		Nytt från Sydafrika
		Home away from home Home Away from Home! International tourism already in a parlous state, is about to become even more restricted as the global melt down linked to a shrinking currency, severely restricts our travel resources. Having hocked the family silver and taken a second bond on the house, our rands overseas will then do battle with shops, hotels, restaurants, and rude taxi drivers. As things stand now, the most modest arrangements take on the financial implications of a reckless spending spree, and going to a restaurant in London risks a lifetime of remorse. A breaking wave sees Rand-sieged South Africans swapping homes and cars with counterparts abroad looking to cash in on our bargain currency and great tourist attractions. It’s the HomeLink International Home Exchange with thousands of people world -wide keen to switch identities by living the South African experience, in exchange for their environment overseas. Ironically air travel from South Africa is still amongst the cheapest in the world, so getting to sophisticated or exotic destinations is not the problem. It’s life beyond Immigration and Customs that challenges our ingenuity. And this is where HomeLink International rides to the rescue. Affiliated to Homelink International, which was established in 1953, members have access to 13,500 active members in over 65 countries world wide, all seeking the variety and adventure inherent in a lifestyle swap. Their website is a massive directory featuring an impressive array of homes in an astonishing range of countries - opening a whole new arena for international travel and exploration. Exchanges usually include both a home and a car, so before you step off the plane you’re ahead by the cost of accommodation and transport. You also get reliable house-sitters as part of the bargain. This enormous saving, which restores the possibility of travel abroad for many South Africans, is still not the main reason for embarking on a lifestyle exchange. The major appeal stems from living the life of the locals. There’s an ethos behind the concept that has participants seeking varied experiences rather than tightly matched accommodation. So you could find yourself in a stately English home under the watchful eye of a succession of framed ancestors, whilst your exchangees settle in to your holiday shack on the Breede River. Nor is the concept confined to house swapping as hospitality exchanges are also very popular, along with offers of time-share at various resorts. The latter offers a convenient option for those reluctant to involve their homes. On a sweltering day, I was slaving over a hot Weber. This wasn’t a traditional South African braai, but an afternoon on the Emerald Isle. Watching me my hosts a charming Irish couple, sat cool as cucumbers, under a giant Sherman tree in the magnificent 6-acre garden of their baronial estate called Fassaroe, in County Wicklow. Being a South African comes with a built-in, if undeserved reputation for barbecuing skills, and under a veil of sweat I resolved to have them dancing Irish Jigs when they claimed their end of the deal at my home in Cape Town. In exchange for the use of my garden cottage in Newlands, I stayed in an entire wing of their magnificent home, revelling in the hospitality for which the Irish are famous. Rather sadly, I never got to see the resident ghost, a restless tenant from a previous century who probably had a beef about the lease. This was such a good experience, that I returned for a second stay a few years later, and my hosts loved Cape Town so much, they bought a house in Constantia, and are probably looking for a Dublin exchange right now! Cut to Vail, Colorado one of the great ski resorts of the world with prices to match the altitude, unless of course you’re lucky enough to arrange a home exchange as I did on three separate occasions. Lying in a hot tub with water jets massaging my ski-weary limbs, I calculated that by dividing the cost of my Homelink internet membership by 21 days, this sumptuous accommodation for six was costing $7 a day! Rounding off my home exchanging adventures were great swaps in a comfortable bungalow in Chalfont St Giles, a beautiful home in the Gerrard’s Cross stockbroker belt, an Anne Hathaway cottage near Cambridge, and a convenient bachelor flat in Shepherds Bush-London. All of these came with the use of a car. There is a definite philosophy behind the culture of home exchanging that needs to be explained. Most of the participants are wealthy or comfortable middle aged citizens, many of whom are retired. To them this is a wonderful opportunity for adventure and exploration, and sure beats sitting around on the stoep all day. Quite a few have second homes, which immediately eliminates one of the limiting factors of this concept, the need for a simultaneous exchange. Pivotal to all of this is a mutual respect for