2025

Somewhere in the fog of memory lies the story of how we first discovered HomeExchange. I cannot recall whether it was a recommendation from a friend, an article we stumbled across, or simply one of those internet rabbit holes that occasionally leads to something wonderful. What I do know is that for the past three years it has become the cornerstone of our retirement travels around the world. One of the great gifts of retirement is flexibility. We have the freedom to stay pla

I love lap swimming and so the challenge in our many travels throughout Europe is navigating finding and using lap pools. But the reward, beyond working off all the calories from the bakeries we find irresistible, is to enter into an entirely local activity where each country, and sometimes each city, has its own customs and rules. Some general observations and corresponding tips after swimming laps in various towns in the UK, France, Greece and Germany: Expect to be flexibl

One of the questions we are most frequently asked, given how much time we spend in London, is where we like to eat. Narrowing the list down is no easy feat in a city with literally tens of thousands of restaurants representing nearly every cuisine on earth. Before even getting to proper restaurants, however, I should note the two places we consistently recommend for quick breakfasts, takeaway lunches, or an easy bite between museums and theater performances: Pret A Manger and