The joy of driving along, stopping at a wonderful view and perhaps making a cup of coffee or tea is ...

Veronica is 5.5 m long but is easy to park, fitting into ordinary parking spaces in supermarkets or ...

How's this for lunch with a view? When you want to be out of the sun, (NZ sun can burn you very quic ...

Plenty of room to sit in the back. Table swivels to many different positions.

The kitchen area with sink cover on and hob cover down.

Kitchen sink .....small but perfectly formed.

Handbasin and shower. Ok so it's not a posh shower but adequate and you'll most likely be swimming o ...

The bed made up.....wide enough and long enough to stretch out comfortably, unless you're a lot tall ...

We use these mattress toppers for added comfort. They can be stored in the locker under the seat in ...

Use the back doors or passenger/driver door for easy access.

Premium #19786

Campervan, sleeps 2. Are you ready for an adventure? Explore NZ & stay in stunning campsites

Motor home • Algies Bay New Zealand

2 Guests

1 Bedroom

1 Bed

1 Bathroom

Secondary home

Exchange types accepted

Simultaneous

Non-Simultaneous

Non-Reciprocal

Statistics

Listed March 2023

General Overview

New exchanges accepted up to December 2025 as the van is for sale.
 Veronica is a 2008 Fiat Ducato, diesel, manual campervan. She's an absolute delight to drive. She is fully self-contained with a shower, loo and handbasin in the bathroom. Being self-contained means you can choose to Freedom Camp where it's allowed. There are some incredible locations to do so and we can help you plan a trip. If you prefer, you can overnight at camp sites which have facilities eg. Kitchen, bathrooms etc.
There is a NZ$500 excess on our insurance policy that we would ask you to agree to pay if an accident happened and we had to claim on our insurance. 

.

The Space

Veronica sleeps 2 on a very wide comfortable bed. The table slots into the middle plus 2 other boards and the squabs go on top as the mattress. All bedding provided.
In the daytime, the bed is dismantled back into seats and a swivel table. You do need to be able to lift the reasonably heavy table into place.....it's manageable but not if you have a bad back. Putting the fitted sheet on needs a bit of agility too....you have to crawl on top of the mattress to tuck the sheet in. And again when taking the sheet off each morning.

The kitchen has a 2 burner gas hob and a sink. There's a small microwave and a TV. These only work if you're plugged in eg. at a camp site. A solar panel can be set up to charge the house battery.

Plenty of storage to store food in drawers and overhead lockers for clothes, towels etc. There's a full length mirror.
The sliding door opens wide to give wonderful views out of the kitchen window.

It's definitely cosy in the van. There is not much room to move around, especially when the bed is down. Better to know the full picture before setting off!

Guest Access

There is a step to be placed outside the back doors once you are parked up. Access can be either through the back or via the driver or passenger doors.

Notes

We have found we can do 3 or 4 nights before needing to fill up with water and empty the waste water and toilet cassette. There are many dump stations where emptying is easy, (all hoses, chemicals, gloves etc) are stored in the van and we can show you how to work everything. We ask you to return Veronica ready for use, i.e. with waste water and toilet cassette emptied and cleaned and the water tank topped up.

The campervan takes diesel. This is considerably cheaper than petrol but the owner of the vehicle has to pay Road User Charges.  We ask that the exchanger makes a contribution towards the Road User Charges, otherwise in effect we're contributing to their fuel costs. 
The Road User Charges cost NZ $0.088 per km, i.e.$88.44 per 1000 km.  We'll do a reading of the clock on your departure and arrival. We thank you for your understanding.

Features

Show all features including those not in this home

Microwave

Fridge

Heating

Air conditioning

TV

Fire extinguisher

Bed sheets

Towels

House Rules

Unsuitable for infants under 2

Unsuitable for children ages 2-12

Pets not allowed

No smoking

Allergens

Cat free

Dog free

Smoke free

Dates of Availability

Click on availability periods to see exchange types and descriptions.

Non-reciprocal Only

Getting to my home

Easiest to drive with a rental car. Public transport is possible with an Intercity bus Auckland to Warkworth but the last bit probably is a taxi ride. We may be able to come and pick you up in Warkworth.

Nearest airport

Auckland, both domestic and international. An hour and a half drive to us.

Getting Around

Veronica is easy to park as she fits into ordinary parking spaces. We do not attempt undergound car parks due to height restrictions.

Map of Approximate Location

Feedback

We started our roundtrip in NZ with a week travelling The Northlands with the campervan Veronica. It was a great way to explore this area. Carey and Pete have been most helpful, answering all our questions, picking us up at the bus stop in Warkworth - it was a pleasure to meet them. We had really interesting diskcussions and learnt a lot when it comes the every day life for people in NZ. This was our first trip with a campervan and some reflections: - We slept way better than we expected, the bed was comfortable - The roads in The Northlands are pretty bad so we adjusted our plans (advantage to be able to be flexible with a campervan) - Leif who did the driving said it was a bit hard to drive a manually geared van (on the "wrong" side) because his muscle memory wants to use the right arm, not the left A great start on our trip and we would highly recommend an exchange with Carey and Pete.

Home Feedback: Veronica stayed with Carey and Peter 10 months ago

Veronica is just the best 2 berth campervan we have ever had the pleasure to use. It gave us so many options to explore Northland and reach Cape Reinga NZ. She is a fun bus to drive around all the windy roads and feels like driving a car, it handles so well. Loved reminiscing the manual gearbox experience. Veronica is very easy to multi day travel in. Peter and Carey have created excellent videos and an instruction booklet on how best to use Veronica including her set up. Veronica has been well setup with all you could possibly need for 2 people to comfortably freedom camp, or holiday park camp.

Home Feedback: Ray stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Soooo this was a dream of an exchange! Peter and Carey were so sweet and it was sooo lovely to meet them. On the start day they picked us up when we got stranded, buses are though in that part. They akso brought us back to the bus stop, 15 min drive! We had lunch together and it was so nice to get to know each other. Than we got a tour around veronic and a little drive with peter wich was so great, always handy to get firts hand tips! And than oure adventure starten!! If you every dreamt of driving around in new zealand with a camper fan, jump! Venronica has everything and more! It was a dream to drive in beautyfull nz, we did free camping, camping places when we needed to do laundry and pay camping on beautyfull parking lots that closed at night and than that place was ours! Really this was a dream! Carey and peter and veronica! Hope to meet all of them again, or just peter and Carey in the netherlands! Thank you!

Home Feedback: Marisse stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

So glad you enjoyed exploring in Veronica! You really made the most of it, finding beautiful places to park up overnight. An absolute pleasure to meet you and your neice.

We had planned to host Carey and Peter for a 2 night layover here in Vancouver however their flight plans had to change at the last minute and they were rerouted elsewhere. Carey and Peter were great communicators throughout the process and it is too bad were unable to meet them.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with John 4 months ago

Carey and Peter were the perfect guests! Not only did they leave our place spotless but they made sure that our newly planted garden stayed alive during our absence. They are welcome back anytime.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Susanne 6 months ago

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting Carey and Peter in our home, and we couldn’t have asked for better guests. From the very beginning, communication with them was perfect. Carey & Peter are a genuinely kind, considerate, and respectful couple. They treated our home with the utmost care and left everything clean and tidy — so much so that when we returned, we felt instantly at home again. What stood out to us especially was their active and open attitude. They showed real interest in discovering our region and were happy to try out activities and tips we/our parents shared with them. They are also very easygoing and uncomplicated. We’re truly grateful to have finally met them in person and deeply appreciate the friendly connection. Highly recommended guests in every way!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Michaela 6 months ago

Carey and Peter stayed in our home, which they left nice and tidy when they left. They thoroughly enjoyed our area and had some amazing days out, even visiting a place called Blinkingmoos that I'd never heard of! They also added excursion /hiking suggestions, which I will incorporate into my information folder ASAP so that future guests can appreciate their ideas too. Sadly, we did not meet them in person, but we had good communication by mail and WhatsApp both before and during their stay. I hope we will meet them sometime in the future. Thank you for being such good guests, and don't forget that you are welcome back anytime.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Margaret & Andy 6 months ago

It was a pleasure hosting Carey and Peter in our home for a short visit. They’re a truly lovely couple—warm, respectful, and great conversationalists who connected easily with our whole family. We enjoyed a long walk together with our dogs and had some wonderful, engaging conversations. It felt like we’d known them for ages! We sincerely hope to see them again in the future. We highly recommend them for any exchange.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Lena 6 months ago

