Home Exchange and the Car

An important issue

We have just returned from a home exchange in The Netherlands which included the use of our automobiles.  On several occasions in the past, the use of the car was no problem.  This time I had called my insurance agent to make sure that there was no problem and also wrote a statement in which I  stated that I had given use of the vehicle to the other driver.  Recently when I addressed a service club about home exchange, I was asked about the car:  "Is that difficult" I was asked.  "Are there any problems?"  "No problem" I said......

Well this time there was a problem..... a huge problem!  When we left the airport in Amsterdam, the GPS in the car took us on a wild journey through the Dutch country-side, along beautiful lakes and canals.  Apparently, the GPS had been programmed to avoid the big, busy motorways and was taking us along secondary roads and more scenic routes.  In fact the road was so "secondary"  that I had not noticed the hazard called a "bus sluis",  an ingenious way whereby the Dutch authorities discourage the use of a road designed exclusively for buses.  The word "discourage" is mildly put:  it in fact is intended to seriously damage the offending vehicle and render it inoperative!

I hit the "bus sluis" with considerable impact but continued on my journey from the airport not realizing the damage that had been done.  The next day the car stopped in the middle of the road and I had to be towed to our home exchange residence!  When I called the local dealership I was told that the engine had leaked enough oil to seize up and had to be replaced!

When I told the other home exchanger now living in my home in Canada what had happened, he was obviously upset and could not understand how I could have missed seeing the red warning light.  

My Dutch friend enquired if I had third party insurance, thinking that that would cover the damage.

He also informed me that the insurance on his vehicle was for third party damages only and that this did not cover the damage caused to his vehicle,  an issue which had not been made clear to me at the time we signed our home exchange agreement!

Apparently this type of insurance is not uncommon in Europe:  where the owner assumes the risk of damage to his own vehicle and has it insured against third party claims only.  In fact, had I known this fact, the home exchange would never have happened.  The bottom line is that both he and I had been far too casual about the insurance issue when exchanging our homes when our cars were included.  

We enjoyed our two weeks of home exchange and were able to add two more weeks for stays in Amsterdam and Paris.  But let this anecdote of our experience be a warning:  Make sure there is adequate insurance coverage for both parties on home and car.  There is no problem when there is no problem.  But when there is a problem, it could be a huge problem with serious consequences.

Would you like to spend some time in Australia for $20 a night?

 That's what The Affordable Travel Club offers,  breakfast included!
The idea is that you join the club for about $60 a year and then select someone from the
membership list who is willing to host you.  The basic rate is $20 a night, breakfast included,
and your host will spend at least an hour with you to help you get oriented. In most cases, your host is waiting, offering a glass of wine when you return in the evening, to listen to your day's adventures. 

It is expected that you will not overstay your welcome, the limit is usually 4 days, unless a more extensive stay has been negotiated.
 In most cases, people tend to more generous in their welcome with the
result that wonderful, lasting friendships develop.  Of course, you may get an email or phone call from someone who will ask you if you would be willing to host a visit.
  Friends of ours are presently on a wonderful vacation down-under, enjoying the hospitality of friendly welcoming Australians.  During their one month visit, they will have spent only 4 nights in hotel!
  What a wonderful, affordable way to see the world! 

Home Exchange -  Be Ready for the unexpected

We are experienced home exchangers.... at least we thought we were,  until we experienced the unexpected:  a heart attack in the foothills of the Pyrenees.  It had been the end of a lovely day,  just the two of us hiking and having a wonderful time.  Toward the end of our hike,  Johannes started to feel unwell with pressure building up in his chest, sweating and getting sick to his stomach.  All the signs of a heart attack.   What to do?  Whom to call?  How to call?  We had not prepared for this eventuality:  didn't know how and whom to call in an emergency.   These details had not been discussed between us and our hosts before they left.    The bottom line is that everything turned out all right thanks to the quick thinking of a wife and friendly helpful neighbours.   But it could have turned out otherwise because we had not planned for this eventuality and have looked after the details as we should have.    

Home exchanges are wonderful, but be prepared for the unexpected!

 

Home Exchange.... The Affordable Travel Club

there is no better way.....

How do you meet and get to know "real people" and not just tour guides and fellow travelers who look and act in predicable ways,  the way you do?  The pictures you see here are the delightful children of our hosts in Istanbul we were privileged to meet on a home exchange. What's it like to be a child in Turkey, to go to school,  have friends and birthday parties, live as a member of a family?  There is no better way to get to know the answers to these real questions of  "real people" in the country you visit than through a home exchange or The Affordable Travel Club.  What is it like to live in Turkey,  to experience the daily work-a-day life of a family living here?  There is no other way than to experience that daily life the way "real people" do.  Doing a home exchange for an extended period or enjoying the benefits of ATC for a shorter period are the only way. 

