After all the time we waited for the Summer to arrive, it is probably not the best idea to discuss anything related to the coming Autumn. But, since to be successful in the home exchange world you have to think ahead, it is always a good thing to remind you of the activities to come. Something like the HomeForHome coming attractions

If you are a regular visitor of HomeForHome, you probably noticed at our homepage that Germany is one of the countries with the most registered swappers. If you hadn’t noticed this, you should take advantage of this wake up call and start making plans to spend the coming Oktoberfest in Germany!

Starting September 18th (a few events will take place on the 17th, but the traditional official tapping of the first beer barrel will be celebrated on the 18th at noon), this year the party will last till October 4th and it seems like they have planned it “Longer, bigger and with more attractions than ever before!” to celebrate the festival’s 200th anniversary. This may be worth a home swap, don’t you think?

Besides, if you are not much into beer, you may be into Munich and its cultural side. Or in case you were wondering, there are several attractions that will make Oktoberfest appealing for families with children, like the different rides, and also the tents which are not only about beer… Just check out the past years’ Oktoberfest posts and you’ll see.

The countdown is on in the Oktoberfest.de website so make your move and find your swap. If you already made plans to visit another country while Oktoberfest takes place in Munich, you should know you can find Oktoberfest elsewhere as well, since there are several cities worldwide that host their own beer parties in October, and some are just as legendary:

- Blumenau, Brazil http://www.oktoberfestblumenau.com.br/ (in Portuguese)

- Cincinnati (Ohio), United States http://www.oktoberfestzinzinnati.com/okt.aspx

- Belgrano, Argentina http://www.elsitiodelavilla.com/oktoberfest/(in Spanish)

We are sure with all the ideas we have been giving you, it will not be difficult for you to plan your home exchange vacation this summer. Yet, there is another thing that can be much simpler if you take some preventive measures: getting back to work after the fun is over.

The first steps you should take are related to having everything covered while you are gone: try to leave a short list of pending matters before you leave, organize your desk and clean your workspace, have a co-worker cover urgent matters while you are absent, you can easy them into the tasks they will be covering you by copying them relevant e-mails and sharing any important information they might need. Schedule a short meeting your first day back with this co-worker to catch up. Also, set your out-of-the-office e-mail and voicemail messages (if you set them to last after your return to the office, you will have time to catch up before people start sending you reminders) and inform contacts you will be gone and for how long.

If your vacations involves travelling (which we hope is the case), save one or two days to get settled back home before you have to return to work.

Image by jscreationzs /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When you do get back to work, make a list of pending matters and organize them into two categories: cannot wait, can be dealt later. Save the second list for the following week. Then focus on the first list and choose those things that need to be addressed the first day, keep in mind the time you have available and do not overdo, or you will just ruin your “relaxed” state of mind. If you need help with something, ask someone to give you a hand.

During the day, take shot breaks to clear your head. Get up, stretch and take a deep breath. It will take some time, but you will get back on track. Remember to bring back a picture from your vacations or a small souvenir for your desk, those little reminders can help you relax if things get complicated.

Finally, as soon as you get settled back, return to HomeForHome and start planning your next home exchange vacation!

I read somewhere that last year many people did not go on vacation fearing being absent from work could make them eligible for crisis cuts. But, even if you think that is a fair reason not to enjoy that precious relaxing time, there is also a drawback: more stress can lead to less productivity and this may be a stronger reason to make the cut list. From this point of view, vacations seem to be a good choice to stay on top of things. If you want your next home exchange vacation to be as relaxing as it can possibly be, you need to plan and take care of the details, but once you are in you swap destination you can leave your worries behind with any of these ideas for relaxation:

1. Reserve time to get immersed in your hobbies.

Photo by Jennifer Renee /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

2. Take it easy and slow down.

3. Read a book.

4. Enjoy a meal out.

5. Sleep in.

6. Go to bed really (really) late.

7. Take a walk.

8. Watch your favourite movie again (more than once if you want!).

9. Enjoy your family and friends.

10. Turn the music up.

11. Forget about your laptop and cell-phone (at least for most of the day).

12. Get a massage.

13. Take a nap whenever you feel like it.

14. Take off your watch.

15. Have a late breakfast.

16. Go dancing.

17. Watch the sunset.

18. Make yourself some hot chocolate if it rains.

19. Talk to strangers.

20. Do nothing for a couple of hours.

A week from today a huge sport event will be starting in South Africa: the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Thirty-two teams, representing nations from all continents will compete to become the world champion of football. The championship will last about a month and the games will be watched by millions of people worldwide, since it has the record of being the most watched sporting event in the world, even over the Olympic Games.

I got curious to learn if HomeForHome had listings from all the participating countries. What do you think? Will you venture a guess?