Carey and Peter could not have been better guests. They were so communicative and friendly. Planned an amazing itinerary and even sent their hiking list to me to pass on to future exchange partners. I have never met Carey or Peter but feel as if we are fast friends. They also left our home immaculate and even left a pretty bowl and sweet card as a gift. I would highly recommend an exchange with Carey and Peter! ♥️

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Season 7 months ago

Hi Carey and Pete It was a pleasure dealing with you recently and we are so happy you loved your stay at Lake Tarawera. Thanks so much for your kind comments and leaving our bach immaculate, plus the chocolates too. Sounds like you could be back, always welcome. Best wishes Sal and Malcolm.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sal 9 months ago

If you get the chance to exchange with Peter and Carey, go for it! They looked after our home and cat as their own. We came back to an immaculate house and a well loved cat. Carey's communication was excellent and made the whole process extremely easy.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sandra 11 months ago

Carrie and Peter where our first exchangers and we could not have asked for more perfect people. They respected our home and left it very clean and tidy. We had great communication all the way through and we would never hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking at swapping their home with them.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sally & David 1 year ago

Carey and Peter are the perfect guests and left our place as they found it. They are seasoned house swappers that I take wonderful care of your home. Communication was always so easy and they are welcome back anytime! We would love to meet for slightly longer next time!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sally 1 year ago

Carey and Peter left our home spotless and took great care with everything. We were so pleased that they made the most of our swimming pool and ventured out on the bikes often meeting the friendly people of the neighbour hood.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Charles 1 year ago

It's always nice to meet like minded people whose company you enjoy. Carey and Peter were great guests who left our apartment spotlessly keen. The only downside was that they didn't stay long enough! Hopefully we will get the chance to host them again.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Dave and Sheree 1 year ago

. Peter & Carey are easy communicators with a whim for adventure. While loving being at our beach house they took great care with our home. I would certainly recommend doing an exchange with them.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sandra 1 year ago

It was our pleasure to host Carey and Peter who were perfect guests. They were easy to communicate with and left our home spotless. We are looking forward to visiting them in NZ before too long . .

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Lou 1 year ago

Peter and Carey were wonderful exchange partners. Communication was great from initial contact and throughout the exchange. Though we couldn't meet personally it was like we had. We came home to a spotless house, everything just as we left it with a beautiful and much appreciated thank you gift. We would highly recommend an exchange with this lovely couple and we are looking forward to our stay in New Zealand at a later date. Peter and Carey are clearly experienced home exchanges and we enjoyed welcoming them into our part of the world.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Susan 1 year ago

Carey was a great guest - the house was left in perfect condition and all our communication was efficient and easy. I hope she and her friend enjoyed their stay in our home, and we would welcome her back any time!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Adam&Antonia 1 year ago

It was our absolute pleasure to welcome Carey and Peter. We loved sharing a meal with them when they first arrived. They are such a lovely, warm couple, we immediately felt at ease. So much so, we all enjoyed a couple of local walks together, plus hosting a mini PLU meet-up was a joy! They stayed in The Studio, which is a private self catering section of the main house. They loved the big bed and quality linen. They were great sports when one of the Studio’s lower kitchen cupboard shelves mysteriously decided to fall down with an almighty crash in the middle of the night 😱. NB shelf is now fixed 😃👍 They left everything in the Studio in perfect order, along with a beautiful card thanking us. The valley's serene beauty is something special, and we're elated they had the chance to explore. Finding the tallest flowering tree’s on the planet would have been a highlight! It was great to meet them, and we very much look forward to seeing them again when we head across the ditch to New Zealand one of these days.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ali Abbott 1 year ago

what a pleasure it was to meet Carey and Peter before they stayed in our home. Great communication throughout and I'm sure we have kindled a friendship that we plan to nurture

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Lesley 1 year ago

Peter and Carey were the perfect guests at my home for the 2.5 weeks they stayed in Bicheno. Everything that they made use of was returned to its location and the house was left in an immaculate condition with no damage. All keys were returned to me. My car was handed back in exactly the same undamaged and clean condition with a full tank of fuel, as it was given to them for their Tasmanian exploration. Peter and Carey are really experienced home exchanges. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to any future home exchanges they choose to make in the future.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ray 1 year ago

Carey and Peter recently spent 10 days staying in our self contained Tiny House, since our primary home wasn't available at the time of arranging the exchange. We offered this option since Carey had been so generous in helping us with advice in our early PLU days, which was very much appreciated. So it was lovely to finally meet up and it really did feel like we were greeting old friends. They were very relaxed and easy going and threw themselves into lots of activities near and far with much enthusiasm! Every day they were off exploring and hiking the local trails and we spent a couple of fun evenings together enjoying drinks and nibbles and hearing about their daily adventures. We shared lots of things in common and they were very pleasant and engaging people to be around. Needless to say Carey and Peter were the perfect guests and left our Tiny in immaculate condition. They really are welcome back anytime and we look forward to catching up next month when they return to the Huon Valley at the end of their Tassie trip.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Caroline and Don 1 year ago

It was an absolute pleasure to have Carey and Peter stay the night. We loved our chats and getting to know them a little. Welcome back anytime.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Carola 1 year ago

Thank you for your feedback and your lovely comments about our home and gardens. I will update visitors guide book. Carey and Peter were great guest in our home. We will definitely look to do more exchanges.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Megan 1 year ago

So nice to have Carey and Peter (and Veronica) for a brief visit on their way south. They have been sending lovely supportive emails since I joined initially as a trial member and they embody the warm friendly spirit of PLU. I'm pretty sure it will be the first of many catch ups!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Nicki 1 year ago

lovely couple and very tidy. peter even mowed the lawns for me. welcome back anytime

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with catherine 2 years ago

We were lucky enough to meet Carey and Peter when they arrived and they are truly kind and thoughtful exchangers. They took excellent care of our home and left it just as they found it for our return. We were delighted that they were able to enjoy our home and area and look forward to visiting them in New Zealand in a few months. You can trust Carey and Peter with your home - they are welcome back anytime!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Stephanie 2 years ago

We could not have asked for better guests. Carey and Peter were quite wonderful to have at our place in Tahoe. (It's so nice when your guests like your recommendations!). We were able to meet then and have them to our home in Sonoma along with some friends of theirs from England. Another treat! We had a lot of fun getting to know them and hope we can stay in touch. We look forward to seeing them again during our trip to their home in New Zealand. We wish they didn't live so far away! Carey and Peter, you are welcome back any time.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Jacqueline and Tom 2 years ago

Carey and Peter were such pleasant guests! We were excited to host them, but didn't expect to get so much out of just a quick overnight stay. They were fun to talk to, complimentary in every way, low-maintenance, and very tidy and communicative. I hope they will come our way again!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Marsha 2 years ago

Carey and Peter were wonderful home exchange guests. They are friendly, respectful, caring and a fun couple to be around. They are welcome anytime.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Glenn & Janet 2 years ago

Peter and Carey spent three weeks in our Panama home. They were resourceful and respectful guests. They dove into our little community and immediately made friends among the locals. We’re looking forward to meeting them in New Zealand.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Janet 2 years ago

Carey and Peter are the dream guests we all hope to have! Wonderful communicators, appreciative of what we offer them, respectful of our properties, and CLEAN. They are always welcome to come back. Vicki and I really want to make it to New Zealand, and knowing we have a home waiting for us may make it a reality. However, if we don’t make it, we did make friends, and that’s what home exchanging is all about.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with James & Vicki 2 years ago

Carey & Peter were not just guests, they immediately became friends! We loved having them as guests in our home, and they were incredible caretakers. We appreciated them so much taking care of indoor and some outdoor plants, and troubleshooting when there was a power surge that happened and impacted a set of lights! The house was very tidy and clean when we returned. Would always welcome them back in our home.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Judy 2 years ago

Carey and Peter were great guests and are welcome back anytime. They were easy to communicate with and were enthusiastic about our area and our home. It was a pleasure to host them and we hope to travel to New Zealand and meet them some day. They left our home spotless and set up the same as we left it for them.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ann & Joel 2 years ago

