do, perhaps you could take your work stuff and stay in each place for around a month. Some may say this is excessive, but it’s a whole lot less emissions than someone living in one place but commuting to and from work each day. Doing this you would get to travel full time, keep your carbon emissions low and embrace slow travel.

Slow travel allows us to refocus on connection and open up the space to experience more authentic cultural exchanges. As you are less rushed through your slow travel mindset, you will have more time to immerse yourself in the local culture. Perhaps you could learn a few words in the local the language, meet a family who have been important in that town or city, and investigate the food on offer to a fuller extent.

Although the travel can be more expensive when travelling overland in some countries, you may benefit from reduced accommodation costs if you are spending more time in a place. You could even consider volunteering in exchange for free accommodation.

Slow travel has the potential to bring more meaning to your travels. The mindset of wanting to delve deeper into a place and a community and spending more time there automatically means that you will adapt to local culture, understand how to be a respectful visitor there and leave a positive impact on the places you travel to. It also allows you to make connections with people all over the world and you will often get invited back to a place by someone you met there.

You will have more time for introspection; reflecting on the experiences that you have had and their significance in your life. This will give you a sense of purpose and fulfilment that you would never otherwise have had. Getting out of your comfort zone by trying activities you’ve never considered or embracing life like a local will lead to personal growth and an increase in your self confidence.

All this is great. But how does housesitting fit in with slow travel?

Housesitting fits into the slow travel niche if you do it in a certain way. For example, we travel using housesitting but we have made the decision to stay in each place for longer, so we tend to mainly apply for housesits which are for a month or longer. This allows us to really explore a place, unpack properly and bond with the pets we are looking after.

Staying longer stops us from hopping between sits, upping our carbon footprint as we go. We aim to travel overland to each of the housesits we do, and so far have been able to do this for each and every one. If we did have to fly to a housesit, we’d look for multiple housesits in that area or country for a good few months to offset the carbon emissions from the flight.

The money we save on accommodation by using housesitting we can put towards travelling over land which can be quite expensive. We also put it towards experiences in some of the places we go, or shopping at smaller, locally run businesses in the area.

I often try to find a place to volunteer whilst we are at a longer housesit, such as a charity shop, or I ask the homeowner if they are involved in any local causes that I can continue in their absence. The homeowner is often a valuable resource of information that as sitters we can tap into to get to the heart of a place much quicker and easier. Asking them for recommendations on local, organic, fairtrade products or places to visit will really enhance your experience at that sit.

I hope you enjoyed this post about slow travel and how housesitting can allow you to embrace this travel movement and lifestyle.

The therapeutic benefits of housesitting

This blog post is all about the therapeutic benefits of housesitting. I’m talking about the mental and physical benefits that you can get from your increased interactions with animals and nature through housesitting.

Hundreds of studies have been done all over the world which evidence time and time again that spending time in the presence of animals can boost our levels of serotonin and dopamine. Serotonin regulates our mood and can aid long-term feelings of happiness and wellbeing. Dopamine is known as the “feel good” hormone as it allows us to feel happiness and pleasure as well as contributing to motivation and focus. And you can increase the amounts of these hormones in your body simply by interacting with animals regularly. Amazing.

In my book I delve deeper into several studies that research how animals can be used in therapy for conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD and even patients diagnosed with cardiovascular conditions. From this we can see that animals can have a positive impact on both physical and mental health. A 2008 study in Japan showed that even just eye contact between humans and dogs could increase oxytocin levels in humans. Oxytocin is known as a driving force behind bonding and care giving as well as positive feelings – it is well known as the “love” hormone. Simply looking a dog in the eye can allow us to produce a hormone which creates feelings of love and care!!

The simple fact that most animals require you to feed them, walk them, give them attention and clean up after them means that an animal gets you up and out – boosting your energy levels and giving you more of a sense of purpose. These tasks provide you with a routine which may make you feel more grounded and focused as well as feeling needed. We all need to feel needed in order to feel part of a community or ‘tribe’.

It has been shown that dog and cat owners have lower blood pressures than those who don’t own pets, and studies have even shown that a cats purr at a specific frequency has healing powers and can assist with pain relief, wound healing and muscle repair.

Doing the research for my book and finding these studies well and truly blew my mind. I knew that looking after pets made me feel great – mentally and physically – but I didn’t realise the full extent of what pets really do for us.

Once I was done researching the power that animals have on our mental and physical health, I also looked into the power of nature. The healing power of nature is a subject that I could read about all day as it is simply fascinating.

In a nutshell, what I found was that nature really can and does heal us.

Studies have shown that patients in hospital with a view of trees and natural landscapes outside their windows required less pain medication than those with a view of a brick wall. Short term memory has been shown to be improved by 20% after a walk in nature versus a walk through urban streets. Patients with anxiety, depression and eating disorders were shown to make headways in improving their lifestyles when spending more time outside and in nature throughout their treatment plans.

A 2010 study showed that walking through forest areas allows us to inhale phytoncides which increase our number of “natural killer” cells. Phytoncides are airborne chemicals given off by the forest plants. Natural killer cells are white blood cells which support the immune system, combat infections and also help to reduce the occurrence of heart disease, diabetes and even cancer!

Wild swimming has become really popular in the last few years, but it really does have some amazing health benefits. Spending some time submerged in cold water has been shown to boost dopamine levels – that’s the “feel good hormone” remember – by up to 530%, helping to relieve pain, improve wellbeing and make our nation a whole lot happier.

Crazes like wild swimming and forest bathing may have more of a charm to them now, so give them a go! Spending time in nature really can heal us.

Housesitting full time has allowed me to spend more time around animals and in nature than ever before. I always knew I was the outdoorsy type, but working office hours meant I struggled to get my fill of nature. Now, I’m often walking dogs, feeding chickens, maintaining someone’s garden or greenhouse, tending to cattle, and exploring the areas I find myself housesitting. It means I’m outside probably 50% more of the time than I was before, and I know that all of that time spend hiking, exploring and revelling in nature is doing my head and my heart a whole lot of good.

Give it a try, your mind and body will thank you!

International housesits

This blog post is all about international housesits - how they work, what you need to think about before and after you apply to them and how widespread housesitting has become around the world.

Housesitting has become much more widespread in the last few years than ever before. People in far flung corners of the globe are now listing their homes as available for you to go and sit. This is great news for us housesitters, as the more widespread it becomes, the more sits are available. On Trusted Housesitters, the website we use to facilitate our housesitting lifestyle, there have been sits popping up in Central America, Asia and Africa more frequently in the last year than ever before.

Since starting to housesit full time 18 months ago, we’ve completed a few sits overseas. It’s so exciting when you see an exotic destination pop up on the website with available dates – somewhere warm and sunny, or somewhere you’ve always wanted to go. But before you press that button to apply, hold your horses! There are a lot more things to consider before agreeing to do an international housesit.

I’m just going to talk about a couple of tips I have on how to secure an international housesit:

As the sit is overseas, always offer to do a video call with the homeowner in your application message – it isn’t going to be viable for you to meet them in person prior to the sit but a video call allows the homeowner to get more of a sense of who you are and whether you’re the right person for the job.