A couple of simple but important and helpful hints

The other day my wife and I received an enquiry from a couple in Spain about a possible home exchange.  Sadly we had to decline.  Why?   The exchange being proposed was for a whole year, starting this year in July!   Sorry,  but..... When we plan to be away from home for such long period, we need time to prepare.   Lately we have been getting quite a few of these enquiries for shorter periods of time but with imminent time-lines.  When approaching someone,  be realistic and try to put yourself in his or her shoes at the other end.  Unless they are single with no children and are able to venture forth without much concern, most people will feel obliged to turn down a request when the time delay is so short.

Once  a home exchange has been negotiated, be sure to stay in the communication loop.  Let your hosts know how your time-line is progressing, when you expect to arrive etc.  It's a practical courtesy you should expect too if you are the waiting host.

Once a home exchange has been negotiated,  the details can vary immensely.  In one case, we were present for a couple of days to welcome the couple at the airport and get them acclimatized,  They in turn had asked their family in Europe to do the same for us.  Details regarding the use of a car, care of pets,  operation of the telephone and tv system,  peculiar details  about the house you live in etc all need to be discussed.   

Regarding the latter, we thought we had covered the details...... On the side of our bed is a push button which is connected to the security system and brings the police running when activated.  We had overlooked to mention this little detail to our new guests with alarming results.  During the night, looking for a light switch, they pushed the fatal button.  Thanks to our efficient police, they were confronted by two men in uniform within minutes.    

Just one more thought:  When you arrive, have something in your bag that is unique about your country and which you can present to your hosts as a small gift.  In our case, we often bring a container of maple syrup which is especially treasured elsewhere.

Four Overnights in San Francisco for $80 ?

My wife and I recently visited the beautiful city of Adelaide in Australia, toured the vineyards of the Barosa Valley and paid only $80 for our four overnight stay.  We paid the same amount for four nights in San Francisco while neighbours stayed a month in Melbourne and spent only 4 nights in a hotel.  Sounds impossible? Not really.  The Affordable Travel Club makes it possible. 

This is how it works.  As members of the ATC we receive an on-line list of other members around the world who have agreed to host or be hosted.  In our case, we emailed members in San Francisco and Adelaide and enquired if they would be willing to host us.  They were more than happy to extend such hospitality.  Generally, the overnight ATC fee is $20, although in cities like Paris it could be $30 per night.  This includes breakfast!  In most cases more than breakfast is offered, such as a glass of wine in the evening or even a BBQ dinner.   Of course the possibility always exsists that we might get an unexpected call or email asking us for hospitality. 

It is expected that you will not overstay your welcome.  Arrangements for a single night to four nights are reasonable.  On a rare occasion you can arrange to stay longer in which case a more generous fee than the usual $20 can be offered.   In our experience we have nothing than the most pleasant memories of our stays with friends of the ATC.

Mobility is Important

Mobility is very, very important when on a home exchange venture.  These scenes above could not have been captured unless we had been able to drive around in our own vehicle.  In Ireland this is especially problematic because rental companies do not rent to individuals over the age of 65.  In most cases too, rental with an automatic transmission is prohibitively high. When traveling on the continent in Europe, Renault and Peugeot offer an excellent alternative:  "Euro Drive".  If you plan to stay more than 17 days, you can purchase a vehicle from these companies and sell these vehicles back to them when you leave.  You get a new car model of your choice, delivered at the airport, for a rate which does not exceed the usual rental per diem rate and return it upon your departure.  The companies then sell these vehicles to a waiting line of customers who are getting an almost-new vehicle at a substantially reduced cost.  But, you the traveler, benefits as well:  the usual age-limitation does not apply, as long as you have a valid driver's license from your home country and you have had the luxury of driving a brand new car of your choice.  When purchasing the vehicle the cost is tabulated on a lease-basis so that you don't actually have to pay the actual purchase price of the vehicle.  It is mere paper work.

In the case of a home exchange, the situation is even easier:  you negotiate a car exchange as part of the home exchange.  It is important in this case to notify your insurance company and inform them of the arrangement.  We did this recently with a couple from Turkey who used our car in  Canada and we theirs in Turkey, without a single hitch or problem.