Flexibility and patience are important in HomeLink. So many people are rigid about where they want to go to and are impatient to get there. People should look at what else is offering and sometimes can get a better exchange in a place they have never even thought about. We are going to Ireland for 5 weeks in July and August but did the spadework early last year.
Some people think of their needs and forget that their exchangers might have needs too. People wanting to come here for Christmas so that they can leave the cold, miserable weather behind, have rung me from England! Forget it. Their proposition would be more attractive if they suggested a time beneficial to both ie.between seasons.
We have made some amazing friends through HomeLink. Some people on the Gold Coast for instance who exchanged with us three years ago. We got on so well we have become great friends. They know we like going away in our winter so when they feel like a foray away they contact us and we go and house sit for them. They have a solar heated swimming pool and spa so we can go winter swimming and they also leave us their new car.
Hospitality exchanges can be fun too. We had a wonderful stay with a couple in New Jersey five years ago and have become good friends. They have been to visit us here.
I think with every exchange you learn a little more and often make another friend. The ripple effect goes on as they are like-minded people who enjoy travelling. You arrange more meetings with each other in different places and there is often mutual housesitting, repeat exchanges and so on.
We haven't had to contact anyone for the last two years as people always seem to contact us with interesting propositions. If an exchange falls through I don't worry about it. There is usually another one around the corner.
HomeLink International N.Z
'Oakfield' Phone (09)263 9677
383 Redoubt Road
Manukau 2016
Auckland
