The Anatomy of a Home Exchange

Imagine..... you are sitting in your home in Ontario when it's snowing outside and the thermometer is at -15C and you receive this letter.....

"Hi, We discovered your lovely home on HomeExchange.com. We are wondering whether you would be interested in an exchange for our home a few hundred meters from the beach in the south of France. Our area is easily accessible from Barcelona airport and many smaller regional airports. You will see many photos and description of our area on our listing. We hope that you will consider an exchange with us..."

Included in the letter is a link showing sun-drenched beaches, picturesque villages and vineyards ready for harvest.... How could they!  Needless to say, we obliged.....

"How did you know? We are real weaklings when it comes to France, especially when you show us sun-drenched beaches, vineyards and amazing scenery. All this when we are here in Canada with snow on the ground!

The bottom line: we are definitely interested - we notice you are planning an extensive trip through the Eastern US and Canada - We will try to fit into those plans as you begin to make them more definitive." 

This is typical of how a home exchange adventure starts.... If you are wondering how a home exchange starts and evolves, we suggest you stay in touch with this blog.  We will keep you posted week by week as we continue our discussions with our new-found friends and eventually end up on one of those sun-drenched beaches in the South of France.  

Be Sure To Do Your Homework

When we got our first email from a couple inviting us to a home exchange, we were excited and

thrilled -  Destination The Netherlands, the place exactly where we wanted to go after many years of

absence from this wonderful country!  Our response was immediate and spontaneous:  "Of course, 

who wouldn't want to come to beautiful Holland"  Off we went to a suburb in the city of Rotterdam

for a two weeks stay..... After arriving, we soon realized that we had landed in one of the most 

conservative towns in Holland where people, may of evangelical bend, still went to church on a 

Sunday morning dressed in their best suits and dresses,  harking back to the 50's and where on a Sunday it was impossible, (and I mean impossible!) one could sit down in a restaurant for a cup of coffee.  It was a rude and unexpected awakening.  The only way out of this conservative ghetto was

to take the local bus or ferries to Rotterdam or Schiedam for a livelier experience.

The moral is:  Do your homework!  Find out as much as possible about the location in which you

plan to live and do not get surprised as we did.  Maybe a quiet, conservative environment is exactly

what you want.  But we are people who enjoy the city and the hustle and bustle that city life brings.

The picture you see above was actually taken in the community where we had chosen to exchange:

"Vote for Jesus" the sign says and that says it all even when exchanging your home with someone in a progressive country like Holland:  Do your homework!

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. 

Seeing your own country the affordable way

The two photos above span the width of our country, Canada from Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia to Vancouver in British Columbia.   When we think of affordable travel, we tend to think of going to a foreign country.   However, there are many members of the Affordable Travel Club and Home Exchange who offer hospitality or an exchange to individuals and families within their own country.   We have traveled extensively in Europe and Asia.  Some of our most rewarding experiences however have been when exploring our own country. 

Make Sure you are Insured

I had a heart attack while hiking in the foothills of the Pyrenees in France.   The picture above was taken in Turkey, but it could have happened there too.   If you are going to have a heart attack anyway, France is probably the best place in the world to have one!  French medicine is equal to none, thanks to a highly developed socialized system.  The ambulance, with an MD on board,  had to come from a distance of 45 minutes and was there in about 20 minutes.  For the next 5 days I had the attention of top specialists at the clinic in Bayonne and, upon departing, was given a huge file containing the print-outs and photographs of all the tests that had been performed on me during the stay.  The total bill came to $15,000 would you believe?  In the US , and without insurance in Canada, I probably would have had to remortgage my home to pay the bill!  But even that modest bill of $15,000 would have put some strain on my retirement pension, had it not been for the fact that I had travel insurance and had made sure that all my disclosures to the insurance company had been up to date and accurate.  I cannot overstate this point:  do not leave anything to chance and make sure that any changes in the prescription of drugs from your physician have been stated when you apply for insurance.  Even a reduction of a dosage must be stated and indicated as a change in medication. 

Live like a local

Recently we participated in a home exchange with a couple from Instanbul in Turkey.  We even exchanged vehicles!  It was a wonderful, problem-free experience.  While our Turkish friends were at our home in Canada, we were being entertained by their family in Istanbul.  The second picture below was taken in their apartment in Istanbul with grandmother, brother and sister in law.   The first picture shows their friends at Mordogan where they have a weekend retreat.  This is what home eschange is all about:  "living like a local",  meeting family and friends in their own settings and discovering what it is like to "be a local".  Only home exchange makes it possible for that to happen.  

About Hurling and Curling

We have just returned from The Republic of Ireland.  Loved it!  This morning I found myself back in Canada on the curling rink and was vividly reminded of the conversation I had with an Irishman in a pub about the mysteries of Curling and Hurling.  He had no idea what curling was and how one could spend a Winter throwing a large stone across the ice.  I tried to explain that it is a bit like lawn bowling played on ice and that seemed to make a bit of sense of to him.  But I was equally intrigued by the game of Hurling which I had just been watching on TV when Kilkenny won another All Irish Championship over Galway.  Being a patient man he was happy to explain the intricacies of hurling, its history and rules.  

During the course of our conversation with both learned something about each other:  what makes us as Canadians excited and what makes Irishmen exited.  We also learned something about other issues that preoccupy us in these times:  the economy, religion, family life etc.  The kind of conversation we had is  why we travel and visit other countries.  It may be possible while sitting on a cruise ship but is less likely to happen in that kind of setting.  When you take advantage of the benefits of the Affordable Travel Club or Home Exchange,  allowing you to stay for extended periods of time and "living" the culture and country you are visiting, this kind of encounter is happening all the time.  

