Her Travel Buddy Is Probably Better Than Yours! These Are The Global Housesitting Adventures (& Lessons) of Vicky And Buddy.

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Vicky is a digital nomad and house sitter who travels the world with her stuffed monkey, Buddy and writes about their adventures on her blog, Buddy The Traveling Monkey. They’re also on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and GAFFL.

Why I Travel

I’ve been traveling since I was a baby. My father is from Guatemala so growing up I spent a lot of summers there. I also grew up reading my mom’s encyclopedia. I’d learn about so many cool and interesting places around the world and I used to tell myself that one day I would see them all for myself. I continue traveling because I love learning about new places and cultures.

I have also met so many amazing people through my travels! House sitting allows me to stay in an area as a local, so it makes meeting people pretty easy. Social media has also led to many friendships over the years. The most important relationship that I’ve formed thanks to my travels, however, is with my boyfriend Mark.

We met through Twitter and he was also a digital nomad and house sitter, so we had a lot in common. We would chat here and there and even met in person a few times if we happened to be house sitting in the same city. Eventually our relationship blossomed and we are now traveling and house sitting together.

Currently, I have traveled to 35 countries. It’s so hard to pick a favorite though, because they all have something special about them. If I had to narrow it down though, I’d say Italy, Thailand, Iceland, Peru, and Indonesia are definitely among my favorites. I had such great experiences there thanks to each country’s kind people and culture.

I Was Able To Travel A Lot While Stationed In Europe

When I was in the military, I was stationed in Germany for three years. I loved it and every chance I got, I visited a new German town or European country. Germany is centrally located in Europe and it was so easy to travel by plane, train, or car. During those three years, I was able to visit 14 countries.

Getting to visit so many historic places was incredible. Walking the streets of Pompeii in Italy, visiting Gaudí's Sagrada Família in Spain, and seeing the crown jewels in England are just a few memories I will keep close to my heart for the rest of my life.

Being able to travel so easily and frequently really spoiled me. Once I got back to the US, it was hard for me to realize I couldn’t travel as often because of higher costs and longer distances. But I was determined to do what I could to still travel.

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How I Choose Where To Travel Next & How Often I Travel

Where I travel to next depends mostly on cost and sometimes proximity. If I’m planning a trip that is more of a vacation, cost is a major factor. Although I do work remotely, I don’t make a lot so I have to travel on a budget. Plane tickets can be very expensive, depending on the destination.

If I’m planning future house sits then proximity becomes a factor. Because I drive to each house sit, I have to make sure that I can drive to my next house sit within a day or two or else I’d have to worry about paying for hotels in between house sits. So if I’d like to travel up the east coast of the US for a few months and I was starting in Florida, I’d look for a house sit in Georgia. I’d then look for a house sit in South or North Carolina. That’s how I’d slowly make my way up the coast.

As a digital nomad, I am constantly traveling from one place to another. Because I do have to work though and because I do need to have somewhat of a routine, when I look for house sits I try to find ones that are at least 3 weeks long. That gives me plenty of time to work and to also explore my new temporary home. The longest I’ve stayed in a new destination was two months.

My Scariest Travel Moment

I’d have to say my scariest travel moment was when I rappelled off the side of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s one of those experiences where, I’m glad I did it but I would never do it again. It was definitely a rush! But it taught me to always be willing to try something at least once.

Some Of My Travel Challenges

The biggest thing to prevent me from traveling more is money. Even when you travel on a budget, things like food and gas add up. One of the biggest challenges of working and traveling is balancing your time. It is possible, though, so it just takes practice. For example, my remote work usually keeps me busiest the first two weeks of the month, so I know to plan less travel days or sightseeing during those weeks and plan more for the end of the month.

My Advice For New Adventurers Who Want To Work And Travel

Advice that I would give to new solo travelers who want to work and travel: Don’t overthink it. Yes, you have to research and have a plan, but if you overthink and are constantly waiting for that “perfect” time, you’ll never go. There is never a perfect time. Things will always come up. But if you really want to travel, you’ll figure out ways to adjust to things as they come up. Travel now so you have no regrets later now.

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