Care Taking and House Sitting

Several websites exist for care taking or house/pet sitting properties around the world; I've used the following sites:

http://www.caretaker.org
http://www.caretaker-jobs.com
http://www.trustedhousesitters.com

Theoretically, care taking and house/pet sitting seem like an economical way to live and/or travel; however, like most things, the details are a bit more complex.

I'm considering house sitting during my round-the-world trip. I've seen some interesting house sitting ads from around the world (most ads are in Europe), including the countries I'll be traveling to; however, I suspect the chances are slim the timing will work out. Also, most house sitting opportunities I've seen involve pet sitting and while I love animals, the responsibility of daily walks, feeding, etc. of pets is more than I'm willing to commit to. Also, most ads I've seen require the house sitter to have a motor vehicle as they are in the country and/or not within walking distance of town/shops.

Although people still contact me about my interest in care taking, I've stopped actively looking for opportunities. Since I don't need a job, the positive aspect of care taking for me was the opportunity for new experience. However, similar to some of my former clients (when I was a consultant), my limited experience with care taking tells me that owners significantly under estimate the amount of work/time required to take care of their property:)