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Newshound
Timesharetalk's Newshound
United Kingdom
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 Posted - 03/08/2008 : 09:50:26
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Trying to save money on your next holiday? Why not swap homes like one family who traded three weeks in their UK flat in Tottenham for a condo in Hawaii
MILES Eady and Cara Rodway had a three-week honeymoon in Hawaii and it hardly cost them a penny. The couple knew they couldnt afford to stay in a hotel on the sun-kissed Pacific Ocean islands, so went for a house swap instead.
Cara, 26, says: "Miles and I are huge fans of the TV show Lost and thought it would be fun to visit all the set locations. And Hawaii looked like a great honeymoon destination really beautiful and exotic."
Student Cara posted her details on internet message boards last year, leaving plenty of time to make the swap arrangements before her marriage to Miles in April. She says: I got in touch with an elderly lady in Hawaii whose daughter Leinani has a two-bedroom condo on the island of Oahu. I began emailing Leinani and we built up an online friendship.
Condo (short for condominium) is simply the American name for freehold flats, and on April 1, as Cara and Miles flew to Hawaii, Leinani arrived in London to stay at their one- bedroom flat in Tottenham, North London, for two-and-a-half weeks.
While the newlyweds soaked up the sun on the other side of the world, she saw the sights of London.
Cara says: "The condo had a lovely balcony overlooking beautiful tropical gardens with ponds of koi carp. I found it much more relaxing than a hotel because we didnt have to dress up to go down to breakfast or worry about leaving the room because the maid was coming in. It was also lovely that Leinanis mum Evelyn was there to meet us and show us around the flat. It was so nice to see a friendly face at the end of a long journey.
"And it was so much cheaper than staying in a hotel. We must have saved ourselves at least s2,000, as we were there for nearly three weeks.
"In fact the whole honeymoon didnt really cost us much. On our wedding list we asked for vouchers at Trailfinders and the gifts covered the cost of our flights, which came to about s1,000 for two."
With the cash they saved Cara and theatre administrator Miles, 28, got the most out of their trip by taking a tour of TV locations for Lost (www.hummertourhawaii.com) visiting Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, and taking a helicopter ride to get a birds eye view of the spectacular scenery (www.makanikai.com).
There was an unexpected bonus they caught sight of one of the Lost stars. Cara says: "One day on Kailua beach, we saw Elizabeth Mitchell, who plays Juliet, out jogging. It was very exciting.
She adds: "Home swapping was a really affordable way of going somewhere glamorous and exciting for a fraction of the money we would have had to spend.
"I would definitely recommend it as a honeymoon idea for the cash-strapped its an excellent way to meet people and get a different view of your destination.
"And It also meant we didnt have to worry about our flat being burgled or our plants dying while we were away. Wed definitely house swap again."
HOW YOU CAN DO IT TOO
THERE are several companies in the UK and abroad offering the chance to swap properties, either for a holiday or for a longer period.
Some people planning to emigrate use home-swap organisations to see what it is really like living in the country before they take the plunge.
But most people use it as a chance to holiday in another part of the world without paying for costly accommodation which often means you can stay for longer. Many home- swappers say they find it more relaxing to stay in a house rather than a hotel.
And the accommodation is often of a much higher standard than a self-catering holiday apartment.
And you also have the added advantage of knowing your property isnt lying empty back at home.
Most home-swap websites will charge you a membership fee to advertise your home around the world, although some are free to register. Fees and services vary, so it is worth shopping around to see which suits you best (see the examples on the right as a starter).
Of course, you can arrange your own house swap, but in that case you must build up a good relationship with your swapper and be sure you can really trust them.
You dont want to come home to any nasty surprises...
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.homelink.org.uk has the biggest membership worldwide and will translate your details into 16 different languages. Annual membership s115.
www.homexchangevacation.com is free to register and charges only s16.95 for full membership a year.
www.holidayhomeswap.com is a site for people with holiday homes they want to swap like someone with a second home in Spain or on a Greek island swapping with someone with a chalet in the Alps. Theres free membership for the first year and afterwards its s25 per year.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/advice/holidays/adventure/families/2008/08/02/say-aloha-to-holidays-at-home-115875-20681459/
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