Chris Skudder - New Zealand House Swap
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By Chris Skudder
Home exchange, house swap, whatever you want to call it, the very thought is enough to have some people running for the door before they’ve even hit the threshold. What if they touch my stuff? What if they look at my things? Strangers? In my house? You’ve got to be kidding. Where do I put my clothes and belongings when they’re here? What if they fiddle with my stereo? No chance.
Understandable reservations, it all went through my head once too, but it’s a concept that works, on mutual trust. Look at it this way, if you went to stay in some friends’ home when they were away you wouldn’t dream of leaving it in a mess would you? So when it comes to exchanging, knowing that they are in YOUR home too, probably thinking exactly the same about what you might be doing in their house, you’ll make damned sure you leave each other’s house spotless when you move out!
But anyway, nice people do it, and the benefits of living in a real home with all that comes with it far outweigh the reservations. There are the bikes to use, the canoe, the boat (if you’re lucky), and without wishing to sound anal , even the flask and the sandwich box, just like at home when you go out for a picnic.
Swapping house keys is the first step
That’s even before you’ve considered the money saving possibilities. As the credit crunch stretches finances and the family holiday is one of the first things to go, it’s a concept that opens up all kinds of travel possibilities. And no, you don’t empty drawers, you don’t shift your shirts next door, you just hand over the keys and step out into someone else’s world. Get there, live out of a suitcase and stay free for as long as you like (and use their car too, an extra driver added to the insurance for a few weeks doesn’t cost much).
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