U is for Umbrellas through to Z!

"Summertime and the living is easy", and my inclination to stay with this blog is colored by planning my next trip!( And I will be satrting a blog about my next trip soon.) Oh, and going to the pool and loving to be outside....
So, what to do on rainy days while travelling? I do always travel with an umbrella and a trench coat that will serve as a raincoat, just in case. (Actually I did order on-line an 18 pocket trench coat from a travel clothing site! It even has a map for the many pockets-including one for a notebook! However, in my inimitable returner's style, I returned it, as it seemed too gimmicky and not worth the money.)
If it is warm weather, it is not as problematic as it is not cold. Of course, you can still get wet, but if you plan your day, you can also plan how to stay as dry as possible! It is probably worth keeping an eye on the weather forecast so you can go to the special museums (early) and not feel like you are missing something outdoors! Other rainy day option could be dance exhibits or concerts. If you are feeling brave, you could go to a movie and see how much you understand if you are not in an English speaking country! If you are a shopper, that would be a way to spend the rainy day as well.
"V" is for the vital information you want to have left for your exchange family. I know I touched on this earlier,but it is really important to leave a guide to your house. You could also ask your host family if they have left you similar information.

"W" is for the washing machines and other appliances which will probably take some adjustment. However, my use of drying racks in the last two summers "stood me in good stead", when my own dryer was acting up several weeks ago. I just don't find drying racks too easy for sheets, although in the heat on the Sardinian deck last September, they dried very quickly!

"X" marks the spot...Even if you do not rent a car, you might find a GPS helpful in getting around, especially in the bigger cities. You will want to research this before you leave. I watched some Australian friends who had a TomTom,which they downloaded when they got here. i bought a Garmin before I left, but I opted to get the European maps before I left, and that was interesting. I downloaded them, but it probably would have been easier to buy the disc when I bought the GPS at BestBuy.
"Y"=YOU will have the best time doing vacation home exchanges!  It takes some time, and this method of housing is not for everyone, but I love it!
"Z"="z" rest of the story...Start planning , where will you go? Europe, Central America, Kubla Khan?

As always, I will be happy to answer your questions!
Thanks for following this blog.....

"T" is for Telephones and Trip Planning.

Stuffed bear in Sheridan museum

Well, I had no intention of taking a month plus break from writing this blog....Since I last wrote I visited Denver and Wyoming with my friend Nancy. We had hoped to go to Yellowstone, but the snow was still causing major problems to get around with avalanches and rock slides. So I visited Sheridan for the first time and then we spent the night in the Irma in Cody, WY, which was originally owned by Buffalo Bill Cody. This easterner loved the "wild west"! They have a big museum there which someone compared to the Smithsonian of the west, which does stretch it a bit. However, there were interesting sections dedicated to Yellowstone, Buffalo Bill and his life, guns, and Western art.
In fact, while we were in Cody, they had the world premiere about Buck, the "Horse Whisperer". He lives in Sheridan, and it was a fund raiser for a local organization.  
Well, back to my blog....
Telephone usage is easier now with the abundance of mobile phones. AT&T is my carrier, and for a monthly fee of $5.99, I can call for $.99 per minute. Last fall I found this very helpful with my Blackberry. Some people buy an inexpensive phone for use in the country they are in. Phone plans changes everywher on a sneeze, so it is a moving target what is available. You can buy phone cards, but I've had mixed luck with them, as they usually do not have an English version. You might find your guide book has some helpful ideas or any one of the websites, such as Frommer or Lonely Planet. You can buy a Net2phone card on line and use that. It is cheaper if you can use the local access telephone number.

Ferrari Parade as we entered Verona

Everyone approaches his/her trip planning differently. I think it depends on how long your trip will be. Last fall's trip took me a lot of time to plan. (I wished I had kept a record as to how long it actually did take!) That was probably because I was going to be in at least three places, and then I added two more (Venice and Mallorca). Trip planning is a work in progress for me. For example, I read an article about Verona while I was on Sardinia, so Joan and I went to Verona when I visited her in Venice!
Next blog-which will not take me a month to write (I hope!)-will look at U or Umbrellas and what to do on a rainy day!
As always, I welcome your comments or questions.