In my book I discuss the calendar hack that we put in place for international sits. It puts the homeowner mind at rest, as well as our own. The calendar hack is something I often call “no mans land”, and it is a period of time between sits which we keep completely free. This can be anywhere from a day or two to a week, which allow us to travel to the destination and allows for any delays, cancellations or changes to travel plans on the way. When we arrive, if we are a day or two early, sometimes the homeowner will host us before they leave, or if the place is smaller or that doesn’t appeal, we may book an Airbnb for a few nights. This also allows us to adjust to any time differences and de-stress from the travel. I find that when I tell the homeowner about the “no mans land” that we always put in place for international housesits, it reassures them that we understand all of the many complexities that can come with overseas travel, and often lands us the sit.

Now, back to the things to consider before agreeing an international housesit. I’m going to talk about the “Big 5”. These are: Visas, Passports, Vaccinations, Schengen and Green travel.

Visas – Do you need a visa to travel to this country? If so, check out the cost and difficulty of obtaining one before you agree to the sit. On a side note – make sure you’re applying for a tourist visa as housesitting on an exchange basis is not usually considered “work”, but check this with the relevant embassy if you are unsure.

Passports – Do you have a passport? If not, consider the costs, process and time scale of getting one before the sit. Also a quick reminder that you need to check your passport validity before you travel as most countries will require you to have 6 months left on the passport in order to allow you entry into the country.

Vaccinations – Do you need any vaccinations to enter this country? Use the Gov.uk website to check this for each travel destination, and enquire with your doctors about how to book in for them. Certain vaccinations require more than one injection spaced weeks or months apart so advance planning on this front is crucial.

Schengen – Now that the UK has left the EU, Schengen is a consideration which we now have to consider when travelling for long periods within Europe. Go on the Government website or google a Schengen calculator for help with working out whether you need to leave the Schengen zone to reset your days.

Green Travel – Consider the environmental impact that travelling overseas will have. How much carbon will be released from the mode of transport you choose to get there? Will you have to fly? Or can you get there over land? Is it viable to travel there to housesit? Or are you simply applying because the location looks cool? If the sit is only a week long is it really green travel? Could you look for other sits nearby so that you extend your time in the location? These are all things to consider before booking international sits.

There are many other things to consider in regards to international housesits, which I go into in depth in my book in the chapter “Common Issues while Housesitting”.

You need to think about any language barriers you may run in to, and whether this will make you feel isolated or lonely.

Considering the customs that are in place in the country you are travelling to is also very important – for example, should you cover up whilst out and about? If so, is that something you will adhere to? If not, perhaps you should reconsider whether it is appropriate for you to travel there.

Researching the health care in the country you intend to travel to is very important. That way you will be prepared should you run into any issues and need to see a doctor or a dentist.

Do a quick quote for travel insurance which covers the housesit, and make sure it is affordable and covers everything you need for medical issues whilst there.

Think about how you will get your post whilst you are away. Can you get it redirected to a friend or family member and ask them to open anything and send you pictures? Can you send it to a PO box?

What will be your backup plan if the sit is cancelled close to the start date and you already have your flight/train/ferry or other transport booked and paid for? You should look at international housesits as an investment, not a right. You get to explore places overseas in exchange for looking after someone’s home and pets. The travel costs to get you there are your own expense. We try to book flexible or fully refundable tickets where possible, and we only book travel a maximum of a few months before a sit. Whilst this may be more expensive it covers us if we have any problems or if the sit is cancelled or dates changed.

I hope this post has helped you think more about taking your housesitting journeys overseas - once you’ve fully contemplated all of the above and jumped onboard the international housesit bandwagon all that’s left to do is apply!

Full time travel whilst being eco-friendly

This blog post is about full-time travel and being more eco-friendly whilst doing it. Two concepts that you may think don’t go together, but with a little forethought and effort they can be a match made in heaven. There are a few chapters in my book all about this subject.

We’ve been travelling full time for a lot of our adult life; spending two years backpacking around the world when we were younger, and now living a fully nomadic life doing housesitting full time. This allows us to travel but in a more grown up way – no more hostel dorm rooms for months on end, or communal bathroom facilities! It also means that we can keep working whilst we travel as we are both digital nomads and all we need is Wi-Fi to get to work. This gives us more of a sense of purpose than when we were simply waifing and straying our way around the world on a budget, and we have more stability from the income earned.

I’ve always been a bit of an eco-warrior, so I used to feel a bit torn when I considered that travel was my main passion in life. An eco warrior who advocates full time travel? Surely not. Yes, that’s right. In the huge change of lifestyle we made in 2022 to rent our house out and housesit full time, I realised I needed to act in line with my green thoughts and become a greener traveller.

When it comes to housesitting and travel, the main things I need to think about to keep my carbon emissions low and my eco-status high are..

1)      How we get from A to B

2)      How to travel lightly

3)      Which locations I choose to housesit in

Number 1 seems obvious – to reduce your carbon footprint you should attempt to cease flying and travel over land. This has been my goal for the last 2 years, and in that time I’ve only taken 3 return flights to countries that couldn’t be reached via land in the time constraints we had (Central Asia, the USA and Albania). We tend to travel to any housesit in Europe by bus or train, as they are so well run overseas. In the UK we have our own vehicle which we use to drive between housesits. If you do travel by public transport such as bus or train, check out whether there is an option to go on a service that is electric or run by renewable energy; Europe is a forerunner in these things so they are becoming more and more available.

Number 2 is something that a lot of people don’t connect to an increase in carbon emissions. Travelling with lots of luggage increases the weight that is in that plane, car, bus, and so on. The increase in weight requires more effort and therefore more energy to physically move along, which then increases the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. It’s a simple fact that travelling lighter is travelling greener. When we travel to housesits in Europe I have a backpack for my clothes and toiletries and a smaller rucksack which has my work things in – laptop, books and notepads. This is as light as I can travel.

I much prefer travelling this way in the summer months as the outfits are smaller so I can take more of them with me, and I also cut down on the weight from my shoes – no bulky boots in the summer, only my hiking boots, flipflops and trainers. I go over my eco packing hacks in my book but I’ll briefly mention some here – use compression sacks, they work wonders on reducing the size of your luggage. Upgrade your toiletries to reusable instead of throwaway (think flannel instead of face wipes), and buy from eco-friendly brands such as Tropic skincare. Get rid of big bulky layers and invest in warm but thin layers made of materials like merino wool.

Number 3 is something I spend a lot of time considering when applying for housesits. It’s something else that people don’t often think about when travelling between housesits. The closer together they are geographically, the less travel is required and therefore the smaller your carbon footprint. We tend to group sits together – committing to travelling to one area or country and then looking for 6 months’ worth of sits in that area or region. This means we are travelling less in general and get to see more of the country we are in. It also gives us a big eco boost.

I want to talk a little bit now about travelling with a conscience. It can be hard to combat your worries about the impact you are having on the environment, especially if you are an eco-warrior like me. However, after a lot of research and reading, and a lot of late-night anxious thoughts on the subject, I’ve come to realise that no matter what I do I am releasing carbon – just by breathing. I know that I am doing my best to be more green when I travel, and that is as much as I can do. I truly believe that if you are making travel plans that are more eco-friendly, without compromising your comfort, work or health too much, then you are doing some good in the world.

