Home Exchange Berlin 2011: Getting High

August 26, 2011
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Now that I have your attention this is not an article about drugs, beer, or other mind altering substances.  Paris has the Eifel Tower, which is a beautiful building that offers great views and intimate contact with thousands of tourists.  Berlin has several options for a view high above the maddening crowd, which is generally [...]

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Exchanging your home and your pets

August 13, 2011
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By Didier Leclerc, translated and edited from the French original by John Mensinger Trading your home may mean exchanging pet care. This year I swapped my cat for a lovely aquarium with fish and a turtle. You can find exchange opportunities that include dogs, horses, birds, snakes, chickens, and other animals. Think carefully before agreeing [...]

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Berlin 2011: Carnival of Cultures

July 28, 2011
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Berlin has many festivals and special events. June is a busy month with one or more unique activities each weekend. Our family enjoyed the Carnival of Cultures in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg. This celebration draws over 500,000 people with outdoor music, food and drink vendors, and a parade with over 100 diverse cultural groups. [...]

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Berlin 2011: Public Transport

July 25, 2011
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My favorite public transit system in the world is in Berlin.  It is clean, affordable, extensive, reliable, and easy to use.  You can get on the S-Bahn with your dog, drink a beer, or take along a bicycle.   You have to buy a ticket for the bicycle, but the first dog is included at no [...]

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Is it too late to trade your home this summer?

July 18, 2011
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By Didier Leclerc, translated and edited from the French original by John Mensinger For some of us summer is almost over.  Children in California begin returning to school at the beginning of August.   Kids in England remain in school for most of July and will have the entire month of August to relax, which is [...]

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Berlin 2011: Meeting our exchange partners

July 2, 2011
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  We always meet our house swap partners in advance, as you know from a previous post. One potential problem with these meetings is your partners may be busy preparing their home for the exchange or getting ready for the trip. This was the case with our German hosts. A friend, Lola met us at [...]

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Berlin 2011: Getting ready for the exchange

June 13, 2011
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Our family had a busy May getting ready for our summer home exchange. I focused on the garden, pulling weeds, planting tomatoes, and fiddling with the automatic irrigation system. The garage was cleaned and organized for the first time in years. Julia endured a vacuum and mopping marathon. Our home had deferred maintenance issues. The [...]

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Tips for trading your car

May 19, 2011
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Trading a car on a home exchange can be an economical choice. If you swap vehicles you need to take appropriate precautions. Before leaving make sure your car is in good shape. Everything should be working and the car should have been serviced as recommended by the manufacturer. There should be a comprehensive atlas or [...]

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Should your home swap include trading a car?

May 14, 2011
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When you drive a few hours to a home exchange the issue of trading your car never comes up. When you are flying to your exchange residence you will think about whether or not to trade a car. If you are British and trading in nearby parts of continental Europe you should consider trading a [...]

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Should you pay more to join a Luxury Home Exchange Agency?

May 5, 2011
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I happened to come across two new home exchange agencies in one day, both focusing on luxury and style. We live in a world where markets are segmented and differentiated so this is to be expected. How are we to define luxury and style for a home exchange agency? How about requiring a beautiful website [...]

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