"S" is for Supermarkets and Other Shopping

"Tested" egg recipe....tasty!

Fish dept in Metz supermarket

Well, I do not complain about going grocery shopping here, so I really like to visit different grocery stores in my travels. Once when I was traveling in the Toulouse area, we visited a market which advertised farm fresh eggs. So we bought a dozen of those and then a dozen of the (not fresh?) other eggs. We ran a "taste test", and I did think I could taste a difference! You will want to check the hours which the stores are open, as sometimes even the European markets will close mid-day, just as the smaller shops do. Last September when I was on Sardinia, the market was open on Sundays. However, at the end of my stay, and clearly when they thought summer tourists had gone home, the market was no longer open on Sundays.
Because there are so many different things available in European shops, you might want to visit shops as you travel. (Somewhere I read that shopping is at the top of the list as to what travelers do when they travel...not the top, but at the top. I was surprised.) Your guidebook will have included the top shops by category, so you might find that helpful. When I was on Sardinia, I wanted to visit a bookstore with books in English. Fodor had listed one in Sassari, but unfortunately when I got there, it was closed for the mid-day break. I just didn't want to wait for an hour. Luckily I could download a book onto my Kindle! I do advise looking into the shopping options so you can plan to visit those places you want to! Most will take credit cards, but not all, so you will want to check that out.
Once when I was in Paris, I heard about some designer outlet, which I did find, but their definition of outlet and mine were many euros apart!
An interesting feature of European shopping is that they tend to have two big sale periods. One is in January, and the other is in June. (However, this may have changed, as our stores have done, so everything always seems to be on-sale!)

Check back when I next talk about telephones and trip planning. As always, I welcome your comments and questions!

"R" Is for Resourcefulness, Ryan Air, and References

I think that travelling in itself helps you expand your RQ or resourcefulness quotient! This is especially true if you are out of the country, because there are more unknowns. Where can you find the solution to the problem? How can you even get to where you need to go FOR the solution? In addition, there may be a language barrier!
What might you like to have in your resourcefulness "first aid kit"? Duct tape, which my brother calls "90 mile-an-hour tape", can serve MANY purposes-from a broken suitcase to you name it! Last summer I took along a package of iron-on appliques which I found at Walmart. With my limited wardrobe, these appliques came in very handy,when I got spots on my clothing that just would not come out. I would just hit the spot with an applique. Another thing I like to travel with is a folding toothbrush, because I can put tooth paste on it and have a ready to use toothbrush when I am flying!You become very resourceful when travelling and may be even more able to "think outside of the box"!

I've mentioned RyanAir before, and I really speak here of any of the low-cost airline carriers. If you decide to use one-and the prices are usually amazingly cheap-be sure to read the fine print! They are usually very strict about the weight of your luggage, fees for checking, baggage, as well as flight cancellation. The good news for me was that this insured I took my small suitcase and kept my clothing to a minimum. (So all those appliques were all the more helpful!) Being on RyanAir really like flying a "bus in the sky". We all lined up to board behind the travellers who paid a little extra to board the plane early. There were no assigned seats. They were not (yet?) charging to use the toilets-although the rumor is out there!. But if you had lots of luggage it would be worth it to check the difference in cost of a more conventional carrier. Just checked their site which said, "Fares don't incl optional Fees/Charges (Click here)."
When you are planning your exchange, you may want to check references for your prospective exchange partner. (I must admit that I have never done this. I think that by the time I have decided to exchange with this person they are as they present themselves!) You can also "interview" them both live by Skype or conventional telephone or via email. 
Thanks for checking in to look an another facet of vacation home exchanges! Come back again!