As I say in my book, “We will never stop travelling completely. So, we need to make conscious decisions about how and when we travel to reduce pollution and our individual carbon footprints. Through our actions and decisions, we can influence policy makers in governments, the travel industry itself and our own friends, families and communities to make positive steps towards a greener future.”

Housesitting websites and how to make your profile stand out

This blog post is all about the different housesitting websites and also about how to make your profile stand out from the rest.

Chapter 3 of my book briefly compares all of the major housesitting websites. You may have heard about Trusted Housesitter’s before, as that is the biggest website there is and the one that we use to secure our housesits.

Trusted Housesitter’s is one of the most expensive websites for housesitting (around £129 a year for sitters and homeowners) but I would say this website has the most sits available worldwide. It also has additional features like vet helplines, member support and forums to talk to other users. I find that the website is easy to use but more importantly the app is very user friendly and that’s the main way I access the site now.

Nomador is another big housesitting website. It’s around £80 per year for membership  for sitters and I believe it is still free for homeowners. However, I find the website a little clunky and the housesits are mainly limited to Europe, not worldwide. You may find this suits your travel plans so check it out.

Mindahome has different websites for the UK and Australia. When I wrote my book it was free for homeowners and £15 for UK sitters to join up. I also find this website more difficult to use and have found that there are not as many sits available on here. Mindahome is the only website that I know of that allows you to filter by whether or not you can bring your own pet with you to the sit, so it’s worth checking out for those of you travelling with pets.

Housesitters UK also has different websites for Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada. It is free for homeowners and between £30-60 for sitters to join, depending on the country. The website is easy to use and well laid out, however I have found that there are less housesits available on here compared to Trusted Housesitter’s.

As well as these ones there is also Mind My House, House Carers,  House Sit Match and many many more. Each year several new housesit websites pop up. It is a growing trend and community.

Before we move on to looking at your profile I’ll just say a brief word about Facebook – there are groups on Facebook where sits are advertised and organised. Check these out if you are interested, but remember you won’t have those additional support systems that you get through websites such as background checks and support whilst you are on the sit.

If you do want to join up to try housesitting and you decide to go through Trusted Housesitters, you can get 25% off your membership with code RAF496153 when you sign up.

Ok, now let’s talk about your profile.

My golden rules to creating the best profile are:

1)      Introduce yourself and the people you will be housesitting with. Add in your key hobbies and interests and don’t be afraid to let your personality show.

2)      Include ANY experience you have of looking after animals – not just domestic animals like dogs and cats but also poultry, livestock, birds, fish, rabbits and so on.

3)      Make your own needs from the sit clear – if you need Wi-Fi to work remotely, put it on your profile. This is an exchange so make sure you communicate your needs too.

4)      You are allowed up to 10 photos on your profile. Make sure you include the main people who will be housesitting with you – if this is your family, make sure you are all in the photos, the same with couples or friends. The photos are also really important to get across to the homeowner how much you like animals – make sure you upload at least a few photos of you with pets.

5)      Add on any relevant qualifications or occupations you’ve had such as a dog walker/boarder, veterinary experience, pet first aid courses, work in security services, armed forces, police, healthcare, schools – anything that requires a higher clearance check such as a DBS or vetting. Some people are looking for housesitter’s simply for security of the home – they may not even have pets, so all of these skills and checks are worth mentioning.

6)      Don’t embellish your profile. Do not say you are confident with strong dogs unless you truly are. Don’t say you love all animals if you actually dislike cats. Do not say you have experience with livestock if you don’t. It is a lie, and will make the sit more difficult for you. And you can be sure that this will show in your reviews.

7)      Keep your profile up to date – making sure that your profile is up to date is very important, even if it is small things that have changed such as your occupation, your location or an increase in your experience with pets or a more diverse range of animals. You will find that the more sits you do, the more you can talk about your experience and the more photos with pets you will have to share with homeowners.

As you’ll see from this blog post, there’s a lot of different websites out there facilitating housesitting across the world and a lot of work goes in to creating your profile. But the more time you spend finding the right website and working on your profile, the easier it will be for you to secure housesits in the long run!

Housesitting: What is it and is it for everyone?

What is housesitting?

So, first things first, what is housesitting? Housesitting is an exchange – people come and look after the homes and pets for people who are away from home. The people who come to look after peoples’ homes and pets are called housesitters. The people who host them are called homeowners or ‘Pet Parents’ which is a term coined by Trusted Housesitters – one of the websites you can use to try it out.

It’s something which has been around for decades but has really taken off in the last ten years or so due to the apps and websites which now facilitate it.

It can be paid work for housesitters but the majority of housesitting is unpaid and based on reviews. This makes it a complete trust exchange.

Is it for everyone?

When anyone asks me this question my answer is always a big yes! That’s a yes in capital letters. Housesitting can absolutely work for everyone and anyone.

You can use it for holidays – whether you want a short city break, a hiking adventure or a few weeks’ on the beach. I recommend this to everyone I know as it’s so easy to do and will change the way you look at holidaying. It can also save you loads of money as you can get free accommodation for all your trips.

Yes – you heard that right! Housesitting is a massive movement which, if you use review based websites like Trusted Housesitters to do it, only costs £100-£200 a year to sign up and use for unlimited housesits. So this means you can go and stay in an apartment in central New York City to look after a cat for free. This won’t impact your holiday very much as cats are low maintenance and fairly self-sufficient. Alternatively you could go to Australia and look after a mansion with a pool just to feed a lizard or a pond of fish, both of which barely require care. Obviously you have to look after and be respectful of the home you are staying in.

You can also use housesitting for long term travel which is what we do. We started housesitting early last year close to where we lived in the UK. We spent any free weekends we had exploring our own country and places quite close to our own home. We loved the freedom it gave us, and when we had to have our cat Selma put down in April, we loved the way we could connect with animals by looking after other peoples’ pets.

We both had jobs we loved, but Tom got a fully remote job in July last year and I realised it was a sign from the universe that perhaps we could travel full time, if we could both work remotely. This was a difficult decision for me, as I loved my job in the police and had recently joined the Major Crime Team where I’d wanted to work for some time.

I spent a lot of time in the summer of 2022 trying to decide what to do. In the end, it came down to one day when I remembered a passage from a book I’d read – The Chimp Paradox. In the book, Steve Peters describes our “life force”; our main driver in life, and the way he explains this is to imagine theoretically that you’re on our death bed, and a younger person comes to ask you what they should do with their life. Your answer to this question shows you what your life force is. I asked myself this question, and my answer was still the same as it had been when I first read the book years before. My answer was “travel”. I quit my job the next week.

We rented our house out as it was going to be empty and have been travelling full time going from housesit to housesit and looking after pets all over the world for a year now.

When I say that housesitting is for everyone I really do mean it.

In my book I go through loads of different scenarios to showcase the fact that it is true.

Whether you are a solo traveller, couple, group of friends, family, or are travelling with a pet, housesitting could be the key that unlocks the door to freedom for you! Your tribe is obviously important to you, so make sure you read this section of my book to find out my top tips for your housesitting set up!

