Affordable Travel

2012-01-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

Home Exchange is for heroic people

The other day I listened to an interview of a psychologist who was asked why he thought so many passengers on the cruise ship "Costa Concordia", including its captain, pushed aside even children and the elderly, concerned with only saving themselves and why so few were able to be heroic, thinking of others first. He offered an interesting suggestion: perhaps most people going on a cruise were not the adventurous types, looking to be fed, entertained and pampered but unwilling to risk and venture into the unknown.

Recently, I have found that when trying to explain the concept of Home Exchange, I get this dazed look from people, as if it's something so strange and alien that they could never think of themselves doing it. The most common reaction is: "Are you not afraid that someone is going to walk away with your possessions?" They just can't conceive the idea of some stranger coming into their home and living there for a while. What they forget, of course, is the fact that they are, likewise, strangers to the other people.

The point is: some people are just not the types to ever consider the idea of a Home Exchange. They would rather sit on a cruise ship where everything is arranged for their entertainment and appetite. Happily, there are many others who have that sense of adventure that allows them to believe that the trust that is expected of them is also given to them by others.

2011-12-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

Affordable Travel - How it Works

We have joined three Home Exchange sites as well as the Affordable Travel Club. Each site charges a nominal fee, ranging from $60 to $100, for an annual listing. On the listing, you provide all the information which would be useful to potential visitors: pictures of your home, preferred dates, destinations etc. Once you have registered with an agency, you will be provided with weekly emails which will inform you of new and updated listings of other members who have indicated their preferred destinations which coincide with yours.

The listing agency does not do any vetting of the integrity of the individual listing. It is up to the individuals to develop that sense of trust. The underlying assumption of course is that you will take care of the home of the other people as they will of yours. Arrangements regarding an exchange of cars, care of pets, accommodation of children, etc. are all negotiated by the people interested in the exchange. Our experience has been in the positive without qualification. One tends to get people who are professional and like-minded. To this day, lasting friendships have developed because of our home exchange experience.

In the case of the Affordable Travel Club, no exchange is involved or any responsibility to reciprocate.

Both, the Affordable Travel Club and Home Exchange Agencies list people who are interested in house sitting or pet-sitting. We spend six wonderful weeks in the Basque Country of France, looking after four cats, when no reciprocal arrangements were negotiated.

2011-12-28T17:00:00.000-08:00

I have selected this picture of a typical Turkish breakfast (havarti) which was on the menu of a restaurant near our place of stay. It illustrates the fact that a home exchange gives one an opportunity to savour the life-style of another culture in a way that is rarely possible through other means of travel. I have a cookbook, Extending the table of the World. That is what home exchange offers: an opportunity to extend one's experience of the colour and diversity of another culture different from one's own. Food is a wonderful way to do just that.

2011-12-27T16:44:00.000-08:00

Don't pre-judge the possibilities...

We often wonder: "Why would anyone want to come to Brantford?" It's hard to imagine why anyone living in Paris or St. Petersburg would want to spend time in our town. But then, again and again, we are surprised by the number of people, living in what we consider "exotic places", want to do just that! I guess we are too close to the place in which live to appreciate its attractiveness to others.

Recently we received an invitation from a couple living in the heart of New York city to consider a home exchange with them. We are now in the process of working out the details of that possibility. Imagine, living in that exciting and vibrant city for a period of several weeks! But the other people are probably saying the same thing: "Imagine, living in Brantford with its hiking trails, wild life, proximity to vineyards and live theatre, fishing, sailing, golf, for a period of several weeks"

The point is: Don't pre-judge the possibilities of a home exchange.

2011-12-09T17:55:00.001-08:00

Recently we had an enquiry from a couple in Holland who wanted us to do a home exchange. Unfortunately, we were not able to consider because we had other plans. We suggested that they might stay in our home in Canada while we are away visiting relatives and friends on the East coast, with the understanding that at some future time we might stay in their home in The Netherlands. It's a kind of "I owe you" idea which seems to work quite well in a home exchange. In other words, home exchanges don't have to be simultaneous. The same idea works quite well when someone has a second home, a cottage or whatever.