Here goes what I found:

1. Spain: 5118
2. France: 4032
3. Italy: 1764
4. England: 621
5. Germany: 542
6. United States: 480
7. Australia: 110
8. Argentina: 101
9. Switzerland: 64
10. Mexico: 48
11. Portugal: 48
12. Brazil: 27
13. Chile: 25
14. Netherlands: 20
15. Algeria: 18
16. Uruguay: 9
17. Denmark: 7
18. New Zealand: 7
19. Greece: 5
20. Paraguay: 3
21. Serbia: 3
22. Cote d’Ivore: 2
23. Japan: 2
24. South Africa: 1
25. South Korea: 1
26. Honduras: 1
27. Slovakia: 1
28. Cameroon: 0
29. Ghana: 0
30. Nigeria: 0
31: North Korea: 0
32: Slovenia: 0

Almost! Only but a few of the countries that qualified to the final round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup do not have someone willing to do home exchange through HomeForHome.

Now, Spain took the lead a long time ago in the number registered swappers, do you think HomeForHome will bring Spaniards luck in the football field? Since they are among the favourites, we’ll just have to wait and see.

Image by tom.snaps /flickr.com

I was trying to find some statistics related to airplane travelling and I found this great tool called FlightStats. What is FlightStats? Well, it is a website that provides global information related to airports and flights. There’s a list of the busiest airports and destinations, the most popular destinations and several tools, including an attractive map search tool.

There is an interesting Travel Tool section, in which I explored the Flight Status tool that allows you to search by flight (need airline name or code, the flight number and the departure date), by airport or by route and provides near real-time information and reports of anything that could be affecting a flight. There are other tools worth trying, like Airport Information, which seems to be able to provide delay information, flight status, weather conditions, driving directions (with traffic conditions), car-park options and user ratings. Seems interesting, right? I will try it next time I plan a trip, and I look forward to receiving your comments if you try it too.

If you are just starting to plan how to get to your home exchange destination, you may want to take a look at the Travel Planning tool (currently in the More at FlightStats.com section), it offers the following options: Flight Availability, Country Information, Travel Warnings, Travel Advisories and Consular Information Sheets. Here is what they say about these tools:

“FlightStats has a set of applications that can aid you during your initial stages of planning for travel. Before traveling internationally make sure you view the latest travel advisories and warnings, and research the country you are thinking about traveling to.

Country Information - This application summarizes some of the other country-related applications. In addition, you can see a map of the country with major airports, and learn about disease prevention based off of information from the US Center of Disease Control and Prevention.

Travel Warnings - Get the latest travel warnings published by the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand.

Travel Advisories - Current and past news and security alerts for countries around the world.

Consular Information Sheets - The latest information about a country published by the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand.”

Photo by mikecogh /flickr.com

If you are planning to take a flight to your summer home exchange destination then it won’t be bad to read today’s post and prepare to grow some patience, unless of course you actually have wings of your own or you know a scientist with a tele-transportation device in test phase. As we said the last time, patience is a quality that is never over-rated when it comes to travelling, specially in an airport. Why? Well, not always what’s scheduled with weeks of anticipation goes as planned: delays, cancellations, gates that suddenly change, baggage getting lost… We are not saying going though all these is a requirement to get out of an airport, and we certainly hope your next flight leaves and arrives on time, but being prepared for what your next trip to the airport may bring to your life implies taking some patience in your carry on.

Patience not to scream when you can’t get across to the airline staff - this is fundamental, they are probably trying their best to help you and they don’t want to have you stay overnight at the airport or anything, so give them a moment to find a solution, explain your problem nicely as many times as you need and smile for a change.

Patience to go through all the required security checks - they have to check everyone, your safety depends on it too, so give the security staff a chance to do their job correctly, and again, smile.

If you need some encouragement to get you through an airport problem, just remember where you are headed: you are flying off to your home exchange, an experience you will never forget!

Image by djcodrin /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When one first comes across this whole “home exchange” deal, the first one wonders is “Would this be right for me?” In past posts we have often pointed out good qualities a swapper should have: patience, flexibility, communication skills, thoughtfulness, a sense of adventure, curiosity, honesty, respectfulness, among others. But first things first: if you just can’t help thinking about the terrible things some strangers may do while in your house, then probably home exchange is not right for you. To be confident that you can to create a solid “bond” with someone to trust them with your house is the foundation to hold your swap “career”. If this is not your case, then you will have to pass on this and choose a different mean of accommodation. Hey, we don’t have anything against what hotels, home rentals and resorts offer, we just prefer home swapping to those options.

Now that we established some ground, I think there’s another pillar to succeed at home exchange: patience. You will need it for many steps along the road: to set your HomeForHome account, to add your home to our listings, to surf the site looking for interesting offers, to participate in the forums, to evaluate proposals carefully, to arrange  the swap details once you get lucky, and maybe to wait enough time for your first opportunity in the home swap world to crystallize.