Housesitting can also work well for people travelling with disabilities and health conditions, whether they are physical or mental. The best thing to do is to prioritise your health and talk to homeowners at length about what you need to be able to housesit successfully and thrive whilst doing it. This may be considering the house layout, accessibility and nearby health centres.

If you are a green traveller, housesitting can work for you as long as you are mindful about the travel between sits, considering how you will get there with a low impact on the environment. It’s also quite hard to keep up the green lifestyle whilst in someone else’s home, or when in a new area, and I’ve written a chapter specifically on this topic in my book.

If you are housesitting in the UK, the first things to do when you get to a housesit to keep yourself aligned with your green-travel self are as follows:

-          Find out how to recycle / deal with food waste in that area – bin colours, collection days and points are different all over the country

-          Reach out to the community to find out if there are any green initiatives in the area which you could get involved with

-          Find the nearest charity shop so that if you have anything you want to shred before you move onto the next housesit you can easily donate it, and if you find yourself needing something whilst there you know where to go to get it

I hope this blog post has explained a little more about what housesitting actually is and has encouraged you to give it a go!

An ode to January

I recently said to Tom that January is one of my favourite months, and it may be an unpopular opinion, but it’s true. I enjoy the colder weather, the quieter evenings, the freshness of the new year and new month.

Many people find January a depressing month and ‘Blue Monday’, the third Monday of January, is heralded as the most depressing day of the entire year! Think of that! Whether or not that is true or just a marketing campaign to encourage yet more online shopping I’m not sure. But what I do know is that many people struggle in January.

There are many reasons for their struggles. People are often low on funds after a splurge at Christmas, and an early payday because of the bank holidays in December mean that they are more stretched financially in January. There is this sort of ‘come down’ that people feel emotionally as their social calendar is emptier than a busy December of work parties and meet ups with friends and family. There is a certain type of weather in January - often grey, drizzly and cold. A feeling of not wanting to go out and hibernating can settle over some.

But I want to tell you all the reasons that I love January.

1. The social pressure is off. As an introvert I find that the high level of socialising in December takes a lot out of me. I just love the fact that in January there are less social events and less pressure to meet with others constantly.

2. I love getting cosy when the weather is bad outside. Give me a wood burner, a blanket and a cup of tea and I’m in my happy place.

3. Sometimes, January can provide unexpected - and therefore all the more exceptional - blue sky sunny days. They make me beam with happiness.

4. The new year heralds in a new motivation for me. I find myself full of ideas and projects that I can’t wait to start.

5. Because I tend to keep my calendar free throughout January, I find that I have so much more time than any other month of the year and I use that time very productively.

6. The new year makes me feel I’ve turned a corner in the seasons and all of a sudden spring doesn’t feel too far away.

7. The days begin to get longer but there is still a sense of wintry darkness - the good kind of darkness - that cloaks January days and brings me a sort of peaceful calm.

8. I begin to realise just how close I am to doing all those plans I’ve made for spring and summer, which brings me excitement.

9. Being frugal brings me a sense of contentment; the bank balance being lower means that I have to reign in my spending and reminds me that I don’t actually need that much stuff.

10. After the over-indulgence of December I find that my body and mind require detoxes which make me feel healthy and replenished.

In January last year I remember being so productive I wrote chunks of my first book each day. And this January has been no different for book number two, amongst other exciting projects and journeys I’ve begun.

I often long for the turning of the year and for the new month to arrive whilst in the midst of Christmas chaos. I’ve started to think of January as a friend, an ally, a guide. I look forward to her arrival each year.

So goodbye January. Thank you for everything you nourished me with in 2024. I can’t wait to see you next year.

Adventures with anxiety: The importance of exercise

Hey everyone! Installment two of the “Adventures with anxiety” series is a post talking about the importance of exercise when it comes to maintaining good mental health and wellbeing, and keeping anxiety at bay.

Benefits of exercise for the anxious person:

• Endorphins released (hormones released by the brain to relieve pain, reduce stress and improve mood)

• You get to interact with class participants, teachers, gym buddies

• You’ll feel a “little win” when completing a session or class

• It burns off excess adrenaline released by trigger of sympathetic nervous system when anxious

• Often gets you out of the house

• Boosts confidence and self-belief

We all know that exercise has great benefits for our body and our mind. It’s been drummed into us since school, and is spoken about a lot in mainstream media. However, it’s not easy to become a lover of exercise if you’re simply not built that way. I have never really enjoyed exercising. I used to write fake notes from my mum to give to the PE teacher at school to say I couldn’t take part in this activity because I was on my period or poorly. My dislike of exercise definitely came from being ‘forced’ to do it a few times a week at school. In secondary school in that awkward teenager stage the last thing you want to do is get changed in front of everyone, show off your lack of coordination in front of everyone (including those that dislike you or perhaps even bully you) and then use a communal shower.

And so I avoided exercise at all costs. Back then, I was slim without trying to be. I ate all day and my metabolism helped keep me skinny. I don’t think I really appreciated this at the time, as now I am almost 30 years old, I’ve come to realise that that was a phase. My metabolism has slowed down, it’s harder to stay slim and much easier to put weight on if I have a few days where I don’t pay attention to what I eat.

In the last five years where exercise has become a means to staying the size I feel most comfortable at, it turned into a necessary evil. I still didn’t like doing it, but I did it sometimes to keep myself a weight I deemed acceptable. I tended to stick to running on the treadmill as it gave quick results and made me feel good about myself. It was easier than running outside as the machine would pace my run and track my time and calories etc.

And then I found yoga. If you know me well, you’ll know that I started yoga practice about 6 years ago and I loved it from the first instant I did it. It was a gentle form of exercise that included meditation and which I found improved my mental health massively. It allowed me to be social and interact with people in my class on a low-key, no pressure basis. It toned my body, improved my flexibility and allowed me to work on my breathwork. I felt more energised, calmer and happier.

I realised I had found my “thing”. It had taken me a long time and I’d had to try out several classes at the gym and forms of exercise such as running outdoors, running on the treadmill, weights, HIIT classes, spin, martial arts - the list goes on! Finding an exercise that I love has been both physically and mentally positive for me. It keeps my anxiety at bay the more I practice. I now easily notice the affect that skipping a yoga class has on my mental state.

On the other hand, I still sometimes feel anxious during a yoga class or whilst exercising, and I remind myself to pause or come back to my breathwork as that calms me. I also remind myself that if I need to leave the class, I have that option. I am choosing to be there. Sometimes I feel anxious before a yoga class, especially if it is in the evening, and find myself changing my behaviour through the day prior to a class. Because of this I try to do my practice in the mornings when I can.

So that’s it.. yoga is my “thing”.

It’s time for you to find your thing. Go out there and exercise your little butt off. Your mind will thank you for it.

Top tip: If you find that the thought of exercising in a class or group setting fills you with anxious feelings, ask a friend to go with you initially.

Adventures with anxiety: The power of journaling

Hey everyone! It’s been a while since I posted some short, easy to read content on here and so here goes… I’m going to begin writing some small blog posts about my adventures with anxiety.