Citizen Diplomacy is the answer

2011-11-09T18:44:00.000-08:00

During the cold war, "citizen diplomacy" was very much in vogue: the idea of ordinary people, like you and me, visiting other ordinary people in Russia or East Germany. An enormous amount of good was accomplished in breaking down the barriers of alienation and misunderstanding between nations by means of this simple idea: ordinary people getting to know ordinary people in other countries in their daily circumstances. The idea is still important today and is most beautifully embodied in Home Exchange and The Affordable Travel Club. My wife and I have recently met wonderful people in France, Australia, Turkey and the USA and have come to know them and their way of life in a way which those poor people at the Hilton or others sitting on cruise ships will never experience.

2011-10-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

Why would anyone bother....?

Why would anyone living in Paris or London want to come to humble little Brantford? The anwer is "you would be surprised how many!" You would be surprised to see the list of people from world cities who would love to visit. Since joining the home exchange network we've had enquiries from Paris, St. Petersburg, Helsinsky, Dehli, Istanbul, Amsterdam and other exotic locations about a possible exchange with us in "humble little Brantford". The point is that we have things to offer which others would love to experience. The point is too that we, living in these humble little places, tend to underestimate their appeal.

Affordable Travel

2011-10-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

2011-10-22T17:05:00.000-07:00

Imagine.... $20 a day to see the world!

Burgundy....

London.....

Istanbul....

That's what The Affordable Travel Club offers for only $20 a night, breakfast included!

The idea is that you join the club at 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 is offered

and your host will spend at least an hour with you to help you get oriented. 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 phonecall from someone who asks you to host a visit. Friends of ours are presently on a wonderful vacation down-under who are enjoying the hospitality of friendly, welcoming Austrlians. Can you think of a more wonderful, affordable way to travel and see the world?

2011-10-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

Those Poor People at the Hilton.....

Recently, we spent four wonderful days in San Francisco. The total cost of lodging for those 4 nights came to a mere $80 and that included our breakfast and a glass of wine in the evening before going to bed. How is that possible? It's the Affordable Travel Club that made it possible.

Check it out by clicking on the link above. Those poor people at the Hilton, spending maybe more than $300 a night, would never have the experience we had. Our hosts were a wonderful couple who generously extended their hospitality to two Canucks from Brantford Ontario. During the days of the cold war, it was a movement called "Citizen Diplomacy" that opened the doors to a frank exchange of people from the West and East in the belief that it is ordinary people meeting ordinary people that breaks down the barriers of misunderstanding between nations. Canada and the US have much in common. But there is also a lot of ignorance and lack of understanding that keeps us frozen in our stereotypes of each other. Two couples sitting down for a glass of wine before retiring for the evening and enjoying a breakfast together the next morning has a way of opening up the channels of understanding and enriching each other in ways that those poor people at the Hilton will never know.

2011-10-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

Dont' forget or ignore the medical insurance.....

I had a heart attack while hiking in the hills of the Basque country of France. This was probably the best country in the world to have an attack - We were lucky to be able to benefit from the best medical system in the world at a cost that would have necessitated a re-financing of our mortgage in the US. The total cost of ambulance and 5 days in an intensive care unit came to a mere $15,000 Euros. Fortunately, I had the insurance and pre-condition statements to cover the total cost. The moral of this message is: Don't take a risk. Declare all your pre-conditions, changes in drugs etc. as required by the insurance companies. Even for a short stay, don't take a chance. Affordable travel or home exchange gets kinds of meaningless when you have to foot as substantial bill for medical expenses. Several years ago, we ventured into the US for a one-day trip from Canada and had a car accident. Luckily, there were no injuries for we had no medical travel insurance. But what if we did have injuries and had ended up in a hospital? It's just not worth it, at any age.

2011-10-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

Home Exchanges don't have to be simultaneous.