In July 2023 Carey and Peter did a hospitality stay in our home and they were absolutely wonderful guests! They are very kind, considerate, humorous and down-to-earth people who were a real joy to host. They will always be welcome in our home. During their stay, we would look forward to the end of each day when we would all sit on the deck, have a drink, play Liverpool Rummy and just talk about anything and everything. It's members like Carey & Peter that make People Like Us the best home exchange program on the planet! We consider them friends and we 100% recommend them to the PLU community! Carey & Peter are not just 5 star guests, they are 5 star people!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with David 2 years ago

We were so happy to hear that Carey and Peter could give us a Globe to stay while we were in France on an exchange. Our France exchange partner decided they couldn't come to our home until the following year so our house would be empty and no one to feed our cat. :) They were so excited to come to Colorado and communications with them from day one were amazing and clear. We were fortunate enough to meet them briefly before we headed to France and really enjoyed their company and their obvious interest in understanding the ins-an-outs of our home. They were perfect guests and did everything we asked of them, including taking care of our cat, taking the garbage out and watering some plants. They were a joy to communicate with while we were on vacation and they were enjoying Colorado. It was so much fun sharing pictures of our experiences. They left our home spotless and we are still communicating and hope to visit their home in New Zealand in the near future.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ryan & Michelle 2 years ago

Carey and Peter were excellent guests. As a hospitality exchange we took a tour of some special sites near Denver. Their enthusiam for travel and meeting new friends was pleasantly contagious. They were respectful of my home and and left my home tidy. Pete even solved a little household problem for me. I was so appreciative of his help. We had fun getting to know each other, sharing stories of travel and family. I sincerely hope we meet again. You will love having them in your home!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Geraldine 2 years ago

Carey and Peter were wonderful guests in our home. Communication was great prior to their visit. They were very friendly and courteous throughout their stay and we had a great time getting to know them/

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Bryan and Julie 3 years ago

Carey and Peter stayed in my home during the whole month of September. We arranged that they arrived a day earlier so we could meet in person (love that if possible), so I could show them around, we chatted and had dinner together. Next day I flew to California to visit my son who lives there. From time to time we had app contact which I loved. A picture of Pete mowing the lawn (which I didn't dare to ask for but was so happy with) or of one of my cats on their lap. Short: I came back in a very clean house, all the garden and inside plants alive and kicking and the biggest plus: 2 happy, relaxed cats. Hope to meet you again in 1 or 2 years in New Zealand! Thank you so much!!! Highly recommended.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Marlijn 3 years ago

Thank you Marlijn; the pleasure was all ours! We look forward to seeing you in NZ.

Carey and Peter looked after our house really well. They were great at communicating with us and would be welcomed back in the future! Thank you for looking after our cats too!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Kate 3 years ago

Carey and Peter were lovely guests. They left our place spotless. We would definitely welcome them back and hopefully one day we can exchange with them when our kids are bigger.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Hayley 3 years ago

Carey and Peter were amazing house guests. They took such good care of our home and garden (and various parcels!) We felt so much happier knowing they were looking after our house. Plus they are really cool people to chat with! Can't wait to meet up with them again. ☺️

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Meg 3 years ago

It was absolutely wonderful to host Carey and Peter. They were delightful guests, easy to communicate with and we would welcome them again. Our experience with them was the first with this great community, and people like this are a pleasure to get to know. They even taught us a thing or two about our town. Thank you Carey and Peter for the good care you took with our place. We really appreciated this beginning and it felt great to help folks who were respectful and easy going. We look forward to meeting you.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Gay Lynette and Larry 3 years ago

We had a very tasty, fabulous meal with Carey and Peter with lots of conversation about house swapping and life in general. Carey, Peter and Clare were great guests. Clean, tidy and lots of fun to hang out with. We look forward to hosting, swapping and generally catching up in the future. It was lovely to meet you all.

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Joy and Andrew 3 years ago

Thank you for looking after our home and leaving it clean and tidy and doing the laundry in readiness for my family's return. Thank you too for the chocolate treat you left us! We enjoyed our texts, emails and messages with you and are only sorry we didn't have a chance to meet up! Maybe one day! In the meantime, happy travels and exchanging! Penny and Iain

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Penny 3 years ago

Carey and Peter were lovely guests in our home! We had good communication before, during and after the exchange so had absolutely nothing to worry about. We were greeted to their home with nice food and flowers, and they also left nice treats upon our return. Our house and car were nice and clean when we arrived back. Carey and Peter are lovely people who we will welcome to our home again in the future!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Darci 4 years ago

Carey & Peter are perfect guests! They left our house immaculate and even better, left some home baking for us! A very special treat! We have had great communication with them, especially as our dishwasher broke just before they arrived so I was trying to coordinate a repairman. We can’t wait to visit their home for our half of the exchange! A really great experience all round!

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Joan 4 years ago

Thanks Carey and Peter for leaving Tui’s Rest so spic and span - pleased you enjoyed your mini staycation Thanks also for the lovely bottle of wine - much appreciated We would not hesitate to exchange again - thanks so much ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Guest Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Pete 4 years ago

Unfortunately we weren't able to stay at John and Lai-Fung's due to a cancelled flight. They were so understanding and kind that I'm sure if we had stayed, we would have enjoyed their hospitality very much. Maybe another time.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with John 4 months ago

We arrived to a wonderful welcome of beer, wine, biscuits, chocolates and tea! Then saw the beautifully decorated, spacious and impeccably clean and tidy apartment, tucked away at the end of a very quiet road. Plenty of space in the bedroom and living/dining room with a lovely large tv! A really good shower in a large bathroom was a bonus. The kitchen was exceedingly well equipped including a great coffee machine. The guest room and extra toilet via the laundry, was fabulous for our friends and son to visit; thank you so much for allowing this Susanne and Ingo! Every day we walked some of the numerous trails direct from the front door in to the woods and local nature reserves. The birds and wildlife....deer, hares, hedgehogs and even a wild boar were great to see. We were generously offered 2 electric bikes which meant we could go further afield to explore small villages and see more of the gently rolling countryside. Nearly all our rides were on cycle lanes or very quiet roads. Susanne and Ingo have made a really lovely garden with the choice of 3 different sitting out areas. We loved having dinner or morning coffee outdoors, listening to the beautiful bird song. We loved getting to know this part of Germany. Susanne was so helpful prior and during the exchange answering our many questions about trains, car hire etc. Many thanks again for a wonderful visit!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Susanne 6 months ago

What an amazing home Michaela and Christian have! We arrived to fresh flowers, pastries, coffee beans, tea, milk and chocolate! A pretty good start! The house is warm, spacious, calm, comfortable, well equipped, full of love and life.......with a wonderful view of the river with boats and kayaks going by! Situated literally 2 mins walk from the supermarket and a great bakery plus a good path going both ways along the river. Easy to cycle to Runkel for good views of the castle and a nice cafe while in the other direction there is Limburg. A town with medieval houses and market squares, a cathedral and cobbled streets. Unbelievable to wander around and take hundreds of photos! An absolute highlight for us was driving an hour to St Goarhausen, getting the foot passenger ferry to St Goar,( 5 mins!), exploring among medieval houses, lanes and gateways, looking up to vineyards and castles then taking a train to Bacharach then the ferry back down the Rhine. Here we saw the towns alongside the fast flowing river. Wonderful. We had the pleasure of meeting Michaela's parents who live nearby. They are the most friendly and helpful people ever; they lent us their electric bikes and their car, (as a reciprocal arrangement when Michaela and family came to us) plus suggested local walks we could do. It was so wonderful to finally meet Michaela, Christian plus their gorgeous children. Communication with Michaela has been superb right from the start. She moved heaven and earth to accommodate us and we couldn't be more grateful. This is a fabulous family embodying the spirit of kindness, generosity and hospitality.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Michaela 6 months ago

A beautiful, comfortable, warm, well equipped apartment tastefully decorated with Margaret's own art and keepsakes that enhance the style. In a lovely quiet location with walks from the door and birdsong all around. We appreciated the comfy bed, the underfloor heating, the sharp knives and the reclining chairs. The bakery is just 5 mins walk away with a great selection of breads and pastries; try the appelstrudl on a Monday! Walking into town was quick and easy whilst exploring the quiet back streets on foot gave us new sights each time. The local houses are so well kept with an abundance of flowers in gardens or balconies with wildflower meadows slotted in between. Margaret left a comprehensive list of places to go and hikes to do and wow, you are just spoilt for choice. Every lake we visited was beautiful, each hike we did brought us stunning views, every coffee and cake we had was delicious! Getting the Katrin cable car and doing hikes to the summits was a highlight as was going on the saltmine tour at Altausee. Vordere Gosau with a lake walk and views of the Dachstein, an explore of Halstatt, ( take the top level street), Blinkingmoos Nature Reserve for the best wildflower meadows we've ever seen. We had 2 lake swims, listened to a local brass band amongst local people wearing their traditional costumes with pride and relished the neat, clean and tidy towns. We were greeted with chocolates, alpine napkins, local gingerbread and homemade schnapps! Margaret answered our many questions promptly both prior and during the exchange. Thank you so much Margaret and Andy for sharing your magical slice of paradise! We loved every minute and can completely understand why it's your happy place.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Margaret & Andy 6 months ago