I’ve had anxiety for a long time, almost 15 years now, which is half of my life. I was journaling this morning and when I realised it had been that long - half of my life - I almost gasped out loud. Instead, I gasped internally and decided I would begin to speak out about this condition which I’ve battled with for so long, by putting some words about it out there.

I’m not sure if I was ever officially diagnosed with anxiety disorder, or if I just worked out that was what I had. For a period of time in my teenage years I thought I had phobias or OCD’s, which I do believe I have some tendencies of, but it has become clear to me through the investigation of mental health and numerous visits to doctors and health professionals that I have anxiety. My anxiety is not generalised, although in the time I’ve had it it has spread from certain situations into more aspects of my day to day life.

I know anxiety well. I have been anxious a lot of the time of my almost 30 years on the planet. Anxiety has been the reason I’ve cried, run, fought and spent a lot of time frustrated and exhausted. Anxiety tried to swallow me whole.

Have you ever been in the ocean and at the last minute you notice a big wave coming towards you and before you have time to get out of the way it comes down full force on top of you? A wall of heavy water hitting you, annihilating you, swamping you. You swallow water. You taste salt. You realise you can’t breathe. Your lungs don’t have enough air in them. And then you reach up and break the surface of the water, bringing your face back up and readying yourself for that precious intake of air that you so desperately need. But before you can inhale, another wave lands on top of you. You are crushed by the all consuming water. You realise just how small you are, how at the mercy of the elements you are, how weak you are.

Eventually, you do manage to gasp in a breath of air. You take a few seconds to reassess. Did you almost just die? Are you being overdramatic? You feel mind shatteringly exhausted. You are tired in your bones, in your head, in your core. Your limbs are heavy and your brain is fuzzy. You need to sleep for an eternity.

You may get that sleep you need. Or you may not. At some point, the waves begin to strike you once more.

For a long time, that’s what anxiety felt like for me.

I want to reach out to anyone that is feeling or has felt this way. You are not alone. So many of us experience anxious thoughts and feelings. So many of us change our behaviour to fit our anxieties.

Step one on beginning to see things more clearly?

Journaling.

The power of journaling is unmatched in the way it can instantly soothe our minds. Getting things out of our heads and down onto the page is a very cathartic process as it allows us to express our innermost thoughts, feelings and behaviours freely, without the worry that we will be judged by others. No-one is going to read your journal, so you can really let your thoughts fly as your pen glides across the paper. You may think I’m old fashioned, but I recommend using good old pen and paper for this process as you will feel more connected to the process through the physical action of writing. You can also doodle in your journal if you’re feeling creative or artsy.

The reason that getting our thoughts out of our heads and down onto a page is so important is that it allows us to process things more fully, and makes sure that certain thoughts or feelings don’t fester inside of us. It’s a healthy way of expressing ourselves and getting to know our own emotions better.

You don’t have to journal a certain amount each day - if you only have time for a few lines that’s fine. I would suggest that you schedule in a time for you to do this each day and set a reminder on your phone to ensure you do it. Once you’ve done it enough, it will become a habit like brushing your teeth and you won’t need reminding. Finding the best time of day for you can take a few attempts too - I used to journal in the evening but now I find that morning journaling works best to set me up for the day.

If you struggle with the process, a great thing to do is to practice gratitude journaling instead. Simply writing down three things you are grateful for today will shift your focus towards positivity. The things you are grateful for can be a person, place, experience, opportunity, or something small like the taste of your coffee or the colour of the sky.

I hope that this post has given you an insight into the way that anxiety can feel and perhaps it’s reminded you that every one of us struggles in some way. Get those thoughts out of your head and down on paper today.

I wish you all well in your journaling!

#JournalingForWellbeing

Sleeper train: Tashkent to Almaty

The 17 hour sleeper train is an easy way to get between Tashkent - the capital of Uzbekistan, and Almaty - the second city and old capital of Kazakhstan. There are of course flights between the two but if you’re anything like us and trying to cut down your carbon emissions then you will be seeking something different. The sleeper train is also an experience in itself and provides something that travelling by plane cannot seem to achieve - relaxation, freedom, and rest.

With no limits on luggage, a range of class options which are all affordable and a restaurant/bar car, you can have a huge amount of fun on the sleeper train, and still get a good nights’ sleep. The trains are sleek and modern, providing comfort and necessities - there is one plug in each compartment so perhaps bring a battery pack to charge your devices. There are lamps for each berth as well as the main cabin light, there is a temperature control panel, and you are provided with a blanket, pillow and sheets.

The timetable - though in Cyrillic it can be easily deciphered

Departing Tashkent at 12:39 three times a week year round (correct as of October 2023), the service rolls in to Almaty at around 7am the following day. There is a time change of an hour. We paid £40 each for our bottom bunks in a 2nd class 4 berth cabin. You can book tickets and see timetables online at https://eticket.railway.uz/en/home.

We chose to go for a 2nd class 4 berth cabin, and booked both bottom bunks for ourselves, aware that two others would possibly be sharing with us. The bottom bunks have the most room for luggage as you can store it underneath the beds and we had a huge backpack and two smaller bags as well as a bag of snacks.

On boarding, we were the only two people in the entire carriage we had booked in - score! The attendant was polite but rather brusque; checking our tickets and passports methodically before letting us board around 20 minutes before departure. Our cabin was spacious and we were very excited.

The train departed on time as most do in this part of the world, and we were off! We settled down with our books and crossword, snacks out and enjoying the scenery out of the window. Our cabin had a spacious table which we made the most of.

The best thing about travelling in this direction is that you get the border crossing out of the way fairly early; around an hour after leaving Tashkent you roll to a stop at the Uzbekistan side of the border. The attendant will come round and ask for your passport, which they whisk away out of sight leaving you slightly panicked.
Serious looking officials then board the train to check your documents; passports, train tickets, visa if you have one, and they question you as to why you are in Uzbekistan, why you are leaving, whether you will be returning etc. They will stamp and return your passports.

Once this is done, the customs officials will come round - there is always at least one who can speak English and that will be the one to visit you - check the cabin using a mirrored device and sniffer dogs, and ask you to empty most of your bags so they can check what is in there. The officials are very friendly and were more interested in my crime fiction books than the contents of my backpack! And the dogs were super cute; I had to restrain myself from distracting them from their oh so important work. This stop is scheduled for 1.5 hours and does take around that long.

Top tip - they lock the toilets at the borders so make sure you take a trip there before the border stop.

When the officials disembark the train, you are on the move again, for about 10 minutes until you reach the Kazakhstan side of the border where you go through the whole rigmarole again!

The Kazakh border stop is much more efficient and only takes around 40 minutes for the whole process. Once this is done, the train is allowed to go on its’ merry way and you can relax. When travelling in the other direction, the border stop is early morning and at the very end of your journey which isn’t quite so relaxing!

Once through the border, the whole of the train journey straddles the Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan border but there are no more official stops or document checks. Now the fun begins!

Get yourself down to the bar car where most westerners on sleeper trains tend to congregate. Order some local beer, some local vodka, and play some cards*.

*NOTE - On our return trip from Almaty to Tashkent on the sleeper train the attendants would not let us play cards. However, on our way to Almaty we played for almost 3 hours so it seems they can be quite contrary on this point.