each other’s property, and I have always had my home returned in pristine condition. Handovers are difficult to guarantee, and I suppose, as in most things, there is an element of risk. But the calibre of the participants, plus the collateral of being in each other’s homes, tends to ensure against the abuse of trust. There’s also a HomeLink registry in each country, underpinning standards and maintaining the integrity of the system. Quite apart from acting as a safeguard, they smooth out minor irritations and are often excellent matchmakers. They also provide references when qualified to do so. To make the most of your holiday, and ensure a compatible match, a lot of thought should go into the compilation of your entry in the directory and matching www insert. For starters, you should be quite explicit about where, when and for how long you want to go. Furthermore these inserts give you plenty of scope for eliminating taboos from your home. Collectors of fine Chinaware might not be too keen on the concept of kids playing tag amongst the Ming collectibles, and non-smokers might not welcome cigarette addicts. On the question of destinations, I encourage offers from everywhere, and as a result am always spoilt for choice. South Africa occupies one of the smaller segments of the directory, which is dominated by the USA, Britain, Europe and Australia. This serves to ensure a steady flow of propositions, particularly in the Cape where I get an average of 25 offers a year. Finally, there is a two letter coding system that signifies available amenities, and facilities such as pools, patios, appliances and local attractions. All of this assists in the making of an initial assessment, leaving the finer detail to further interaction. There’s no doubt that the whole process has been simplified and enhanced by the advancement of electronic communications. So, before hitching up the family caravan in despair, give a thought to expanding your horizons with a home exchange. Who knows, you may be lucky enough to be installed as the temporary Lord of an English Manor, or luckier still, wind up sharing a bough with an Amazon headhunter. Chances are though; you’ll find yourselves surrounded by new best-friends in a comfortable home with reliable wheels in a far-off country that latterly, you couldn’t otherwise afford to visit. Annual Membership fee: The subscription fee is R1,050 which allows members up to 20 colour photographs on their page on the site. All the entries are also included in a printed directory which is available for an extra R325 NB. These are the only costs involved in the transaction. There are no deposits specified, unless this is negotiated between the exchanging parties. Web Site: - www.homelinksouthafrica.com Enquiries: - HomeLink International Home Exchange P.O.Box 23188 Claremont 7735 Tel/fax 021 7622274 E-mail: - avril@homelinksouthafrica.com Clothing and Personal effects: Cupboard space sufficient for the incoming exchanger’s projected stay should be provided. In doing so, belongings and valuables believed to be at risk should be transferred to a designated room and locked. Utilities: (Lights and water etc) should be pre-paid by both parties.

		Nytt från Italien
		Italian "get-together" a big success Each year our Italian organiser holds a get-together for members. This year's event attracted over 100 enthusiastic HomeLinkers to the World Heritage-listed city of Ferrara in Northern Italy. Held over a three day Italian long weekend in mid-May, many attendees, including a number from abroad, were able to enjoy hosting or hospitality exchanges (see below) with fellow HomeLinkers living in the region. HomeLink Italy's Annalisa Pujatti, along with her son Giovanni, hosted a traditional Italian community feast on Sunday the 17th, where fellow HomeLinkers shared in a festive spirit of La Dolce Vita over a superb meal of fine Italian food and wine. HomeLink Italy's Annalisa If you are considering a holiday in Italy in May-June in 2010, perhaps you would like to pencil in Annalisa's annual Get-Together on your calendar. It's a wonderful Italian HomeLink experience that you'll long remember. What is 'hospitality' exchange? Hospitality exchange is where members come and stay with you and vice versa, as opposed to swapping homes. Members do this for a number of reasons. Some new HomeLinkers prefer hospitality exchanges to ease themselves into this new world of travel. Others take up hospitality exchanges because over the course of their correspondence they have formed a friendship, and would enjoy having each other as guests. Another reason is that one member may be keen to go to a specific area but the approached member is not able to reciprocate an exchange at that time; they may offer hospitality exchange in order to facilitate the other member's travel plans. HomeLink Italy members gathering

NYHETSBREV juli 2009 från HomeLink Sverige