Thank you so much Lena and Darren for such a comfortable night in your lovely spacious family home. What a treat to be picked up at the airport, (& wait for us as our floght was delayed), have dinner ready for us and then be taken back to the airport the next day. A lovely walk with the dogs gave us a chance to see what a great neighborhood you live in. We really appreciate your generosity and kindness in offering us a night's hospitality stay. We would gladly return the favour if you or any of your kids come to New Zealand.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Lena 6 months ago

Kate and her friend were the perfect guests, leaving our home very clean and tidy. Thank you so much for washing the linen too! Kate was extremely prompt in any communication prior to and during the exchange whilst being friendly and lovely to chat to. All the very best to you Kate and we look forward to a short stay in your Christchurch home at some point in the future.

Guest Feedback: Kate stayed with Carey and Peter 6 months ago

Season and Jared's second home is a spacious townhouse on 3 levels which made a great base for exploring S Utah. Having air con meant it was a lovely temperature to come home to after a hot morning hike. An absolute bonus for us was the community pool and hot tub, literally 2 minutes walk away. The master bedroom has a wonderful large comfy bed, the kitchen was good for cooking our own meals & the downstairs room stayed beautifully cool (mid to late May) in the evenings to watch TV. We absolutely loved the hiking opportunities ranging from popular Bryce and Zion National Parks to the less crowded local State Parks and Reserves. Offering a surprising variety of desert and canyon landscapes, we found getting to trailheads early in the mornings, meant we often had the trails to ourselves for a couple of hours. The house is located very near to the freeway so access is easy . Season and Jared were very helpful and communicative both prior and during the exchange. We also had the great pleasure of meeting Season's lovely mother. A really fantastic touch is that if you arrive late at night, there is a choice of pasta and sauce for you to help yourself to. Thank you so much Season and Jared, (and your parents), for the most amazing exchange. We saw scenery unlike anything we've seen before and made many happy memories.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Season 7 months ago

Thank you for such a wonderful exchange. We would love having you back in the future and hope to meet in person someday! <3

It was such a pleasure to welcome Jacqueline and Tom to our home! Unfortunately, we couldn't be here to meet them but we had such great communication prior to and during the exchange that it almost felt as if we'd seen them in person. Jacqueline was brilliant at sending us photos and recounts of where they'd explored and boy did they pack a lot in visiting most of the places we suggest in our home-guide. Thank you for leaving our home so clean and tidy; it was lovely to return to find it all spic and span. We highly recommend this friendly couple as perfect PLU'ers.

Guest Feedback: Jacqueline and Tom stayed with Carey and Peter 8 months ago

Nicki is the most perfect guest as were her lovely friends. We shared lunch with them when they first arrived which was a great opportunity to chat and share stories. We kept in touch throughout their stay and they were incredibly accommodating when we had to pop home several times! Communication prior to and during the exchange was easy and fun. Nicki, we look forward to seeing you again and thank you so much for the gift you so kindly left for us. We also really appreciate how clean and tidy you left our home. All in all, just fabulous and you are the most ideal PLU lady!

Guest Feedback: Nicki stayed with Carey and Peter 9 months ago

Unfortunately Lesley and Phill had to postpone their visit to our home due to health issues. We look forward to welcoming you another time.

Guest Feedback: Lesley stayed with Carey and Peter 9 months ago

Oh my gosh, where do I start?! Sal and Malcom's bach overlooking Lake Tarawera is one of the most peaceful & serene places we have been in N.Z. The views from every room are astounding with the beautiful blue lake, the dense green of the bush and hills while the bird song is incredible due to local pests that have been eradicated. The bach is spacious inside & out, with 2 living areas; one with the kitchen, dining & lounge and the other with the TV & pool table. The kitchen is very well equipped, (with nice sharp knives!) & we found everything we needed. The master bedroom has a HUGE bed! Quality linen & towels made it all superbly comfortable. The lake view side of the house has several doors opening onto a wonderfully large deck with a big table. To sit there playing Scrabble, listening to the birds in such a tranquil setting, was heaven! The whole place is not over-looked at all & is completely private. We walked from the house every day down to the lake and along the trail & back, meeting friendly locals. We would have explored more hiking trails but due to broken toes, this wasn't an option for us this time, but Sal had mentioned there were more. The home guide book was full of useful information. The nearest swimming was a 3 min drive at Cliff Rd or alternatively a 5 min drive to Stoney Bay. Both were perfect for swimming with small sandy beaches, crystal clear water, sea birds & more stunning views to Mt Tarawera. Sal kindly left us marsh-mallows to melt on the fire-pit; thank you! The large blackboard had a lovely welcome message on that we really appreciated. We left a note on for you Sal & Malcom when you next go! Thank you SO much, we loved our week and hope to return one day!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sal 9 months ago

What a pleasure to host Anna and Willem! They are the perfect guests, communicating well prior and during the exchange. Our house was left spotless with everything exactly as we'd left it; they had even kindly taken the recycling bin out and washed all the linen and towels. Thank you. The icing on the cake was that in the fridge was the most delicious dinner left ready for us. Amazing and very welcome after a hot drive home. Thank you so much; we appreciated all that you did.

Guest Feedback: Anna stayed with Carey and Peter 9 months ago

Such a pleasure to meet Veronica and Leif. We shared lunch together when they first arrived and we had so much to talk about. Then off they went in our campervan, as a globe exchange, We kept in touch as they explored Northland and it was great to hear how they were going. They returned our campervan clean and tidy and were thoughtful enough to leave time to vacuum it once they arrived at our home. Thank you for the very special wine bottle stopper you kindly brought from Sweden. Maybe we'll see you there one day?!

Guest Feedback: Veronica stayed with Carey and Peter 10 months ago

We would love to welcome you to Sweden 🤗

Ruth and Tom are the most delightful couple. Open, friendly and chatty and we wished we'd had more time to get to know them. They kindly brought us some books about hiking in their local area of Montana which was very thoughtful. They looked after our campervan with great care. To our amazement they even went to a launderette and washed all the linen and towels. When they returned the van, they generously brrought us lots of goodies then as well. Thank you Ruth and Tom. We cannot wait to continue our friendship when we come to you in Montana.

Guest Feedback: Ruth and Tom stayed with Carey and Peter 11 months ago

Sandra and Andy were great at communicating both prior and durng the exchange. There was a comprehensive home guide and a guide to local activities. They left our home clean and tidy. We highly recommend them as exchangers.!

Guest Feedback: Sandra stayed with Carey and Peter 11 months ago

A lovely spacious and comfortable home set on a large section with the most glorious heated pool and spa. Roomy kitchen, dining and living areas allowed for a relaxing stay. A beautiful rainforest deck complete with water running in a little stream, was a quiet space for eating dinner and sitting out with morning coffee. Charli the cat was friendly and a wonderful warm lap-ful in the evenings. Lots of choices for shopping and cafes nearby within a few minutes drive. A great base for exploring Auckland. .

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sandra 11 months ago

Sally & David left our home spotlessly clean and tidy plus going the extra mile to get everything ready for our next exchanger who followed straight on after them. Sally even cut some fresh flowers to welcome them in. Thank you! Also the plant you so kindly left us, is gorgeous.

