During our exchange in Calgary with Amanda, I was trying to put my feelings into words, and I really don't know why, but "Stepping Stones" came to me, right in the middle of my French thinking. So back home, I decided to sit with it. What started as a phrase became something bigger. Every exchange we've made has laid down another stone in a wall of friendships that now stretches from Montana to Belgium to the Netherlands. Have a read of Corinne's story.

Corinne et Jef

Jul 23, 2026 · 4 min read

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In 2024, our member Nikki was sitting on a train platform on the Gold Coast when a chance conversation with a stranger changed her life. The woman she met had been a PLU member for years -- but had quietly let her membership lapse after losing her husband. She mentioned it in passing. Nikki went home that same day and signed up on the spot. Nikki has been with us ever since, and we finally heard the full story when we met her in person at our Brisbane meetup last weekend. Now we're hoping our Community can help solve a small mystery: somewhere out there is a woman who has no idea the words she shared with a stranger on a platform led someone wonderful to find a whole new way to travel. We'd love to find her. Have a read -- maybe you know her.

Nikki

Jun 24, 2026 · 3 min read

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It started, as many good ideas do, over coffee (or was it wine?) — with an honest conversation about two things we'd decided to stop apologising for: getting older, and wanting more adventure, not less. What followed was a complete rewrite of what this stage of life could look like: two "lock and leave" homes in Perth, up to six months a year travelling, and exchanges that took us from a storm-lashed cottage in Cornwall to the honey-stone villages of the Cotswolds. Now we're looking ahead to a longer stay in the UK in 2027 — and hoping someone in the PLU community might be ready to swap their British base for a Perth summer.

Julie and Janis

May 21, 2026 · 6 min read

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I found PLU in the depths of Covid lockdown. My heart that was hurting then found exactly what it needed here. A global community of trust and friendship, stretching across the globe.

Season

Apr 7, 2026 · 3 min read

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When two PLU members opened their Sydney apartment to a family from Bali over Christmas, they weren't sure what to expect. What followed — the easy warmth, the mutual care, the apartment left spotless — reminded them why home exchange is different from any other kind of travel.

Lourdes

Mar 4, 2026 · 2 min read

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What if you could travel for 10 months, stay in 13 different homes across Sweden, Britain, and Spain, and cut your accommodation costs by over 90%? That's exactly what PLU members Ali and Paul did when they left Tasmania for the trip of a lifetime. From a white Christmas in Luleå to coastal walks in Wales and lazy pool days in Estepona, they discovered that home exchange isn't just about saving money (though saving $82,000 on accommodation certainly helps!) – it's about living like locals, making real connections, and experiencing the joy of slow travel. Their story is packed with practical tips, honest reflections, and proof that with a bit of planning and an open mind, extended travel through PLU is absolutely doable. Read their full journey and discover how they made it work.

Ali and Paul

Feb 4, 2026 · 8 min read

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What starts as a simple home exchange in Washington DC ends up… in a bourbon glass in Sydney! When two People Like Us families swapped homes, they discovered shared passions, new friendships, and even launched a special single cask bourbon together — Fernhill Station. It’s a story about trust, serendipity, and how our community connections often go far beyond travel. Curious how a home exchange became a bourbon project?

James and Sabrina

Oct 8, 2025 · 3 min read

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Two months ago, I had never heard of home exchanging. Then, somewhere in the middle of the Coral Sea, I met a fellow PLU member who changed my travel life. Since joining, I’ve hosted three times, stayed once, and discovered that PLU is so much more than a platform — it’s a warm, inspiring community. From starting with easy local swaps to embracing globes and Plutos, joining the Facebook group for insider opportunities, and learning the importance of keeping your travel calendar flexible, here’s my rookie’s guide to making the most of PLU. Spoiler: you might just fall in love with this way of traveling!

Fabiola

Aug 26, 2025 · 3 min read

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Find out how one PLU influenced our accessibility features and made home exchange accessible for everyone

Alexandra

Dec 7, 2024 · 2 min read

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