I recently read an article about Homelink International, which is a membership-based group dedicated to swapping houses for vacations. Members pay to have their home listed and receive the listings, and visit parts of the world they otherwise wouldn't get to see on the cheap, coordinating their vacations together with their swap partners.

Of course issues of trust, insurance, etc. might come up, which makes this idea a perfect fit for an otherwise already established international social network where people already know eachother, like, say the halfbakery.

(Note that I would have to clear this with the wife first before proposing my own place as a site).
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 25 2007

HomeLink International http://www.homelink.org
Swap a home for a bit and experience life elsewhere... [RayfordSteele, Mar 25 2007]

Couchsurfing http://www.couchsurfing.com
Different but related concept: stay with locals on your travels (coming to Christchurch? Look me up!) [imaginality, Mar 25 2007]

I have done lots of exchanges on IHEN.com - craigslist is another good place. If you exchange with a "Baker" you never know what they might install/ modify/dismantle etc etc
-- xenzag, Mar 25 2007


Can I swap with Hippo, please? I've always fancied living in the Film Noir Home.
-- Fishrat, Mar 26 2007


<FNH voice> "It's 3 a.m. I couldn't get to sleep"
<Fishrat> "Shut up! I'm trying to sleep!"
-- hippo, Mar 26 2007


Another fine example of the links and annos being more entertaining than the idea itself. (This is where I first heard about Couchsurfing, and have been a member since. )
-- blissmiss, Mar 09 2010



random, halfbakery