Guest Feedback: Sally & David stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

What a beautiful, spacious, spotlessly clean, comfortable house in a quiet location with gorgeous views of the hills. Easy walking or biking distance to town either along the lakeside or via paths & quiet roads. Sally & David's home has everything you could possibly need. The large bed was very comfortable & felt luxurious with good pillows and linen. Many choices for sitting inside or outside with a lovely garden. Sally generously offered us fresh home-grown vegetables & we were welcomed with the most beautiful peonies fresh from her garden alongside wine, chocolates, cheese & crackers, bread & milk. We enjoyed lots of hiking on the hills either side of Lake Dunstan, (& a few chilly dips in the lake!) & in the gold-tailings to the south. We frequented the old area of Cromwell where there are marvellous views, a great coffee shop & interesting displays of how life used to be when the Otago gold rush started. Sally was the most brilliant communicator both prior and during the exchange. We really appreciated being able to have our adult daughter & partner and my nephew join us for a weekend; thank you Sally & David, for your generosity in allowing that. We loved riding the e-bikes; again, very generous to let us. The car swap went seamlessly for both parties. All in all, a fabulous exchange. Sally & David you are pro's at this; are you sure this was your first PLU exchange?! Here's to many more & anyone fortunate enough to exchange here will love it. Thank you!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sally & David 1 year ago

A lovely, spacious, comfortable house with large living/kitchen area, great beds and big tvs. Beautiful private courtyard in the front for a sunny morning coffee then a large shaded deck at the back, for lunch/snacks. Set near the end of a very quiet road, just bird song to losten to, this is a very peaceful location with bush outlook. Lovely fragrant 'Zero' hand-wash etc and many indoor plants. Sally & Pete kindly lent us their e bikes so we loved exploring the local area. Nice coastal walkways plus the beach for a good leg stretch. The small town of Lennox Head is a friendly and welcoming place. Thank you Sally and Pete for a most relaxing exchange.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sally 1 year ago

What perfect exchange partners, Sally and Pete left our home clean and tidy, making up our bed ready for us after a late night flight home. Thank you! They also used our campervan, leaving that veey clean. So nice to meet briefly too; felt as though we could have chatted for ages!

Guest Feedback: Sally stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Charlie and Val are wonderful exchangers leaving our house very clean and tidy going the extra mile to make up beds etc ready for the next exchangers. House plants were watered and mail collected. We were greeted at their house with a very nice bottle of wine; thank you! Highly recommend exchanging with Charlie and Val.

Guest Feedback: Charles stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

What a fabulous, spacious, clean, comfortable, quality home. We could have stayed for ever! The icing on the cake is the pool. You honestly feel as if you're in a tropical resort, with palm trees, birds flying overhead and blue skies. Paradise. The location is stunning being on a corner with water on two sides. Each day we walked or cycled around the local roads and paths that weave between the beautiful houses. People were so friendly and we had lovely chats with several locals. The nearby coffee shop serves delicious coffee and we were good customers, going most days! The long, sandy beach is very close and great for a good leg stretch. We had easy and friendly communication with Charlie and Val prior to and during the exchange. Thank you so much!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Charles 1 year ago

A beautiful and spacious apartment on the lower level of Dave and Sheree's house. Everything you ever thought you needed has been provided plus more! A comfy bed with nice linen with so much more; fresh flowers from the fabulous and beautiful garden, an extraordinarily generous selection of food and wine, transport cards, the list goes on. But on top of that is the absolute pleasure of meeting Dave and Sheree who were kind enough to invite us for dinner after a long drive. Delicious food offered and so easy to chat to. Such a fun night. Many, many thanks. You offered us the most perfect hospitality stay.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Dave and Sheree 1 year ago

What an amazingly quiet and peaceful location.....the only noise being the wonderful bird song which we absolutely loved. Seeing bee-eaters swooping around all day was a real highlight. The beach was an easy 7 or 8 minute walk for great swimming, ( between the flags where life guards are on watch) or for a good leg stretch. We alternated wave swimming with calm water swimming at 1770 where pristine sandy beaches and crystal clear water beckon you in. Here there is a beautiful walk up to a look out. I think we did it 3 times and saw whales offshore each time plus dolphins, lizards and butterflies. Easy to walk to the shops and cafes in Agnes and to the library for free wifi. The beach house is spacious and comfortable, with a well equipped kitchen and probably the sharpest knives we've ever encountered on an exchange. There is a lovely community right there with 2 other PLU members in the same street who welcomed us in. Sandra and Reg are brilliant PLU members, communicate promptly and are just lovely generous people.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Sandra 1 year ago

Thank you. We love welcoming other PLU s to fall in love with our piece of paradise!

We were so pleased to be able to offer Meghan and her family our home for a few nights. We had excellent communication prior and during the exchange. Our home was left as they found it, clean and tidy. We are really looking forward to visiting Meghan's home next year and we hope to meet as I'm sure we'd have loads to talk about!

Guest Feedback: Megan stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Lou and Kim's house is in an amazingly private location set high up nestled in the bush, (forest). The view over and through the trees to the ocean is truly beautiful. The birdsong is stunning and the early morning kookaburra chorus is wonderful. Butterflies, a wallaby, a large lizard, ( frilled dragon maybe) were all delightful visitors seen from the deck. There's a rough path down through the bush that takes you to a road and onto the beach with walkways up and down the coast. We loved this, especially once we'd found our favorite coffee shop called Noosa. We explored locally including driving north to Noosa National Park where there are glorious walks, but go early to get a car park. I joined a Nia dance class nearby, and we swam often. Lots of people-watching too as the coast is popular. We were in the downstairs apartment which was fine, but if you are given the choice, request the upstairs apartment as it is more spacious and modern. Thank you Lou and Kim.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Lou 1 year ago

Thank you for your kind review Carey and John. It was our pleasure to host you, glad you appreciated the wildlife and the noisy morning bird chorus . You were wonderful guests and left everything spotless. Will look forward to seeing you in NZ next year .

What a comfortable and spacious home nestled in the rainforest, the only house on a quiet lane. Fabulous bird song with stunning parrots feeding on the deck right in front of you! Absolutely wonderful to watch them. Large pool which we swam in even though it was winter. Well equipped kitchen with everything you need to cook and rhe supermarket just 5 mins away. We hiked in the Glasshouse Mountains and just enjoyed relaxing in the house and on the deck. A collection of DVD's and Netflix let us indulge in some movies. Fabulous prompt communication with Sue before and during the exchange. We arrived late after a long international flight and having asked Sue to kindly buy us a bag of pasta which we could cook on arrival, she left us a delicious cheese board AND a meal ready to cook and wine! Wow what a welcome! So very kind and thoughtful. Thank you so much Sue and Mike. We look forward to welcoming you in NZ.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Susan 1 year ago

What a lovely stay we had in Antonia & Adam's traditional Sri Lankan home with a beautiful sitting out area in the front where we had many cups of black tea! The beds were wonderfully comfortable with quality linen & mosquito nets. The simple & basic kitchen was adequate as were the bathrooms. The garden was just amazing with many tropical trees and fruits and Kalu, the caretaker showed which ones we could eat such as the rambutans. Getting up at dawn to climb up to the tree house to listen to the birdsong was an absolute highlight. We even saw a hornbill! The location of the house is beautifully quiet and it was easy to get a tuktuk to pick us up. Antonia was so helpful answering my many questions prior and during the stay. Exploring Hikkaduwa was fascinating; the Tsunami museum confronting, walking along beside the railway line was a glimpse into ordinary lives, buying a day pass at Coral Sands hotel was a refreshing break from the heat and finding small eateries overlooking the bay was fun. Thank you so much; you were so generous and kind to let my friend Julia and I stay to start our month long adventure. Hiring our own tuktuk is the next step and we are so happy to experience this incredible country.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Adam&Antonia 1 year ago

Ali and Paul were the most friendly and lovely hosts welcoming us into their beautiful home with a delicious home cooked meal. We stayed in the studio which was very comfortable with a wonderful large bed and good linen. The house is located in an unspoilt valley with amazing views and peaceful surroundings yet only a shirt distance to shops in Huonville. We walked along the gravel road alongside the river as a very pleasant way to chat with Ali and Paul. A highlight was an hours drive through the forest to hike to some of the tallest trees on the planet! Thank you so much Ali and Paul. We really enjoyed meeting you and appreciate you hosting a mini PLU meet up as well.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ali Abbott 1 year ago

Lauren and Michael were the perfect guests in our home and I've given postitive feedback. They didn't end up using the campervan so no feedback for that!

Guest Feedback: Lauren stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Thank you for leaving our home so clean and tidy. Great communication prior to and during the exchange. Really appreciate that you kindly watered the plants, both indoors and out and collected the mail. Useful to know our internet is a good speed! Enjoy the rest of your time in NZ.