Once you’ve enjoyed a few drinks you can have dinner on board as they have a whole menu of local foods to choose from. Tom had Plov (his staple diet in the Stans) which is a local dish of rice, meat and vegetables. I had a soup. There is an English menu for food/drink if you request it from the restaurant car staff - prices are in Kazakhstan Tenge and payment is cash only. There is a “money man” on board who comes through the train regularly and will change Uzbekistan Som, USD or GBP to Tenge for you at a fairly reasonable exchange rate. Beer was 1100 Tenge which is just over £2.

On we rolled, a fairly bumpy ride at times, and soon as we had predicted, several westerners joined us in the restaurant carriage. We chatted to a man who had travelled from the top of Scotland to Kazakhstan overland (train and bus) and was seeing how far he could get. We met another Englishman who was working in Tashkent and doing a visa run into Kazakhstan and back to Uzbekistan. We heard German accents and English accents and it was strange but quite enjoyable - so far on our trip we hadn’t seen any other westerners.

The restaurant car

We were treated to a spectacular sunset from the window of the restaurant car, which seemed to be over in a flash.

Once we’d spent enough of our Kazakh Tenge in the dining car we went back to our compartment. We still had no friends there, and the train had stopped several times and it was now 8pm. We had enjoyed the time on our own, especially since the cabin was very warm!

Bit warm there Tom?

We settled down for the night after reading our books and chatting for a bit longer. There was a longer stop of around 10 minutes at 8pm so we went out onto the platform to get a bit of fresh air, have a look around and visit the platform shop for some hot food - I got a cooked and buttery corn on the cob for around 50p, bargain!

We were ushered back on board by our carriage attendant before departure and noticed that our carriage was now quite full. We still had no-one else in our cabin. The beds were very comfortable and we found ourselves going to bed quite early at around 9pm.

You know what’s going to happen here, surely?

9.45pm - the cabin opens and the light turns on. Groggily I stir awake, I’d only just gotten to sleep. We have a friend! A lady pokes her head in, puts her bag on one of the top bunks, then leaves again - leaving the light on. I assume she’s gone to the toilet or to sort some things out and will be back momentarily, so we leave the light on and lie back down. But when she doesn’t return and it’s been nearly 30 minutes I decide enough is enough and I turn the light off and close the cabin door.

Around 5 minutes later she comes back and goes about the noisy business of making her bed, sorting her belongings out and assembling the ladder to climb onto the bunk above me. I go out to use the toilet, and when I am back she is settled. Light off once more, I get back in to bed and am rocked back to sleep by the rhythmic rocking of the train on the tracks.

There are various stops throughout the night and I wake at one or two of them, but not for long, and I wake up around 5am to get dressed for our arrival into Almaty feeling strangely refreshed. Getting off the train, we see a beautiful sunrise coming up behind the train carriage and we stand for a minute to soak in the beauty of seeing a new day come in, in a new place and country.

The Wimbledon Queue

Queuing at Wimbledon is something I’d always wanted to do - I don’t mind camping, and I knew the atmosphere would be amazing. It’s also a pretty sure fire way of getting tickets for Centre Court or Court No. 1 if you get there early enough or are prepared to camp for two nights, which is what we did!

Arriving at around 8pm on the Thursday evening, we were aiming to get in and watch the matches on the Saturday. We took along our tents, camping chairs, snacks and alcohol (of course!) and were all set to enjoy our time camping and chatting to other people in Wimbledon Park.

On arrival we were given a queue card which was for the Friday, we were around 600th in the queue. This meant that we could have gone in on the Friday and been the 600th people to enter, meaning we probably would have been able to get tickets for Court No. 2 for that day.

We went to sleep, having decided to wait until the Saturday to go in. Having informed a steward of our intentions they told us that the following day we’d be told to move our tents further up the queue when those going in on the Friday had packed up and entered. We’d then also be able to swap our Friday queue card for a Saturday one, which would be a much lower number.

Woken up at around 5.30am by stewards - and the need to go to the portaloo due to all the wine we’d consumed the night before! - we got dressed and waited to be told to move our tents. At around 8am, we shifted them so we were in the first line of the queue, and tried to guess what number we’d be given for Saturday. I guessed we were around 100 in the queue. I was wrong - we were numbers 57-60, and we were chuffed. This meant we would definitely get Centre Court tickets for the Saturday.

The Friday was roasting hot, and we struggled with the heat and the tiredness from not having a proper nights’ sleep. However, everyone in the queue was in great spirits and we enjoyed our morning. Some fellow campers had made a makeshift ice bag using a roll mat with a carrier bag of ice in the middle, into which they let us put a bottle of Champagne for later on!

We had been told in advance that we wouldn’t be able to leave the park or the queue at any time. However, we had parked nearby and knew that we could get away with saying we were going to/from the car for supplies if we were stopped. We decided to go into Wimbledon for lunch, and told the people behind us in the queue what we were doing and gave them our contact number in case any officials wanted us to come back or there were any issues.

Off we went, straight into Wimbledon town which was heaving with people! We managed to get a table for lunch at a café and spent a good couple of hours enjoying being out of Wimbledon Park. On our return, our neighbours said no-one had been round to query our absence - we’d gotten away with it!

We spent the afternoon lolling around, eating ice-creams and wandering around the park when we felt we needed to stretch our legs. We decided to go back into town in the evening to have a few drinks. We went to a local pub and watched some of the games being played that day - there were some great people playing and we wondered if we’d made a mistake waiting to go in on the Saturday.

Back to camp we went for another restless and interrupted night of sleep, excited for the morning to come, knowing we’d be on Centre Court soon!

When the morning came we were up and dressed by around 7am, ready to dismantle the tents and take all of our things back to the car before entering the grounds. We did all of this by around 8am, grabbing a quick coffee on the way back from the car which was parked in Wimbledon town. The queue marshals were so efficient and everything was so well run that they had us in the correct order and lined up ready to go in by around 9am.

The line moved quickly and we were taken in to a marquee area where we had to approach desks and choose which ticket we wanted to purchase. As we had already decided to go for centre court, the lady working on the desk told us which section of centre court she had tickets for. Not quite what we wanted, she conferred with her colleague on the desk next to her whom had tickets for a different section of centre court - one block back from the very front, and on the side exactly where we wanted to be. We scooched over to her colleagues desk and bought the tickets. They were around £120 per person, so very expensive, but worth every penny!

We moved on through the marquee and into another queue. Our bags were checked and then we were waiting for the grounds to open at 10am. The staff and marshals kept us entertained in the queue waiting to go in - Lavazza were providing free coffee’s to everyone and they also had iPad’s that they were taking around for people to play games on and win prizes.

Before we knew it, our time in the queue was over and the gates to Wimbledon opened. It was the strangest thing, being one of the first 100 people inside Wimbledon that morning. It felt so empty and we could wander around at leisure; like we had a backstage pass to the whole arena.

Once matches started we watched some junior doubles on the outside smaller courts, before going to find Henman Hill/Murray Mound or whatever you know it as - and watching the big screen for a little while. It felt surreal to finally be walking around the grounds after seeing it on the TV every year. We played some games in the American Express fan zone, got lunch from the canteen and got our first Pimms of the day.