Affordable Travel knows no geographical limits

The Town of Galway in Ireland

The Affordable Travel Club is especially popular in the US, Australia and Canada.  But you will find members almost anywhere in the world.  We have hosted and have been hosted by people in the US and Australia with great success.  We have done home exchanges with people in France, Turkey and the USA.  Remember that both are possible within the boundaries of your own country!  

Home Exchange is the Way to Go

Imagine this.... you're sitting on a tour bus, setting off to another destination that might interest you little.... another church, another ruin, another guide going blah...blah...blah.... and from the corner of your eye you catch this sight:  a beautiful scene of poppies just doing their popping-best in the grove of ancient olive trees... you grab your camera and want to shout "stop, stop I want to get off!!   But you don't.... what would the others think?  And so you tuck this scene into the recesses of your mind, wishing it could have been different.We were on a home exchange with a couple from Istanbul who also happened to have a weekend home on the Karinburin Peninsula where we spent the remainder of our six week holiday (yes, six weeks, not six days)  One day we passed this scene in our car (which we had exchanged as well) and I caught sight of this scene.... I was at  the wheel and could have stopped but didn't.  In the car were friends from Canada who had come to visit and they had not noticed.... So, with a deep sense of regret we continued on our journey..... But the scene in the olive grove kept haunting me all day and through the night.... The next day, I conjured some excuse.... we just had to go and do some shopping in the town nearby that, of course, would take us back to this magic scene.... and it worked!  This time the scene was a copy of the one I had seen the day before:  wonderful light and colour!  This is rare as photographers well know.  The fleeting moment is often gone forever.
But home exchange is different from sitting on a tour bus:  you can linger and go back and revisit and that's what I love about it.  

Affordable Travel.... it works!

Recently I commented on the adventure of meeting new people through the Affordable Travel Club.  The other day we hosted two visitors from Richmond, Virginia who turned out to be the most delightful guests.  They arrived in the early evening and sat with us around our patio table until quite late, telling us about themselves and allowing us to do the same.  In the process we discovered that we had many things in common, among them an aversion to tours and cruises!  They too like the adventure and excitement of meeting new people through the Affordable Travel Club.  The next day we had a leisurely breakfast and then took them on a brief tour of our town and area.

Their cost for the overnight stay which included breakfast, conversation over a glass of wine and a personal tour came to $20 which is the gratuity recommended by the club.  But it is not the bargain that attracts us to this venture.  It is the opportunity of meeting new people from another part of the world.  When they left, they invited us to be sure to stay with them in Richmond which is something we might well do, never having visited this beautiful area of Virginia before.  We had found new friends and that is more rewarding than any amount of money, spent or saved, can do. 

Affordable Travel.... the unkown and the adventure

Below you see a picture of a kind couple we met in a restaurant in Adelaide, Australia who invited us to join them in their apartment for a coffee and dessert after the meal.  We accepted and it turned out to be a wonderful experience.  We exchanged family information,  stories of a our travels and discovered in the process that they had been to Canada and knew people we knew!!

That is the benefit of the Affordable Travel Club:  being open to the unexpected and then meeting people you have not expected to meet and kindling a friendship which lasts a life time. 

This week we are expecting a couple from Richmond, Virginia we have never met before.  We are excited at the prospect of a new adventure.....

Home Exchange for Seniors

A few years ago, my wife and I joined a home exchange agency specifically designed for seniors.  

Seniors who wish to travel affordably tend to join for a number of reasons:  Their children have left home and will not travel with them.  Consequently a home with one or two bedrooms is all they need to be comfortable. Being of a more mature age, these people too tend to look for exchanges in countries where their own language is spoken.  For this reason, British seniors tend to look to Canada and the USA as possible destinations.  Again, being retired, their prefered times during the year tend to be more flexible.   See the link above for "seniors home exchange".  

Barossa Valley, Australia

Affordable Travel at $20 a night?  Impossible?

I have just been watching a CTV program about fraudulent travel clubs who are ripping off people who want to travel affordably.  When I "googled"  travel or vacation club scams, I was stunned:  apparently there are scores of people who are being victimized by unscrupulous "clubs" which promise cheap travel at unbelievable rates.  The slogans "do your due dilligence" or "if it's too good to be true, it probably is" still apply.  

Let me assure you:   Home Exchange and The Affordable Travel Club are too good to be believe.  One offers an opportunity to exchange your home for someone else's home,  the other charges you $60 a year to belong and then to benefit by arranging an overnight stay for a mere $20 a night.  Recently, my wife and I spent 4 nights in Adelaide, Australia and 4 nights in San Francisco, USA with wonderfully hospitable hosts for a mere $160. 00   That is,  $160 for 8 nights with breakfast and a glass of wine in the evening and a tour of the area thrown in!  There is, of course, always the possibility that we may get a call from someone in the world who wants to avail himself/herself of our hospitality at the same rate. And we will be more than ready to welcome them because of the many benefits we have already reaped from The Affordable Travel Club.

Those Poor People at the Hilton....

Both pictures epitomize what home exchange offers.   The first picture I saw one day when we traveled through the Karaburin Peninsula in Turkey: a beautiful scene of blooming poppies under the olive trees.  At first, I missed this shot because I did now wish to slow down.   The next day I decided to return to the site in the hope to being able to capture the scene again.... I was lucky.  The sun, the setting, everything was the way I had remembered it the day before!  Those poor people at the Hilton don't have this opportunity.   The other picture is of a meze or Turkish apetizer display with which our hosts in Istanbul presented us when we visited them at the end of our home exchange.   Our host had taken the trouble of copying the menu that the Turkish government had presented to Queen Elizabeth of England on her recent visit.  Sorry, you poor people at the Hilton... this is not the kind of hospitality and thoughtfulness you can expect, except on a home exchange.

Home Exchange is the affordable travel way to go.....!