Do you want to travel and sample different retirement lifestyles, but have a limited budget? Housesitting may be your answer. Our first housesit was three years ago. Since then we have lived rent-free in Tuscan farmhouses, French vineyards, Spanish casitas and luxury Costa Rican villas.

"Being an expat isn't always easy," she said. "It's kind of like having children. If someone had told us beforehand what it was really going to be like, we might not have done it." But at the end, she said, "When it's all over, it's so rewarding and so worth it."

"Our view is breathtaking, no matter what time of day it is," says Judy. "Sitting on our porch watching the sun rise is a daily pleasure."

The last thing you want to happen on your vacation or while you are traveling -- or even when you return home -- is to get sick. That's no fun at all. So it pays to be prepared... before and during your trip.