Matches on Centre Court started at 1pm, where we took our seats to watch Alcaraz vs Jarry - two men’s singles major competitors. The match was incredible and Alcaraz won in 4 sets, going on to win the whole tournament. We also got to see Jabeur beat Andreescu and watch Brit Katie Boulter play, even though she lost to her opponent Rybakina (the defending ladies’ champion).

We were absolutely exhausted when the games rounded up at around 11pm, and getting back to the car took a while as the crowds emptied out of the grounds. We eventually got home to Gloucester at around 2.30am. What a few days - an epic way to get tickets for Wimbledon.

Would I do it again? Definitely.

Housesitting Horizons #3

Hey all! Here’s the third instalment of my housesitting horizons posts (shorter updates) which I’ve added whilst at Housesit number 17 in Andalusia, Spain…

I’m afraid I haven’t posted one of these for a while for a combination of reasons -

1) Tom and I both had a difficult couple of weeks. We felt isolated, lonely and quite down for a while in the middle there. As some of you know, Tom’s dad passed away recently and the isolation (location and language) of this housesit hasn’t helped us process things. Our feelings definitely impacted our productivity and motivation!

2) We had some plans whilst here which were incredible and included a trip to the beach in Portugal, a trip to Huelva for a nose around, a trip to Seville to do some sightseeing and a trip to Portugal to see our friends, which were much needed but kept us very busy.

3) I’ve been poorly for the last week of our sit - I’ve got tonsillitis! This kept me bed-bound for a while until I plucked up the courage to go to out of hours emergency centre and use google translate to explain what I needed. Antibiotics have kicked in now, and hoping to be back to normal in a few days time.

Anywhooo, I’m back, and I hope you’re all doing well!

Housesit 17 is coming to an end this Wednesday and we are moving on to Cadiz for a few days and then on to Morocco (eek, exciting!). In the interest of keeping it short here are my final points…

This housesit has taught us many things -

• We could actually get on board with a small dog - Rasmus is just the cutest, but we’d never been keen on little dogs before!

• Sometimes going somewhere they don’t speak any English can be exciting and adventurous, sometimes it can be the most isolating and frustrating thing there is - it often depends on how you feel at the time

• In this region of Spain, the churros and chocolate are enshrined in law (ok they’re not but they should be as they’re bloody amazing!!!)

• You can actually try clothes on before you buy them at the local market but the “changing room” is the back of the stallholders van with all the doors open…

• No matter how hard you try and relax in a yoga meditation you simply can’t if you have no idea what they are saying (the class was entirely in Spanish… I ended up planning my day in these bits of the lessons!)

So, as we’re almost-outta-here, this’ll be my last horizons for housesit 17. It’s been a helluva housesit. We’ll miss you sooo much Rasmus, Rosie & Billy Joe, but I’m not sure we’ll miss the decapitated animals you brought us as gifts, the endless ants that infested the house or the 40+ Celsius temperatures.

Hasta la vista, Aracena.

Housesitting Horizons #2

Morning! Another short blog to keep you updated with all things ‘housesitting’.. We had a great weekend helped by the fact that the homeowners friend looked after the sausage dog for us from Friday evening to Sunday morning - as much as we love him, he just can’t cope with being outside in the heat for long, and his little tiny legs can only walk about a kilometre before he wants to be picked up (and rightly so!).

For Tom and I, this meant we could drive further afield and pop into Portugal for a day on a sandy beach, followed by a trip to Huelva in the afternoon, by which time it was too hot to do much other than visit the city museum (mainly for the A/C) and go for more drinks…

On Sunday morning we did a 6 mile walk, which doesn’t sound far for us, but believe me when I say it was enough - it was 35 degrees Celsius at 9am when we started it! #CaminoDeAracena

We then picked sausage dog up, and had a great Sunday Session at a bar in Jabuguillo. This sounds quite normal and a little unremarkable, but here in deepest Andalusia, nothing is open on a Sunday - not bars, cafe’s, supermarkets or clothes shops… absolutely diddly squat! And we had been warned. This was a little annoying for Tom and I, as the weekend is our only time off together to explore the local areas, so effectively this took away one of those days, as who can explore in these extreme heats without stopping for drinks every hour or two?! So, finding a place open all day on a Sunday nearby was like gold dust, and we’ll probably be visiting them each Sunday until we leave the area.

Other quickfire updates:

• The mercury has increased yet again and the days stretch ahead where the daytime temperatures are going to be 40+ 🥵

• We’re still struggling with our Spanish but have perfected the order for vino blanco and grande cerveza

• It turns out sausage dogs don’t like swimming much but they can float

• If you have to sit outside the front of a bar with your dog as they won’t let it inside, they’ll not only set up a table for you, but they’ll close the road as its so narrow #LegendLandlady

• One of the cats brought in a lizard they’d caught, dead, decapitated and by the time we found it, crawling with thousands of ants 🙃

Housesitting Horizons #1

This is the first post in a series of blogs I’m going to write to keep you more up to date with our housesitting lifestyle!

So we’re currently doing a housesit in the Andalucía region of Spain, looking after a gorgeous (and tiny) sausage dog and two cats (both bigger than said sausage dog). The weather is constantly sunny with blue skies, but the heat is quite stifling and something we’re still getting used to - it’s 35 degrees today and we’re pretty much hunkered down inside with the fan constantly whirring in the background. Housesitting can sometimes seem very glamorous when viewed through the eyes of social media updates but in reality it is a lot of hard work. For us, that hard work is outweighed by the incredible benefits that this lifestyle provides - but remember it’s all about balance! You can’t have the life you want without a little graft and getting your hands dirty. This housesit is our 17th, which sounds like a lot, and we’ve only been doing this just over a year. We still love the lifestyle and the freedom it provides us with.

The low down…

• This part of Spain currently feels very foreign to me; no-one in town speaks English, and we don’t speak any Spanish… “Hablas Ingles?” has been the extend of my conversations here so far, and is met with a resounding “No” every time. The area has a real desert-western-cowboy feel to it, with men on horseback wearing panama hats and trees bare of leaves and shedding their bark. Are we in Spain or Mexico?!

• Before starting this housesit the homeowner let us stay in their ‘holiday home’ for a few days, where we made the most of the pool to cool off, walked across their acres of land each day and spend the evening soaking up our first Andalucian sunsets. Dreamy 😍

• Although it is really nice to be back in the sun again, it is very tiring being in such extreme heat; we’re trying to get into the swing of siestas, but all we’ve managed to do so far is give ourselves insomnia.

• For some reason, vegetables don’t seem to feature on any tapas menu’s here, so as a vegetarian I’m really struggling to eat out at all.

• We’ve got 5.5 more weeks here so we’re really excited about finding our feet in the area and getting to know this region well - wish us luck!

• The pets, as always, make the house a home. Sausage dog has become my shadow and the two cats are providing several laughs a day with their hilarious characters.

• Oh, and I tried driving on the right hand side for the first time yesterday, with Tom in the passenger seat clinging to his door like he was about to jump out, telling me in a strangled voice that I was “Too close on his side” every few seconds, and choking out a smile and a “That was really good” once I’d parked and turned the engine off.