Guest Feedback: Lauren stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

What a beautiful, spacious and comfortable home with the most incredible view of the small town of Penguin and the coast. Lesley and Phil's home is in a wonderful location for exploring the north Tasmanian coast and the Cradle Mountain area. We enjoy hiking so having the choice of alpine walks in Cradle Mtn National Park was perfect albeit an hours drive away. Plus we saw a platypus there which was high on my bucket list! Lesley and Phil's home has large, tall windows which means the sun streams in making it deliciously warm,(in May), plus there is the bonus of a sunroom. Coming back to a warm house after a day's exploration was a pleasure. A convenient 10 minute walk into town for supplies or for a coffee was easy and what fun to watch the trains go by! Joining in the local Trivia Quiz was a fun way to spend our last evening. Great communication prior to and during the exchange in addition to having the pleasure of meeting Lesley and Phil, made this exchange just wonderful. The homemade sourdough loaf was the icing on the cake! Thank you for sharing your piece of paradise.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Lesley 1 year ago

Ray and Mel looked after our campervan perfectly, cleaning her inside and out plus ensuring linen etc was ready for the next exchangers while we were on another exchange overseas. Thank you so much!

Guest Feedback: Ray stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Ray and Mel were the perfect guests! We had easy communication before and during the exchange. They looked after our home beautifully, including watering house plants and feeding the tui's and kindly made sure it was ready for the next guests. We highly recommend Ray and Mel as exchangers and it's been a pleasure to get to 'know' them although we've yet to meet!

Guest Feedback: Ray stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

What an absolutely brilliant stay we had at Ray's glorious home. Spacious, comfortable, warm, clean, tidy, light, airy: these words hardly do it justice. Great location within walking distance of beaches and shops. Stunning views from the upstairs living/ dining area and so lovely to come home to the warmth captured due to the wide expanse of windows. Great access to a fabulous coastline; sandy beaches, crystal clear water, amazing granite rocks to walk over, and around. An impressive blow hole nearby plus penguins coming in after dark. We visited Freycinet National Park 3 times for fabulous hikes and swims, seeing dolphins and numerous birds and wallabies. Ray was very generous in lending us camping gear so we had a wonderful adventure sleeping in a tent which we haven't done for many years! We also stayed overnight on Maria Island which we would highly recommend. Did we mention the ping pong?! We had ding dong battles and so much fun. Ray and Mel, thank you, thank you! Great communication prior to and during. One of our best exchanges. Bicheno is a very special place and we're so grateful that you shared your piece of paradise with us.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ray 1 year ago

Michaela and Christian were the perfect guests. Communication prior to and during the stay was friendly and prompt. They left our home as clean and tidy as they found it plus they kindly and willingly made everything ready for the next exchangers. Thank you so much and although we didn't get to meet you, we really hope to one day. Enjoy the rest of your amazing trip!

Guest Feedback: Michaela stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

We stayed in Caro and Don's Tiny-House on their beautifully located property within walking distance of picturesque Cygnet. The tiny house was private, comfortable, warm and well equipped and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Unfortunately Don was away, but Caro was a fabulous host, recommending places to visit, answering our many questions, and even taking us on a great mountain hike. She generously provided us with a selection of delicious local and home grown food and invited us into her stunning home for coffee on a couple of occasions. We look forward to meeting Don and reconnecting with Caro later on our wonderful adventures in Tasmania.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Caroline and Don 1 year ago

Lovely to welcome Larry and Gay to our home; although we didn't meet in person, we felt as though they were friends in our home. Communication was very easy prior to the exchange, our home was left clean and tidy and we highly recommend these great exchangers. And thank you for the basil!

Guest Feedback: Gay Lynette and Larry stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Judy and Larry are the perfect guests! We enjoyed a meal together when they first arrived and it felt as though we could have chatted forever! So lovely to catch up. Thank you for the meaningful gift of pizza scissors plus so kind of you to leave more gifts when we returned home. Needless to say our home was left clean and tidy. Thank you so much. Judy and Larry embody the special spirit of PLU and we feel privileged to call them friends.

Guest Feedback: Judy stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Vickie was the perfect guest! She left the house as clean and tidy as she found it, was prompt in all communication and was lovely to meet in person. A pleasure to exchange with!

Guest Feedback: Vickie stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Marisse is the most wonderful friendly person who was an absolute pleasure to meet. We had great communication prior to her arrival which continued as she and her delightful niece Lotte, had an adventure in Veronica. It was lovely to share travel and life stories and we felt as if we could've chatted for way longer. Marisse took responsibility for understanding how the campervan works and returned the van in perfect condition, even vacuuming it once she'd got back to our home. Thank you Marisse and Lotte, for the Dutch chocolate, the sweet picture your mum/grandma made but most of all, for bringing your enthusiastic approach for being such kind, generous PLU members.

Guest Feedback: Marisse stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Thank you so much for welcoming us with wine and cake! Such a lovely evening chatting with you in your beautiful home. We appreciate you giving up time in your busy lives and so nice to meet your lovely kids. What a great driveway you have for a night in our campervan! Many thanks to you all.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Carola 1 year ago

Superb, lovely guests who left our home very clean and tidy. Thanks so much for that and for your prompt communication prior to and during the exchange. Highly recommend this gorgeous family. Thank you so much for the wine!

Guest Feedback: Aurelie stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

Thank you so much for leaving our home so clean and tidy for the next guests. We appreciate you feeding the tuis and mowing the lawn was a huge bonus. Very kind of you Roger! All the very best for future exchanges; we hope this first one has inspired you!

Guest Feedback: Megan stayed with Carey and Peter 1 year ago

A lovely comfortable family home located on a very peaceful road with lots of birdsong in the expansive garden. Comfy beds and a wonderful shower plus a large deck as an outdoor room. An easy walk to the lagoon, a slightly longer walk to the beach or a short drive. Great communication prior to and during the exchange. Thank you Megan and Roger for sharing your home with us.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Megan 1 year ago

What a beautiful home situated on the outskirts of Timaru with lovely gardens all around. It was such a pleasure to meet Nicki, who welcomed us with the most delicious dinner plus we got to meet some of her delightful family. We parked our campervan in Nicki's driveway and enjoyed a good coffee the following morning plus plenty of chat. In fact it felt as though we could continue chatting for far longer so we hope to welcome Nicki in our home at some point in the future. Thank you Nicki!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Nicki 1 year ago

Catherine has a beautiful old villa conveniently situated near to the centre of Christchurch. Easy to walk in to enjoy the art gallery, shops etc. The villa is comfortable with beautiful wooden floors and stained glass windows. Catherine was very easy to communicate with answering messages promptly. It was lovely to meet you Catherine albeit briefly.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with catherine 2 years ago

Stephanie and Scott, it was an absolute pleasure to have you in our home. You were the perfect exchangers, communicating clearly prior to and during the swap while leaving the house clean and tidy as you found it. So glad you enjoyed the native birds and the local area. We wish you all the very best and do come back to NZ one day; there's lots more to discover!

Guest Feedback: Stephanie stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

JaCie, and Matt and thier two kids had an all too brief stay in our home and we wouldn't have known they'd even been here apart from a sweet thank you card and some delicious treats in the fridge. We really appreciate that you left our house so clean and tidy and somehow managed to wash all the linen before you left. Thank you so much and enjoy your time exploring New Zealand!

Guest Feedback: JaCie stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

We so enjoyed meeting Sandra and Reg, such interesting and interested people. They took the best care of our campervan even improving it with added extras they kindly donated or fixed up when little mishaps happened. Their adventurous spirit is to be admired. Thank you so much for coming to NZ and embracing the freedom that Veronica allows. We highly recommend you as perfect PLU's!

