An old friend and I met and caught up with each other over a cup of coffee. As we talked about our good old days of traveling in groups, she was saddened by the fact that she can’t go anywhere far from home because of her kid. So I said, “Then why not bring your daughter along with you when you plan to go on a trip again?” Who says having kids would tie you down and prevent you from going places?

Bringing kids with you on trips might even be a good idea. Of course, it’s pretty tough taking care of them when you are away form home, but it would also be a rewarding experience for you and your kids. It is a real learning experience for them to be exposed to a new environment and different cultures and lifestyles. Seeing that the world isn’t just limited to the neighborhood they are in, kids can easily adapt to new environment when they grow older. Adjusting becomes easier. Traveling and going places is a learning experience apart from school. A good idea to make the most of your trip is to take them to museums or galleries to know more about the place you are in. That would be History 101 for your little kid! Another good idea is to take them on a short hike around the countryside or bike around the city. The discoveries are endless. Kids will never forget that experience and will take these memories with them until they grow old. These are inexpensive activities, but the reward for spending quality and quantity for them is priceless.

Traveling with kids or even as a family isn’t expensive; there are family packages that you could avail. And of course, home exchange is a good idea to cut back on accommodations. Look for a home exchange that could accommodate the size of your family and wouldn’t mind if you would have kids with you during your stay. You and your home exchange partner can talk about any concerns with kids staying, but surely they wouldn’t mind. Treat your kids to a new experience. Enjoy!

The buzz on global warming has been louder louder for the past years. With different environmental issues connected to it, people now are more concerned to go green. Air pollution is one of the major factors for global warming. The emission of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere is a serious threat to our health and Mother Nature’s. So what could we do to help lessen the pollution?

We should go green! Fellow home exchangers, why not try riding a bike while on vacation in the city or countryside you are about to have an exchange instead of renting a car? Wouldn’t that be a good idea? This way, you could save on car rentals and petrol. We all know that there’s a financial crunch going on, so cutting on the rental expenses would be a big help. Biking is also good for your health, you could burn as much as 550 calories for an hour of riding a bike. (That’s equivalent to an hour of freestyle swimming laps!)  Not only that, taking a bike ride around the city is a fun and cheap way of enjoying your stay on a new place. Cities such as Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam and Paris are very friendly places to go on bike riding.

Now there are available bike rentals for taking tours around the city. Yes, it does cost some damage to your wallets… so how can you have it for free? It’s pretty simple. Ask your home exchange  partner if you could borrow their bike (if they have one) for the time being. Asking permission to borrow wouldn’t hurt. You might want to ask your home exchange partner in advance if they have a bike you could use so that you don’t have to bring your own bike or even rent. Just remember to take good care of your home exchange partner’s stuff to continue good relationships with them. You might want to leave a little surprise, like a bike accessory, to your home exchange partner to thank him/her for letting you use their bike. Enjoy your ride!