Home Exchange - Travel the World for free?

By Janinne Fletcher

Can you help me ?

I am Janinne and I live in an old house in Milnthorpe, which I have been renovating for about 18 months or so, now. It has been a 'money pit' ...

Janinne and Alan

Janinne and Alan's Home in Milnthorpe

So , when my Partner and I came to discuss the issue of Holidays this Year (we had no Holidays last year at all, as such as they were, we used our Holls to work on the House) it was a 'Hobson's Choice' - no Holls or a cheap package one.

The Dogs

I have 2 dogs, who like to live at home. Putting them in a Kennels would have been expensive and nerve - wracking for all. Plus, we felt we had earned a bit of luxury, but could ill - afford a 'posh' Hotel. So. I thought of trying a Home Exchange. I paid a few Dollars [about £35] on the Internet to join, peanuts, really for what I have saved so far.

So, I joined www.HomeExchange.com, to see who if anyone would get in touch. Thinking it was worth the outlay if it paid off within the year of membership for the money I paid. My Partner is a cynic through and through, and thought it was a waste of our Money. So I put my details on their web site and waited for someone to e - mail me, thinking it would be a month or so ........ Heck !
Was I wrong about that !

I was inundated with offers of swaps from Australia, USA, Hawaii, Spain, France, Sweden, South Africa , Switzerland .... I could go on ! It's so exciting.

I get in from work and the first thing I do is check my E-mail Box to see who called in.

There are people all the time asking & offering their home in a swap, their cars too, Baby & kiddy stuff [ strollers etc ], toys, books, their various Libraries, their Swimming pools/a neighbours pool if not.... sometimes even their boats, or their surfboards, or skis.. often they don't want to leave their own home unoccupied, or save a few quid, or just have themselves & family in a comfy place suited to their needs, rather than a sanitised and tiddly Hotel room where there's only room to fall out amongst themselves. (We've all walked that path, eh ?). Its really like self catering, but costs nothing ?
The good thing for me was the Dogs got to stay at Home and no upset of Kennels; and my House was occupied, kept warm and looked after.

All from abroad are mad - keen to come to the UK. Especially a place around Milnthorpe as its so well placed for Ireland [via the Ferry at Morecambe] most places via Carnforth/Kendal Rail Stations and, of course The Lake District, Yorks Moors and Trough of Bowland National Parks.

I got so excited by the interest in coming here I am now the UK Spokesperson for www.HomeExchange.com and I need travellers from this area to think seriously about dumping the package holl idea for a much more fun way to see the World . Costs you 'flight only' !

I did an exchange to Aix en Provence in France for a week, it went great, my house was cleaner than when I left it, and the Dogs were totally "walked out" ! (They still look about for the family who has now gone, they miss them). I left them local bacon, sausage, eggs etc in the fridge for their arrival, they did the same for me at their Home, and so I left same for the family when I left their Home In Aix, to find a chocca fridge full of goodies when I got home. No Supermarket trip after a long drive Home !

The French Families children 'palled up' with my neighbours kids and got so friendly all the English kids got 100% in their French Home work that week. The Kids are still E-mailing eachother in both Languages to try & improve their marks, in both languages, and now the neighbours are doing their own Exchange this Summer !

The idea of Home Exchange is really infectious, as you swap not just Homes but culture, neighbours, lifestyles and you make mates all over the World to boot !
I am a total www.HomeExchange.com convert, so is my distrustful partner Alan.

We had a great HomeExchange planned for this New Year [2002], with a guy from LA who wanted to visit his daughter whilst she was on a year abroad from her USA University at Lancaster University.

Ed, Josh and Jordan

He dislikes Hotels, finds them boring and 'packaged' .. It went pear - shaped as I was too ill to travel, and we had to call our end of things off. However, Ed from LA and I had got so friendly in our E mails to & fro, we decided to meet up any way. He came here for a week in March and we are off there at Summer for 2 weeks. I cannot wait to see him again, we had a great time, even though he was my 'lodger' for a week. We get to be his 'lodgers' for 2 weeks, for free.

Ed's House

Hermosa Sunset

We now have pals all over the Country and the World, who are good fun. Sociable. Caring and sharing. We know we can now travel UK and the World for free. Ad infinitum. For just a few pounds. It's been a real Revelation in the way I look at Holidaying. No trips to the Travel Agents anymore to see whats available ...in 'Plastic and PrePack Town' .. I just throw out a few E-mails and see who drops in to say 'Hello'. My next 3 years of Holls are all sorted. Yours could be too.

So go get a look at www.HomeExchange.com and help a local lass out !

Thanks

Janinne

Janinne Fletcher can be contacted by email at janflet@btopenworld.com