"Q" Is for the Questions You Might Ask

Your exchange website will make it easy for you to send preliminary inquiries to see who might be interested in swapping with you. When they tell you they are interested, you will need to start the "second interview process". By that I mean you will be emailing them to learn if this is the correct place for you and your family to be for an exchange.
If you want to check out the site I use, you can go to www.HomeforExchange.com
I've drafted some questions that might work for you. You'll want to make changes and additions, but these are a start!

1.       How many Vacation Home Exchanges have you done? Could I contact your previous exchange partners about your exchange for references?

2.       What do you like best about Vacation Home Exchanges?

3.       How close to public transportation are you? Would you tell me about it?

4.       What is the nearest airport? What is the best way to get to your place from the airport, train station, etc., if I do not rent a car?

5.       How near to your house are walking paths? Grocery stores? Etc. (Or whatever is relevant to your interests.)

6.       Do you have neighbors or people that I can call on for help if I cannot reach you easily?

7.       ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS/INTERESTS OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY…. You will add your own questions to this list, but this will give you a start....

"P" for Pharmacies, Other Health-related Issues, and People Watching!

I've probably talked previously more about health-related issues than you care about....However, recently I was talking with a friend who is planning a trip to France. She has some health issues, so she wondered what she might do to plan for them, in case something health-related occurred to disrupt her trip. She could ask her doctor if he/she knew anyone or had any suggestions about the right doctor where she is going. Your host might have an idea....You could see if you could find an English-speaking organization who could help you. An example would be the American Cathedral in Paris. A local Tourist Information office might help you know who to contact. There are many resources. Check your tour guide, or an online site such as www.fodor.com Planning ahead will help!
I know I also mentioned www.medjetassist.com  However, I just learned that they give an 18% discount for their annual or short-term  membership. So check that out also!

People watching....is this something you enjoy? I don't think there is anyplace this isn't fun...a vaporetto(I was doing a serious shoe study!)  in Venice or a crowded square in Arles or Monaco or___________! Do you have  favorite place where you have watched people? Share it with us!
Next post will address "Questions to Ask"....
Thanks for reading! DO send questions or comments!

"O" Reviews Other Points to Prepare for Your Exchange

In addition to preparing the manual about your house and neighborhood, as discussed in http://atozofvacationhomeexchanges.blogspot.com/2011/03/m-includes-medical-money-exchange-and.html I recommend you have a list of questions you want to ask your prospective exchange host.  
Some to help you get started include:

SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE FOR Vacation Home Exchanges CONTACT       

You’ll want to add to this based on what is important to you and your family as you plan your Vacation Home Exchange!

1.       How many Vacation Home Exchanges have you done? Could I contact your previous exchange partners about your exchange for references?

2.       What do you like best about Vacation Home Exchanges?

3.       How close to public transportation are you? Would you tell me about it?

4.       What is the nearest airport? What is the best way to get to your place from the airport, train station, etc., if I do not rent a car?

5.       How near to your house are walking paths? Grocery stores? Etc. (Or whatever is relevant to your interests.)

6.       Do you have neighbors or people that I can call on for help if I cannot reach you easily?

7.       ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS/INTERESTS OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY….

      This process is really like interviewing. (Think back to those interviews you have had.) You really don't want to rush into an exchange. You will feel much more comfortable if you feel you have established a good rapport with your exchange host. (And even once you have agreed upon your exchange, and prior to buying your tickets, you could back out. People always confirm with me before they buy their tickets that we are all set! Here again, it is the TRUST issue! If we were doing this in person, the proverbial "gentlemen's handshake" would seal the deal.)

Every exchange, of course, will be different. So you will always have new ideas abut what you want to learn from your exchange host.

Some people have mentioned in the adult ed programs I've done that it seems like a big (AKA overwhelming) task to get their house ready for people to come for an exchange. If you are one of those people, you might want to start now planing what you will need to do to get your house ready...even if it is six months away!

Please bear with the variety in the format here....Apparently blogger.com doesn't really like it when one cuts and pastes as I did with the suggested list above!

Next post will review pharmacies and other health-related issues and people watching!