We are packing for our next home exchange. Our half of a swap with folks from Massachusetts is set for Labor Day weekend. Their home on Cape Cod is near Falmouth and its ferry to Martha's Vineyard.
Our swap partners used our place earlier this year when we went on a vacation that did not include home exchange (the horror!). When ever we take a trip that does not rely on home exchange we always offer our home for a non-simultaneous exchange and "bank" our half of the exchange.
Until two years ago we always exchanged homes simultaneously with our swap partners. Why do we now do non-simultaneous swaps almost exclusively? The answer lies with our newest home exchanger and oldest family member, my father. We combined households with him two years ago when we lost my mother. Dad likes to travel, but he is more a fancy hotel guy than a home exchanger.
After Dad joined our home exchange party we tried to arrange some swaps to areas that interest him. Departure day would come and Dad would not feel well enough to travel. Since I refuse to cancel a home exchange due to an avoidable "emergency" I quickly realized that our family needed a new approach. The next time we went on a cruise we had a s swap family stay at our place in exchange for specific dates later in the year at their home.
Two years later we have exchanges banked with six families. Next weekend's swap is the first we will use. I'll let you know all about it.
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