We are not discovering anything recommending patience as a “must” virtue for any traveller, anyone that has been to an airport recently should know what this means, right? But let’s leave patience in the airport for next time.

The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics came to an end yesterday, and a couple of weeks of ice and snow everywhere (not only on TV!), were once again a reminder of the top destinations for 2010 discussed in January. Why? Well, Encyclopedia Britannica Blog had Iceland wining their bronze medal. Let’s discover a why Iceland deserved such a prize.

After a moment searching through the Internet and viewing some pictures of Iceland you would agree that, in a few words: Iceland is amazing. The country’s natural beauty is just fascinating. They have geysers, volcanoes, glaciers, lakes, geo-thermal pools and waterfalls of marvelous beauty. Iceland’s natural scenery is accompanied with modern infrastructure and services to present a great alternative to travellers. Bird-watching, glacier trekking, hiking, whale-watching, cultural events, unique golf tournaments involving midnight-sun teeing off and spectacular northern lights are among the activities that will have a special touch of uniqueness when enjoyed in Iceland.

Icelanders are modern and friendly, most of them are fluent in English and they will probably help you have a pleasant stay. The economic crisis hit Iceland very hard, but this means there’s an extra advantage for foreign visitors: exchange rates are favourable. So, it really seams like breathtaking Iceland deserves a place among the top destinations for 2010.

The best months to visit Iceland are coming soon. May, June and July are the driest months with the high season extending through August as well. A fun fact is that today, March 1st, Iceland celebrates an interest success since it is Beer Day. Beer with more than 2.2 percent alcohol by volume was prohibited by law from 1915 until 1989, so the anniversary of its legalisation is celebrated accordingly.

In case you are already wondering, there are home exchange opportunities in Iceland, so don’t waste any time.

You can learn more about Iceland at http://www.visiticeland.com

When someone talks about Cannes in France, I usually only think of one thing: the Cannes International Film Festival. Every year, the festival is celebrated and the best films from all around the world are given recognition and honor. Movie buffs anticipate this event held every May. But is there more to Cannes than just the host for this wonderful festival?

Well, yes. Cannes is a city with overflowing culture and rich history. The city is located in the French Riviera, south east of France. The name “Cannes” has unknown origins, but suggested that it may have been derived from the work “canna”, meaning reed. As early as 2^nd century BC, Cannes was already established as a fishing village until Romans have since then occupied the city. The Spanish and British armies fought over the Lerins Islands in an attempt to gain control of it during the 18^th century.

Cannes is perfect for any outdoor activity, as the city has its share of the warm Mediterranean climate. Cannes has long been famous for its climate, as more tourists come here to spend 30°C Summer days. La Croisette is surrounded by beaches open to the public. It also is the place for boutiques, cafés and restaurants. La Croisette also houses several museums including Musée de la Mer, Musée de la Photographie and Musée International de la Parfumerie among others. La Suquet is the village overlooking La Croisette, this is where grand residencies were first built.

Grand residentcies or not, you are sure to find a home exchange available here. If not, you can also have home swapped in the nearby cities as going to Cannes is very quick and easy. Cannes is just an 8 hour drive away from Paris, as same as to Monaco and Nice. Brussels is a 6-hour travel via the railway system while 5 hours for Milan.

So next time someone says Cannes, it’s not just the film festival that you should think of, there are a lot of things to know and discover in Cannes. You might want to consider giving in to the idea of a visit there.

Are you eyeing to spend your vacay outside Europe? Here is a suggestion: visit Australia. If you want to discover a diverse culture and beautiful sceneries, you won’t regret spending some time here. Australia is an English-speaking country, with a very competitive economy. Discovered and written about by Europeans since the 17^th century, Australia was always a place of different discoveries and stunning beauty.

Although the country is largely composed of vast deserts, Australia has its share of mountainous regions and tropical rainforests, meaning this country has a lot to offer in biodiversity. Some species unique to Australia include koalas, platypuses, wombats and different species of fresh and saltwater crocodiles. A visit to any zoo here will definitely be as entertaining and amusing. There are a lot of things to do and places to go in Australia even if you are traveling on a budget. Depending on what part you are in, you surely will still have your share of fun and the best out of Australia. If you are on the Gold Coast area, the beach is definitely a place to go. Swim, surf, jump waves or paddle swim your way to the best waves in the world. If you are in Sydney, a visit to museums and parks and the famous Sydney Opera House is a must. Don’t forget to take a picture of you with it on the background! And if you are on Melbourne, a free ride in the City Circle Tram will show you the best attractions in this side of Australia.

Although far from Europe, Australia is not excluded from a home exchange option. In fact, there are homes ready for a swap. You can check out Homeforhome.com for some options.  So if you want to have something different, then go for Australia!