Guest Feedback: Sandra stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

Thank you for a wonderful review & I hope my post results in a few extra exchangers for you. We look forward to finalising your part of the exchange in 2024 or whenever you are ready to come. We had a great time. Sandra

What a spacious, comfortable, clean, tastefully decorated, high spec and luxurious home! We absolutely loved the whole house ; in particular, the large deck overlooking the pool and spa with a view down the valley. Watching the vultures circle overhead and the humming birds flit about while swimming, will be a lasting memory. We are very grateful to Stephanie and Scott for welcoming our friends from England who joined us for this exchange. A quiet location for day trips to the coast where we saw sea otters and squadrons of pelicans. Easy access to walk among giant Redwoods while handy to supermarkets. A most comprehensive guidebook was useful to refer to while communicating with Stephanie was seamless prior to and during the exchange. Many, many thanks for a wonderful stay and a real pleasure to meet you both. We look forward to your visit to us in New Zealand.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Stephanie 2 years ago

This exchange was our idea of heaven! A very spacious and very comfortable condo, well equipped, clean and just perfect in every way. A quiet location with direct access into the forest trails. Local hikes were plentiful and Jacqueline kindly left their personal recommendations plus books for more suggestions. We absolutely loved every hike, gaining elevation for superb views and memorable lake swims. Lake Tahoe itself was beautiful while Tahoe City was near enough for food shopping. Jacqueline was so helpful, prior and during our exchange and also incredibly generous, leaving us home-made muffins, jam, wine and chutney. We wish we could have stayed for much longer. Thank you Jacqueline and Tom!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Jacqueline and Tom 2 years ago

Marsha, Erik, Camilla and Leah couldn't have been more welcoming when we arrived quite late for a one night hospitality stay. We instantly felt at home in their spacious, comfortable home. We were offered dinner which was very kind and not expected. We chatted freely and could have done so for much longer! Thank you all; it was such a pleasure to meet you, the girls are just lovely and we set off on our long drive north feeling so grateful that you opened your home to us.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Marsha 2 years ago

What a pleasure to stay in Glenn and Janet's Casita, surrounded by stunningly beautiful gardens that have been created by years of hard work. Hummingbirds galore feed right in front of you which is mesmerizing. We were welcomed with a delicious dinner and basic provisions were already in the Casita for us including their home grown and home roasted coffee and eggs. A fascinating area of Panama to visit; an agricultural area surrounded by forested mountains; a welcome respite from the humidity of the lowlands. Glenn and Janet were incredibly helpful in offering suggestions for hikes even inviting us to join their hiking group. Thank you both for such a great exchange.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Glenn & Janet 2 years ago

Janet & John's stunning, spacious & comfortable home is surrounded by trees with great views across the valleys to the mountains beyond. It is very well equipped with everything you need and is a unique design with a third storey bird watching area plus a large master bedroom connected by a bridge. The friendly and kind Victorio is on hand to sort out any problems and Janet is only a message away. She is incredibly helpful, arranging things from afar and very generous organizing a welcome meal on arrival. The local coffee & eggs provided was also a real treat. We thoroughly enjoyed our walks along dirt roads & tracks, swimming in rivers and meeting an extremely welcoming community of locals & ex-pats. We were delighted to see and hear approximately 50 different bird varieties including 3 species of toucans. Janet & John, a thousand thanks for a pretty amazing exchange! See you in NZ.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Janet 2 years ago

A lovely spacious and comfortable home in a beautiful private setting. The surrounding garden is full of flowers and vegetables with the most delightful porch and back deck for sitting out. We ate all our meals outside watching the martins soaring overhead. Great access to white water rafting and kayaking nearby whlist it's a short drive south to the Columbia Gorge or north to Mt Adam's. Forests everywhere with many trails to choose from. We were welcomed with a bottle of wine and helpful notes and although we didn't manage to meet, we felt completely at home thanks to easy prior communication. Jim recommended the local White Salmon bakery so we duly joined the long line for our turn to make the agonizing decision of what to buy; not only was it well worth it but we chatted to such friendly people in the queue. Thank you Jim and Vicki for an all-too-short exchange!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with James & Vicki 2 years ago

What a beautiful, spacious, luxurious and comfortable home with the most stunning views over the ocean and The Haystack. Tastefully furnished with everything you could possibly need plus one of the best decks ever for eating outside, chatting and relaxing. Judy welcomed us like old friends and showed us around, introducing us to the wonders of their high tech house. She had made an extra trip over to bring 2 more e bikes as she and Larry had graciously allowed us to invite a couple to join us. This meant the 4 of us could go on bikes rides which was excellent and so very kind. From the first video call many months ago, Judy answered all quieres promptly and communication prior and during was superb. We were greeted with wine & beer plus the most delicious chocolates. There were plenty of hikes in the area; forests, beaches, headlands and we found some fabulous river swimming holes. We cannot thank you enough Judy and Larry! We so look forward to seeing you again in Portland and New Zealand next year.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Judy 2 years ago

Ann & Joel kindly offered us their comfortable home for 2 nights while they were away. Filled inside and out with interesting art and sculptures, in a lovely quiet location, it made an ideal place to stay to hike up Mary's Peak for amazing views and alpine flowers. We were invited to pick berries from their garden which was such a treat. Thank you for the drinks too; very generous plus the guide books and local information you offered us.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ann & Joel 2 years ago

David & Laura's home is absolutely beautiful. Spacious and extremely comfortable in every way, in a quiet location of the lovely town of Bend. We were lucky enough to be offered a hospitality exchange so we had the great pleasure of getting to know Laura, David & their mature, friendly son Evan. Dave & Laura gave us many great suggestions of local places to hike & lakes to swim in, including lending us maps, guide books, binos, a spare water container......all things which made our stay so much more homely & enjoyable. We arrived to welcome gifts & generous offers of fresh food and local beer. This continued throughout our stay & meant we ate dinner together each night, on the expansive deck, watching the birds feed & having wonderful conversations. Playing cards on the last night in between star gazing and swinging in the hammock was a fitting end to a memorable stay. Thank you SO much; we sincerely hope you will come and see us in New Zealand one day.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with David 2 years ago

Ryan and Michelle's comfortable & spacious home is in the most fabulous location. There's a wonderfully peaceful deck where you can eat dinner while watching humming birds feed or on one occasion, observe deer as they amble through the neighborhood gardens. Having adjustable lounge chairs made for relaxing evenings when our tired hiking legs needed a rest! The bed in the master bedroom was also adjustable which meant fantastic beauty sleep. A well equipped kitchen made for easy meal preparation. Being able to walk out the door and, within 5 mins, be on trails amongst wildflowers and butterflies was an absolute joy. As was the choice of local hikes, which Ryan had kindly researched and presented on a spreadsheet. This was accessible on a computer screen set up for us which made it so much easier than trying to follow on our phones. We love hiking so we found many wonderful, invigorating trails to take us up the mountain sides. Free summer concerts in Vail & Beavers Creek were such fun; thank you Ryan for adding them to the daily schedule. Ryan also set up guest profiles on the various TV choices; most thoughtful and most appreciated. We simply cannot fault any aspect of our exchange with Ryan & Michelle; communication was easy and fluid prior to and during the exchange. We were greeted by the family with such friendly faces & it felt as if we'd known each other for years. Welcome gifts included wine, local beer and coffee plus some delicious chocolate. Caring for Noodles was easy and we made a furry friend! Even though this was a globe exchange, we sincerely hope we will be able to welcome Ryan, Michelle or Kyla in NZ one day.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Ryan & Michelle 2 years ago

Gerri has a beautiful, comfortable and spacious home in a lovely quiet area of Littleton. She is the most generous and interesting lady, full of energy and kindness. I was fortunate to join in her Nia class which was such a treat as I do Nia at home. Gerri welcomed us with the most delicious Italian feast and then proceeded to spoil us by driving us to see the Red Rocks and all the way up Mt Evans. What an amazing experience that was, with 360 degree views, feeling the effects of altitude for the first time and then hiking through the bristlecone pines on the way down. Gerri was incredibly kind to drive us across the city back to where we were staying. Thank you Gerri for your amazing hospitality and lovely chats. You're a perfect PLU member and you even gave me a precious PLU key ring! We hope to see you back in NZ one day to return the hospitality.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Geraldine 2 years ago

❤️❤️❤️❤️Loved having you here! Thank You for stopping here! We had great conversations and I enjoyed having you at my home. I hope we visit again in the future! Have an awesome trip across western US!

Glenn and Janet were the first exchangers to experience Veronica the campervan. They fully embraced the intricacies of understanding the whys and wherefores of a Fiat Ducato and clearly had plenty of their own experience. They treated her very well, returning her in good shape and had had a lot of fun. Thank you for looking after Veronica so well!

Guest Feedback: Glenn & Janet stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

Barbara and Tony were wonderful guests and it was real shame we didn't get to meet. They left our house clean and tidy plus a lovely bottle of wine and actually a prepared meal that they hadn't had time to eat before their departure! Thank you! It was a pleasure to communicate with Barbara prior to and during the exchange. If you do return to NZ, please do reach out as we'd be more than happy to welcome you again.

Guest Feedback: Barbara and Tony stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

Susan, Ian, Iris and Ross were fabulous guests leaving our home very clean and tidy. Susan communicated promptly prior to and during the exchange which always bodes well for both parties. Although we didn't get to meet, everything went smoothly and it was a pleasure to host them all.

