MY TRAVELS Swapping homes on wheels for a very different holiday down under
Vivien Ogden does a home on wheels swap for a different holiday
Ever considered an RV swap? Take RV to mean motorhome, caravan and car or similar. I can hear a sharp intake of breath, “What, a complete stranger use my pride and joy? No way!”
Well, that was my feeling, too, until I started to investigate. Online, there are various swap sites and the one I used was rvworldwide.com costing me £25 per year (ED it’s currently $79.90, which is around £60). The first thing that surprised me was the number of people in America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe wanting to swap pretty new luxury vehicles for a suitable reciprocal arrangement.
I advertised on the site and approached a couple who wanted to swap their car and caravan in Australia. A positive response came back from them and we offered our motorhome in exchange for their 4x4 and off-road caravan.
We took advice from the site in regards to setting up a good swap and started communicating regularly a year in advance of our exchange. In fact, during that time both parties changed their RVs – Bruce bought a new caravan, and we sold the motorhome to be replaced by a new Ford Ranger pickup with a Tischer demountable that has all the comforts of a small motorhome. This includes a large fixed overcab bed, insulation and air heating, fridge/freezer, three-burner hob, shower and cassette toilet, serviced by fresh and grey water tanks.
The final ‘package’ looked something like this – we used their house on the Gold Coast in Australia to recover from the long flight then set off with the car and caravan. Bruce and Freddy stayed in our house and planned to return the following year to use our rig touring Scotland; the swap spanned eight weeks.
At the start of the exchange (in September 2018) we had not met each other, though had set up a good rapport via email, messenger and Facebook. This gave both parties a chance to ask lots of questions and gain an insight into lifestyles and pastimes.
We flew into Coolangatta where Bruce arranged handover of car and ’van, supplemented with a detailed checklist for setting off and information on all systems. The Titanium Gold Medal twin-axle soft off-road caravan had several differences compared to a UK ’van.
The pin tow hitch that provided increased articulation for off-road use was completely different from the familiar European ball hitch, and Australian towing regulations required two crossed breakaway chains to be attached,two rear camera leads, and an electric brake cable completed the hitching operation.
Weighing in at 2.75 tonnes, the ’van had a substantial chassis, extra suspension, grey water tank, mains water feed and tank. Inside, the white and grey interior gave a light ambience with permanent double bed, full kitchen, seating area and washroom with shower toilet and even a washing machine. The V8 twin-turbo diesel Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4 provided the horsepower and comfort for towing and extended touring.
On our return to the Gold Coast, we met our exchange partners to discuss the swap so far. Planning for their trip to Scotland, the topic turned to insurance. Coming from the UK to Australia, a full UK licence enabled Bruce to add both of us to his vehicle and caravan insurance.
Insurance for an international to drive a private vehicle in the UK is much more difficult but dayinsure.com will cover private motorhomes for internationals. The visiting driver has to arrange and pay for the insurance, around £350 for four weeks. The comprehensive policy is activated on payment and purchased for up to 30 days.
The following August (2019), we welcomed our guests at the airport, which was much appreciated by both parties. Our vehicle was fully prepared including fuel and food ready to go.
The planning and work to set up a swap takes time and patience to ensure both parties are happy. Regular communication and answering questions is really important so everything goes smoothly and there are no nasty surprises. I am very glad that I started the hunt for insurance long before needing it, as it required extensive research to find.
Small details that we arranged for each other made all the difference – the airport pickups and a well-stocked fridge – all resulted in a mutually valued and enjoyable exchange.
Would we make another swap? Yes!