Roadtripping
the World with Holiday Trades
RV Trips Around the Globe
by Jaimie Hall |
RVers have so much to see in United States
and Canada. Adventuresome RVers travel into Mexico, and some
venture all the way to Panama. But even with all these places
to see in North America, some RVers' wanderlust takes them to
overseas destinations. Rather than pay for a hotel or a rental,
an RV exchange is one way to reduce expenses. Plus, you can
more easily tap into local knowledge.
MOTORHOME EXCHANGES
Through RV and caravan clubs, you might find
someone willing to exchange RVs -- or caravans as they are
called in many other countries. The International
Caravanning Association is a worldwide organization that
organizes tours in many parts of the world. Their Web site
has a "Rig Swop" page that lists members wanting
to exchange rigs. Search for the caravan association for the
country you are interested in to find other swaps. You may
also find ads for swaps at these Web sites:
HOUSE EXCHANGES
House exchanges are quite popular. Do an Internet
search and you'll find many Web sites that provide a venue
for making an exchange. Most are limited to trading "stick"
(brick-and-mortar) housing.
Holitrade, however, has expanded this idea to include
exchanging not only houses, but campervans or RVs, cars, boats,
yachts and timeshares -- all on the same site. You might be
able to trade the use of your motorhome for a stay in a house
or even a houseboat! (Holitrade charges no fees.)
Another house exchange Web site is Seniors
Home Exchange. For the over-50 age group, this site also
lists RVs and campervans along with houses. (Seniors Home
Exchange charges a fee.)
HOUSE SITTING
With house sitting, you care for someone's home
-- and often their pets -- while they are on vacation. Duties
are usually minimal, so you have time to explore the area.
Caretaker
Gazette lists house sitting and caretaker assignments
all over the world. Some are for extended periods of time
and may involve pay. Caretaker Gazette (which charges a subscription
fee) has both a print and online edition as well as email
notification of new opportunities. Also, an Internet search
for "house sitting" will turn up a number of other
Web sites.
CAUTIONS
These Web sites act as brokers. They do not investigate
people who place an ad. Working out the exchange and its details
is up to the two parties. At the Holitrade site, see the FAQs
for a list of items to discuss. The UK Motorhomes site suggests
these thoughts for first-time exchangers:
- Place your listing or ad at least 6-8 months
prior to your contemplated holiday.
- Look for an exchange with a motor home that
is similar in size to your own. Remember you will be in
a different country and you will need to concentrate on
traffic conditions and road signs rather than the size of
the vehicle.
- Come to an agreement over insurance and any
other costs that may occur during the exchange, for example
if the fridge breaks down, or you get a blow-out in one
of the tyres.
- Join a motor home association in the country
you intend to holiday in. They can often make bookings for
you on ferries etc and provide good information on camping
sites.
- Keep in constant touch with the people you
have exchanged with building up a bond with them so that
you both feel comfortable with the exchange.
Damien Priest, owner of Holitrade, says, "So
if anyone just likes a holiday, and is open to suggestions,
it's a cheap way to travel. You can always sign up for two
or three of the free sites like mine, at a cost of $0, and
see how it works firsthand. Whether you take up an offer is
up to you."
A couple of years ago, my granddaughter and I
traveled to New Zealand and rented a campervan. Three weeks
was not time enough to see all of even the South Island, plus
renting a campervan was expensive. I'd love to go back for
another, longer visit. I'll definitely be checking out exchanges!
Jaimie
Hall
7/2/06
More
RVing Articles>
|
