Our “Later in Life” Gap Year - Made Possible by People Like Us
Ali & Paul’s UK & Europe Adventure
It still feels surreal that we're back home in Tasmania Australia.
Only a short few weeks ago we were on our incredible 10 months away. From a snowy Christmas in Sweden to exploring nearly every nook and cranny of Britain, and ending with sunshine, sangria and siestas in Spain. It was the trip of a lifetime!
And the best part? We did it without breaking the bank, thanks to the wonderful People Like Us community (and a sprinkling of house sitting for good measure).
A Quick Snapshot
We left on 3rd December 2024 and returned home on 1st October 2025 – 297 nights away in total.
In that time we enjoyed:
- 13 PLU exchanges – 211 nights
- 4 Trusted House Sits – 54 nights
- A few Airbnbs/Hotels – 27 nights
- Extended Family stays – 5 nights
And back home in Tassie, we hosted 8 exchanges, keeping our place lively while we were gone.
We mostly travelled by train, bus, ferry, and our own two legs with only 42 days of hire car in total. We didn’t miss having our own car one bit. The UK is made for public transport (and walking off pub lunches 😆).
The Numbers Bit (for the curious!)
We’re not overly “spreadsheet people,” but these numbers make us smile.
If we’d stayed in hotels every night on our budget of $300AUD per night, the total would have been $89,100 for accomodation.
Our actual accommodation spend was $6,704.
Cooking in those brilliant PLU kitchens probably saved us another $22,000.
Add in flights, food, transport, and everything else, our actual spend came in at $110,000. That’s roughly half what it would have cost without PLU. Not bad for ten months away!
Why We Went
Both of us were born in England. I’m a Cornish girl, and Paul’s from London. We emigrated to Australia as young teenagers. We’d often talked about going back to properly explore instead of those rushed holidays (like we used to when we worked).
The original plan was to stick to the UK, but PLU had other ideas! Two irresistible exchange offers landed in our inbox: Karin and Peter’s snowy home in Luleå, Sweden, and Michele and Larry’s Mediterranean place in Estepona, Spain. Both turned out to be pure magic and perfect bookends to our year of adventure.
Planning our journey
Planning took time and effort, no point pretending otherwise. There were lots of messages, polite “no thank yous,” and endless tweaking. But once a few exchanges were confirmed, it all started to flow.
My top tips for planning long trips:
- Keep an open mind. Some of our favourite stays were in places we’d never heard of.
- Use WhatsApp groups for smooth handovers with back-to-back guests.
- Plan slow travel. Two to three weeks in each home gave us time to settle and live like locals.
- Collect Globes early. We had seven (from hosting and renewals), which gave us and the recipants brilliant flexibility.
We even did a fabulous two month non-sim swap at Liz and Max’s lovely home near Portsmouth. They stayed at ours for eight nights a while ago, and we stayed at theirs for two months while they were in Vietnam and Australia. PLU magic at its best!
Getting Our House Ready
Preparing our home in Tasmania was a mission. Being we were to be gone for so long we needed it foolproof. Our “to do” list seemed to sprout new items every day. We tidied, painted,de-cluttered,tidied the gardens, then got stuck into the kitchen like a person possessed. We went through every spice jar and condiment (no one deserves decade-old cumin!), cleaned the fridge, and labelled everything neatly. The aim was to make it guest ready and comfortable for them.
Handy hosting tip:
- Leave empty shelves for guest food (I did in the fridge but forgot in the cupboard, oops)
- Leave a roll of masking tape and a marker. A handy tip from a professional chef friend. Guests can label leftovers – otherwise you may come home to a (welcome) freezer full of mystery meals.
Using three-way WhatsApp group chat between us, departing guests, and arriving guests when we had back-to-backs made everything smooth and friendly.
The Journey Unfolds
We began in Sweden with my sister and brother-in-law (who are now planning to join PLU themselves). It was the white Christmas we'd always dreamed of fairy lights, snowflakes, and mugs of hot glögg. Then on to the Scottish Highlands, which were breathtaking.
After six weeks of four of us, it was now just the two of us. Paul and I meandered through Britain via PLU homes. From cosy cottages to elegant Georgian terraces in Edinburgh, seaside houses in Wales, and everything in between.
Just when we thought we couldn’t love it more, we headed to Michele and Larry's in sunny Estapona Spain for tapas, and lazy pool days. It truly was a “holiday within a holiday.”
Getting Around
Our biggest early discovery? Buying a car in the UK as a non-resident is eye-wateringly expensive. Insurance alone would have blown our budget. Once we stopped sulking, we embraced trains and buses. It was the best thing we could have done. The train network is brilliant. We could sit back, enjoy the scenery, and sometimes there’s even a drinks trolley (pure joy). Buses are great for local trips, and sometimes coaches for longer trips too.
We bought Senior Railcards (30% off!) and used AllTrails and Footpath Maps for brilliant walks. We walked everywhere, through forests, fields, canal tow paths, and along coastal paths. Travelling this way was cheaper, greener, and far more relaxing than driving.
Why We Came Home Early
We’d planned to be away for 12 months, but after eight months we started missing home… and our pooch Janet, who was on her own holiday with wonderful local friends. Also, our credit card’s travel insurance capped at 10 months, so it made financial sense.
Coming back in October was perfect. We slipped straight into Tasmanian spring, just in time to plant our summer veggies. You can take us out of the garden, but you can’t take the gardeners out of us!
Our Favourite Travel Tools
We discovered so many apps and tricks that made life easier. Here are a few worth sharing:
- WhatsApp - great for quick communication and exchange groups.
- ChatGPT - our digital travel buddy for route ideas, local info.
- Rome to Rio - shows tge best way to get anywhere. Planes,trains, buses, ferries and cars
- Wise Card - low-fee currency card, brilliant for Europe.
- Holafly eSIM - easy mobile data without the hassle of SIM cards.
- Trainline & National Rail - to plan and book UK train travel.
- Wetherspoon App - order food and drinks at your table (we visited 27 of their 800 pubs... all in the name of research of course! ).
- Premier Inn - perfect for short, reliable stays between exchanges.
- AllTrails - for local walks and hidden paths.
- Surfshark VPN - great for secure Wi-Fi and catching up on Aussie telly abroad.
Little Things We Learned
- Top sheets are rare! Most homes just use a duvet and cover. I’m still a top sheet devotee for easier washing and something light for warm nights.
- Farmers markets in the UK are lovely but often more craft or local produce than veg these days. Maybe because of the rise in weekly veg box subscriptions. Still, the local greengrocers were brilliant once you find them.
- Cooking at home is a joy in PLU homes. There’s something special about sharing the same kitchen that another family loves and uses every day.
Final Thoughts
We came home with wonderful memories and made many fabulous PLU friends. We laughed a lot, walked miles, ate far too many pub meals, and discovered that home exchanges aren’t just about saving money...they’re about sharing lives.We’re endlessly grateful to the PLU community for the trust, generosity, and warmth that made our dream trip possible.
If you’re thinking about doing something similar, start planning. Say yes to the unexpected offers. Embrace slow travel. And enjoy every moment…even the ones where you get lost and end up somewhere even better.
Who knows, maybe next time we’ll be exchanging with you!
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Ali and Paul
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