Recently we received an email from a couple in The Netherlands who wanted to do a home exchange. Unfortunately, we had to tell them that we were in no position at the moment to consider a simultaneous exchange. However, we suggested that they might wish to stay in our home while we are away on a trip to the Eastern provinces of Canada during the period they wished to visit. This was with the understanding that at some future time we would avail ourselves of the opportunity to stay in their home in The Netherlands. This would have to be at their convenience and at a time when they would expect to be away from their home. They accepted the idea, giving us the assurance that this would work for them. So next year they will be visiting Canada and staying in our home for a 3 week period, giving us the pleasure of looking forward to a time in the future, as yet undetermined, when we will visit The Netherlands and stay in their home.

The point is: home exchanges do not have to be simultaneous. We worked it out in our way and there may be other ways this could work, especially if you have a second cottage or a second home where you could stay. The point is there are many different ways in which a home exchange can work to the benefit of both parties.

Another Travel Club Experience

2011-09-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

We have just returned from a wonderful 4 day stay in San Francisco with a couple who belong to the Affordable Travel Club but whom we had never met before. Today we call them "friends". One of the most common questions asked by doubters is "How can you trust a total stranger you have never met before in your home?" Our hosts in San Francisco had no such qualms. Although they both work and would not be arriving home till early evening, they left the key and allowed us to enter their home and leave our suitcases before returning to the city for sightseeing. We were perfect strangers to them and yet they trusted us implicitly. That is what the Affordable Travel Club is all about: trust and have that trust returned. We spent the next four days sight-seeing and exploring this marvellous city, returning in the evening and chatting about our experiences, waking up the next day to a wonderful breakfast and sitting around the table chatting about this and that and discovering how much we had in common.

New Ideas for Affordable Travel

2011-04-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

When you click on the Affordable Travel Club link above, you will discover that there other ways of traveling affordably. Listed there you will find the names and addresses of people who are looking for house and pet sitters and those who are willing to look after your house or pet in return. My wife and I recently looked after 4 cats in the Basque Region of France and were able to stay in a beautiful home in exchange for that service. The cats were gone most of the time, giving us an opportunity to visit the area at our leisure.

Traveling affordably in Australia

2011-04-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

As part of our trip through the state of South Australia, we had arranged to stay for 4 nights with 2 couples who are members of The Affordable Travel Club. The first two nights stayed in the city of Adelaide. When we arrived in the late afternoon, we asked our hosts for suggestions regarding places to dine. They suggested they would come along and join us at one of their favourite dining spots in the Adelaide Hills. It turned out to be a wonderful experience in a place we would never have been able to find by ourselves. The quality of food was superb and the views breathtaking. Those poor people at the Hilton or on cruise liners! There is just no substitute for staying like this with people who know their area and are proud to show it off.

The next two nights, we stayed with a wonderful couple in the Barossa Valley, famous for its wonderful vineyards. Again, only affordable travel enabled us to enjoy this fabulous area and savour the best shirazes we have had anywhere.

Affordable Travel in Australia

2011-04-03T17:44:00.000-07:00

While visiting our daughter and her family in Melbourne, we decided on a one week trip to Adelaide in the state of South Australia, giving us a wonderful opportunity to visit the city of Adelaide and explore the vineyards of the Barossa Valley, famous for their wonderfull shiraz. We had arranged to stay with two families, two nights in Adelaide and two nights in the Barossa Valley, as members of the Affordable Travel Club. The first stopover was disappointing. While our hosts were gracious and hospitable, their home premises were anything but clean. In fact, after our first night stay, we wondered if we should stay a second night. However, the next stopover was totally different: not only were our hosts friendly and accommodating, their home was impeccably clean. Our first experience, thankfully, is an exception. Friends of ours, recently spent a month in Australia as participants in the Affordable Travel Club and came away with glowing reports of the experience. We continued our trip to Kangaroo Island where we enjoyed the wonderful scenery and wildlife

The Advantages of Affordable Travel.