So that’s all I have to update you on today, keep an eye on the website for more Housesitting Horizons coming soon…

The Caledonian Sleeper Train

One of only two sleeper services running within the UK, the Caledonian Sleeper runs between London and Scotland. With a sleeper service running on this line since 1873, the journey is steeped in history and antiquity. After a multi-million pound investment and refurbishment in 2019, it now provides luxury travel to all those who step on board. With just one seated compartment available, the rest of the train is dedicated to providing private twin or double rooms complete with their own private en-suites. Oh, and don’t forget the fabulous dining carriage for food and drink on board; which gives priority to those in private cabins.

I’ve always found sleeper trains a very romantic and pleasurable way to travel. Not only can you can take on as much luggage as you want, you don’t have the hassle of a ‘check-in’ or tiresome passport controls (unless the sleeper traverses different countries of course!). On board the Caledonian Sleeper you can get a good dinner before getting some good quality shut-eye, waking up to views of the Cairngorms whizzing past and spotting wildlife.

When to go: The Caledonian Sleeper runs year round and Scotland is a stunning destination at any time of the year. It depends whether you are looking to scale munros; in which case you need them to be clear of snow and should opt for summer months, or whether a snowy scene is more up your street. I love Scotland in all seasons and would recommend visiting multiple times to see how the landscape changes.

Essentials to pack: Your sense of adventure! You don’t even need to bring an eye mask as the Sleeper service provides this in your cabin, along with some chocolate and toiletries.

How to get there: The Caledonian departs London Euston station every night except Saturdays. Euston has extensive rail connections across the UK.

Cost: The sleeper service ranges in price from approx. £50 per person for a seat to £200 per person for a private double en-suite, with twin cabins somewhere in the middle of that price. The price fluctuates throughout the year, with summer and school holidays being more expensive than mid-week shoulder season departures. Winter can also be expensive as Scotland is a skiing destination.

Top tip: Those who book the Caldonian Double and Club cabins are entitled to use the first class lounge at London Euston which provided us with free soft drinks, hot drinks, snacks and larger food options prior to boarding. The lounge also has private shower facilities along with hairdryers, plug sockets and very comfortable seating. A great way to start any trip!

Snacks in the first class lounge at London Euston

Hairdryer and getting ready area at London Euston first class lounge

On board the Caledonian Sleeper train

After boarding we headed to our cabin which was a private twin en-suite room (called a Club room on the website) and realised the train was not quite built for backpackers - the rooms, although luxurious and comfy, are very small, as are the corridors where we got a bit jammed walking through the train. We found a helpful carriage assistant who allowed us to store our backpacks in the luggage compartment so that we had enough room to move around our cabin. Once we’d ditched our non-essentials for the journey, admired the freebies in our cabin and settled in, we headed to the bar-restaurant carriage.

As we’d paid for a Club cabin, we were prioritised upon entry and guaranteed a seat in this carriage over those who had paid for seated or classic tickets. This is also the case for those who book the Caledonian Double cabins. We had ourselves a couple of drinks - Irn Bru and Whisky, of course - and then ordered a delicious dinner from the on board menu which prioritises Scottish dishes with ingredients which are locally and responsibly sourced.

Once we’d eaten a hearty dinner and sampled several Scottish Whisky’s, we retired to our cabin to enjoy the plush surroundings and get to grips with the en-suite toilet-cum-shower; of course I used it even though I was clean - I’d never showered on a train before and the water pressure and temperature was great.

The shower/toilet room - lifting the lid on the bench seat revealed the toilet - a very clever design.

We had a very peaceful and comfortable nights sleep in our cabin. The quilts and pillows provided were of exceptional quality and we were warm and cosy on board in March. We didn’t use the eye mask and earplugs provided but they were a welcome addition in case we did struggle to sleep. There were ample plug sockets, USB charging points in the cabin and also multiple light switches and temperature controls. There was also a “Host Call” button which our carriage attendant informed us we could use any time in the night if we wanted a hot drink or snack or simply needed assistance.

In the morning, soft light streamed in through our cabin window as we got up and dressed slowly and lazily, enjoying the comfort and privacy our cabin provided us with. We watched various stations whizzing past and at around 7am we went to the restaurant carriage again to have our breakfast which was included in the ticket price - you can choose from porridge, cereal and continental style choices, or opt for something more substantial such as eggs on toast or a full Scottish breakfast. We got to eat our breakfast whilst enjoying incredible Scottish scenery and were ready to depart once we arrived in the Cairngorms.

To travel by the Caledonian Sleeper is an adventure that I think everyone should experience at least once - for a comfortable and luxurious travel experience with amazing food and outstanding service from the staff, the price is actually incredibly reasonable.

The worst part of the journey was getting off the train - I’d loved every second!

Who are Hitched and Hiking?

We’re Jess & Tom, a couple of 20-somethings (just about) originally from Gloucester, UK, but we just can’t sit still. Our feet itch and our souls need feeding with new places and new experiences. We got together when we were just 19 years old, and the thing that binds us together more than our love for coffee, quizzes or spicy food is travel.

Travel has always been the epicentre of our relationship. When we were 21, we set off on the trip of a lifetime, where we ended up travelling for 2 years straight, visiting 4 continents and 14 countries. We don’t usually count the countries we travel, and we tend to deal more in the experiences we have, and the people we meet along the way. I couldn’t tell you much about the sights we saw in Manilla, but I can still remember the taste of the pumpkin curry at Gacayan, a cafe in Port Barton, Palawan, The Phillipines, and that it cost 60 pesos for that and a drink (approx. £1). I still have the drawing that the daughter of the homestay we were living in drew of Tom and I and still regularly think of the host and her families’ generosity whilst we lived there.

As you can tell by the blog name, not only are we married, but we absolutely love to hike, walk, roam, wander, explore, move. Every new place we go, we like to explore on foot as well as by other transport. We feel that walking around a place gives you a much better connection to the land; literally, physically and mentally. Walking also allows to you understand how the place flows, what roads lead to where and what footpaths there are. Plonk us down in any place and we are wandering around it before you can say “walking boots”. We also have a head for heights and constantly look up hills or mountains we can hike up. We will be posting about our favourite walks, hikes and jaunts on here as often as we can. Please feel free to share your favourite walks with us too - we’re always looking for new ideas.

In 2022 we took a big leap of faith and rented our house out long term, effectively making ourselves homeless. We now do housesitting which enables us to travel slower, explore places we would never have visited otherwise and look after people’s lovely homes and pets. We did housesitting in the UK for six months straight and now have various sits booked in overseas for the rest of the year, in between travelling to countries we’ve always wanted to spend more time in. I’ll be trying to keep the website as up to date as possible with guides to cities we have spent time in, housesits we’ve done and hikes we recommend. Alongside this I’m currently writing a travel book, and Tom is working full time as an accountant (someone’s gotta pay for our caffeine addiction!).

This is my blog to document our travel exploits, be that abroad or in the UK, hiking or flying, rainy or sunny. I hope you find it interesting enough to read on, and I hope I inspire you to do what makes you happy.

Be authentic, be the real you, and don’t apologise.