Trying Lives

Trying Lives: A House Sitter's Tale is a gently humorous travel memoir about trying out different lifestyles, mainly through house sitting and swapping.

Not quite ready to settle in any particular place, newly retired couple, Carol and Richard Duval, set out to find ways of travelling cheaply and sustainably.

But they also wanted time to explore what other people in other places considered to be the good life. The recent unpredictable political landscapes in the UK and the US had given rise to much musing about the health of our societies, the environment, and about human nature in general. Were there universal principles underpinning how to live well - or badly?
Their adventures allowed them to experience a variety of lives, leaving them with a treasure trove of memories - always amusing, often heart-warming, usually surprising, and at times a little uncomfortable.

Whether caring for a friendly duck in Australia's hippy country or a dusty dog in Spain's olive groves; renovating a crumbling chteau in France or (nearly) joining the church choir an English village, their efforts were repaid in spades. The good life, though fragile, could be found anywhere.

Readers will find plenty of tips on trying this way of travelling, what to look out for and importantly, what to avoid.