2011-02-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we are leaving for a 7 week visit to Australia. One week of our stay we will be traveling to Adelaide in South Australia to visit the city of Adelaide, tour the wineries of the Barossa Valley and Kangaroo Island. Four nights of that week we will be staying with two families who are members of The Affordable Travel Club. Imagine, instead of staying in a hotel and bump into a few Australians by chance here and there, we are being hosted by local Australians and experience their hospitality in their own homes! That is the beauty of Home Exchange and the Affordable Travel Club: being able to experience a culture and its people, different from our own, in a way that nothing else can allow. If you need more information, don't hesitate to contact us. It's so simple and wonderful.

Imagine....!! Twenty Dollars a night to see the world!!

2010-12-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

Imagine visiting all kinds of interesting places in the world

Melbourne, Australia

Paris, France

London, England

That's what The Affordable Travel Club offers for only $20 a night, breakfast included!

The idea is that you join the club at 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 is offered

and your host will spend at least an hour with you to help you get oriented. 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 asks you to host a visit. Friends of ours are presently on a wonderful vacation

down-under, enjoying the hospitality of friendly, welcoming Australians. What a wonderful,

affordable way to travel and see the world.

When considering home exchange: don't short-sell yourself

2010-10-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

We live in Brantford. one hour from Toronto and about the same distance from Niagara, Stratford etc. We are blessed with a wonderful, historic community, cycling and hiking paths, a vantage point from which to travel to the theatre and vinyards of the Niagara and Stratford areas - yet, we continue to ask ourselves: "Why would anyone bother to come to our town and participate in a home exchange?" We decided to put that question to the test and see who in the past year has expressed in interest in coming to Brantford and participate in a home exchange. We were surprised. The list included people from Israel, St. Petersburg, Mexico, Paris, Australia, Holland!! We had forgotten that what may be ordinary and common-place to us, is new and interesting to others. The things we take for granted are an inviting adventure to those who come to visit. So, don't short-sell yourself when listing your home.

Beautiful British Columbia

2010-09-20T19:21:00.000-07:00

Angela and I recently visited British Columbia where one of daughters lives. We visited Kamloops and area as well as Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Saw lots of beautiful scenery and wildlife. Here are a few pictures taken during our trip.

The pictures above were taken on Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver.

Everywhere you go, there is breath-taking scenery. Vancouver is one of the most people-friendly cities in Canada with lots of space for hiking, cycling and sight-seeing.

Colonial Hanoi.... Going.... Going.... almost Gone

2010-08-08T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here and there, when looking up to the second floor, a discerning eye will still see the neglected remnants of French architecture from the colonial period.

And this is what can happen when imagination, pride and money come together to restore and rehabilitate these almost forgotten architectural jewels of the past.

Traffic in Hanoi: If you stop, you die.... If you run, you die....

2010-07-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

When hundreds of motor cycles and scooters come at you from all directions, it is a hair-raising experience to try to cross a street. The very first morning we tried it, we were nervous wrecks. Then we realized that you just need to walk into traffic and expect people tp slow down and drive around you as you cross. Somehow that seems to work. We saw no accidents or even fender benders on the streets of Hanoi.

Good Morning Viet Nam!

2010-07-13T17:20:00.000-07:00

We have just returned from a 5 week trip to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hanoi, Viet Nam and will be telling you about experiences and travel tips that may help you to enjoy that part of the world. The picture you see here was taken on the island of Lankowi in Malaysia and is just intended to whet you appetite! So, stay posted, more is to come....

An anti-cruise crusade

2010-05-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

I am on a kind of "anti cruise crusade", having enjoyed the benefits of home exchange and more affordable forms of travel. Instead of briefly, very briefly, visiting ports of call on a cruise itinerary, home exchange gives you the opportunity to live the culture you are visiting, shop and walk the streets the way the locals do. It is a rich experience which surpasses anything a brief hop off a cruise ship can allow.

These pictures, showing a man doing ablutions before entering a mosque, a couple at a bank machine and seniors working out on exercise equipment in a park illustrate what I mean.

2010-04-18T20:24:00.000-07:00

Imagine walking the streets of Istanbul at leisure, watching and photographing its people in their daily routines, because you have the time..... that is what a home exchange offers.