Editor’s Note: John Hersey and Beverly Belury briefly visited their Fountain Hills home in late November after months of house and pet sitting in foreign countries. They plan to spend the next four months in San Miguel, Mexico. Following are some insights from their adventure so far.

Six ways house and pet sitting spiced up our retirement:

Joy of pets: We have the joy of pets in our lives right now yet have the freedom to explore the world. The pets may be temporary but we create real relationships, which are emotional – happy, funny, sad, etc. – just as though they were our pets.

Comfort of a home: Traveling the world supported by the comfort of a home is stabilizing.

With sitting areas, full-sized kitchens, washers, greenhouses and gardens, fireplaces and with surprises such as cookbook libraries, ocean-front windows, breathtaking art, indoor gyms and lap pools, we are awed by the privilege of relaxing in a home.

A pleasant night’s sleep and a satisfying meal, an easy chair and a good Wi-Fi connection are the few gems we need to re-energize for the next day.

Cultural submersion (in a fun and inescapable way): We are nudged to experience everyday life like a local when using an Italian coffee maker, steeping tea in a proper teapot in the proper way, cooking in a cast iron aga oven, air drying clothes on an outdoor line or over the heating registers, wearing wellies to get through the mud and so on.

We did draw the line when it came to the iron. Yes, in England irons are prolific. However, we did not iron the sheets or crease my jeans.

Off the beaten track villages: Most of our destinations are not found in travel books or through Rick Steves or the latest article on the hot destinations of the year.

Our joy in travel (as we have found) is not to seek out the oldest church, most significant museum or historical site.

For us, to go to the local butcher, produce market, pub or book store and chat with the locals – really chat about what is important to them – is what gives us lasting pleasure when traveling.

Our days are dotted with attending local events and courses, cooking together or jamming at the local pub.

Slowing down to absorb the culture and enjoy: We have found that walking is our favorite way to travel. And when we have dogs to tend to, very often we are out and about for hours each day.

It gives us time to notice, to absorb the day and the sights and sounds and enjoy the pets. We like to stay in places for weeks or a month.

We like to travel without the frantic urgency of “having to see it all.” We have found that we prefer to see less and spend more time just enjoying where we are and doing simple pleasures slowly.

Adapting can be fun and age reversing: Nothing is the same, everything is different. How you drive, what you drive, buying veggies, crossing the street, locking a door, fulfilling medical needs, wearing wellies, using footpaths; these are all new experiences wherever we go. What that means is we stay in the present, workout our gray matter, ask questions and improve communication. Basically, our mind is more active, more youthful.

We find we are less judgmental; we talk less and are learning more. We try more without knowing how it will be. We are more in touch with who we are at this time in our lives.

We have discovered what we like to do, which in many cases is not what we thought. We have become more patient, more observant and more creative.

And we are creating new memories, having new conversations, expanding our experiences and feelings and falling in love with each other all over again. However, we are falling in love with the new, updated version of ourselves.

We are simply rediscovering ourselves and our relationship as we explore this planet. We are caring for a wide range of pets and experiencing many different lifestyles and ourselves as we roam the world.