We signed up with a reputable web site five years ago and we have now completed something like 20 house swaps, with never a problem, always coming back home to a house that's just as clean and welcoming as we left it. We've enjoyed locations we'd have never thought of, just because some-one's asked us, and done things we'd have never thought of. It's great staying in a real community rather than just a tourist centre, so, a vibrant working class neighbourhood in Barcelona, a middle class part of Dublin, a flat in Dorset and another in Sussex with a shared pool, a classy apartment in Oxford city centre … I could go on. And because there are no accommodation fees we can treat ourselves to experiences we might otherwise be unable to afford, for example, a flight of champagne at the Pump room in Bath followed by afternoon tea at the Royal Crescent Hotel. This year we're looking forward to a week in Warwick and a fortnight in Switzerland. So come on all you silver travellers. What are you waiting for?