Guest Feedback: Susan stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

What an absolute pleasure to host Patric! As it turned out we had lots of time to get to know each other because a cyclone marooned him in our home! Patric fitted in perfectly with our family and was extremely willing to get stuck into some DIY projects whilst joining in helping our local community clear up after the wild weather. Patric was interested and eager to learn all about NZ and having travelled widely, was fascinating to listen to. He joined in with many crazy card and board games; we had masses to talk about and many laughs. Patric was the perfect guest and a positive, energetic person who we hope to keep in touch with.

Guest Feedback: Patric stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

Susan and Bryan were the perfect guests even though unfortunately we didn't manage to meet them. Our house was spotless after their visit; thank you so much for the delicious coffee beans and wine which will be much enjoyed. It was extremely easy to communicate prior to the exchange and we feel sure we would have had loads to chat about, had we met. We're just so sorry we couldn't arrange more sunshine while you were here........you were unlucky with the weather so maybe you'll return to NZ again one day.

Guest Feedback: Susan and Bryan stayed with Carey and Peter 2 years ago

Bryan and Julie live in the most gorgeous location, high up with views across the valley. It's beautifully quiet and the spacious suite looks out into the garden. To our absolute delight, you can simply stride across the lawn and straight into the serene forest to join a selection of trails. Down to the lake for a swim, up the hill for stunning views or a shorter loop to enjoy the peace and quiet of the forest. Julie and Bryan have prepared an extensive guide which includes detailed descriptions of walks which we found invaluable. Communication was superb prior and during our visit; we were even invited up for drinks and we really enjoyed chatting with the whole family. Thank you Julie and Bryan; you were very generous providing groceries to start us off, wine and cookies plus Rayne's lasagne hit the spot when we arrived exhausted after the long flight. All in all, we loved being at your place and look forward to seeing you in NZ at some point in the future.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Bryan and Julie 3 years ago

Marlijn's beautiful home is in a very quiet no-through road with a gorgeous garden on 3 sides. So peaceful and green. Being in the town of Bergen was an absolute pleasure and being able to cycle to the shops was a real bonus, (we are complete converts to e-bikes now riding them every day for a month!). Numerous choices of cycle ways though the dunes to the beach, or through the forest or to Alkmaar station made our days hugely enjoyable. Looking after the 2 cats was fun. We had everything we needed in Marlijn's well equipped home and we fell in love with all things Dutch. Exploring Leiden, Haarlem, Utrecht, Hoorn, Amsterdam and many other small places was brilliant. Communication with Marlijn was easy and prompt. We cannot thank you enough for the wonderful opportunity of being in your home and we hope to see you in NZ one day.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Marlijn 3 years ago

Kate's house is extremely comfortable and spacious in a lovely quiet location in a small, friendly village in a stunning part of England. Well equipped with everything we needed plus two delightful cats who were a pleasure to look after. Kate communicated promptly before and during the exchange and left comprehensive and detailed notes. Being able to easily access a wonderful network of footpaths from the front door was perfect for us while we were spoilt for choice with many beautiful villages nearby. Thank you Kate and Ant, Nell and Eddy.....we loved your welcome message on the blackboard and the generous gifts. We look forward to welcoming you in NZ at some point!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Kate 3 years ago

Hayley and Gareth, what a gorgeous annexe you have created! Such a lovely place to stay; extremely clean, well fitted out, amazingly comfortable and large bed and a spacious upstairs kitchen and lounge room. The kitchen had everything we needed with the bonus of sharp knives! The location is brilliant, right by the canal and cycle path and so easy to get out for wonderful walks. Skirrid was lovely as was a walk up Blorenge. A visit to Big Pit mine with an underground tour is a must. Hayley communicated promptly before nd during the swap even when she'd been traveling all night! Many, many thanks. We look forward to seeing you in NZ one day.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Hayley 3 years ago

Meg's compact home was very clean and comfortable and in a good location very close to town. We loved it because it was very convenient for us to be near to my mum. It was well equipped for everything we needed. Very handy access to get to the amazing water meadows, just 5 mins walk away. A superb book collection meant happy evenings browsing. Thank you Meg and Les! It was so lovely to meet you and the kids and to find we had common interests in the environment. We hope all your plants were happy under our care! Enjoy the rest of of summer break!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Meg 3 years ago

A delightful and comfortable apartment with a beautiful view to the Port and stunning sunsets. Very conveniently located for getting food at the local supermarket and for delightful evening strolls along the promenade for a gelato, of course! Also a fabulous choice of restaurants and bars. Larry and Gay have equipped the apartment with everything you need plus a super duper comfortable bed and air con if needed. They were kind enough to offer the sofa bed so our daughter and fiance could stay as well. The lovely terrace was perfect for eating. Being able to walk through the tunnel to the gorgeous beach was a real bonus and we swam several times. Parking below the apartment was so convenient. Easy to do trips out to local towns or to explore the island. All in all, pretty good!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Gay Lynette and Larry 3 years ago

Thanks for being such considerate and wonderful visitors. It was great to host you. We were very fortunate to begin this adventure of PLU with you and yours. We look forward to our trip to New Zealand next year.

What a gorgeous spacious house in a very quiet area. Lots of room for us all, when you so kindly hosted us for a night. Perfect location near the beach and easy access from the city. Would be a fabulous place to explore the Kapiti coast and the wider area. Thank you so much Joy and Andrew; lovely to meet you and your delightful children.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Joy and Andrew 3 years ago

We arrived home to a spotless house plus all the washing of the bed linen and towels had already been done! Communication was excellent at every stage. Thank you so much Penny and Iain.

Guest Feedback: Penny stayed with Carey and Peter 3 years ago

What a gorgeous, spacious, clean and comfortable home. We absolutely loved the stunning views from the upstairs living area, that continually changed depending on the time of day. Being able to sit out on the deck lor lunch listening to the tui's was lovely while the choice of where to sit to play games, was a hard one! At the dining table, in the family room or in the sitting room? The kitchen is very well equipped with everything you need while the quality of the bed linen and towels was top notch. Penny and Iain's home is in a perfect location. On a very quiet road but 5 mins to a supermarket and local shops and an easy drive back into the city. One of the best things for us was the Camborne Walkway, a series of paths that dropped down from very near the house to the water and allowed various circular walks. All in all, a brilliant exchange. Many, many thanks for your generosity in letting us stay a few days longer in your home than you were in ours.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Penny 3 years ago

Andrew and Darci were the absolute perfect exchangers. Excellent communication prior, during and after the exchange. They left our home very clean and tidy plus a homemade wooden pot stirrer, a plant and a meal in the fridge. So kind. We feel we were on the same page for so many things which made us feel comfortable and helped us enjoy every single minute of this exchange. Thank you Andrew and Darci. I hope we keep in touch and maybe one day, we'll repeat the exchange.

Guest Feedback: Darci stayed with Carey and Peter 4 years ago

Andrew and Darci's house is a hand crafted masterpiece. It is a beautiful warm and comfortable home and we were in awe of the design and creativity. Spacious and light, so well insulated that even after being away 2 nights, it felt warm on our return. The house is well equipped with everything you could need in the kitchen, (we appreciated the sharp knives), the log burner is easy to use and the roomy bathrooms a treat. Caring for the animals was a pleasure; the kunekunes were such characters, the chooks gave us delicious eggs, the sheep did their thing and Amelie is a sweet and loving cat who enjoyed our laps in the evenings. The location of Andrew and Darci's house is absolutely perfect for exploring the area and there is so much to do. Andrew gave us invaluable advice for good walks in Arthur's Pass while we loved the Banks Peninsula. Christchurch is easy to get to and again, so much choice: Quake Museum, Riccarton Bush, Canterbury Museum, Port Hills, Botanical Gardens plus some of the best coffee we've ever had in NZ. All absolutely wonderful and we highly, highly recommend Andrew and Darci's home.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Darci 4 years ago

Joan and Jeff's house is extremely comfortable with lovely furnishings and fittings. There is beautiful art on the walls and the house is light and spacious. The location is perfect for exploring the island. It's on a very quiet road with birdsong and waves the only back ground noise. Heaven! There is so much choice on Waiheke. If you like walking, it's just brilliant with many well marked, very scenic, hikes. Beaches are everywhere, (obviously!) and swimming is an absolute pleasure in the crystal clear water. We didn't manage to find time to use the kayaks or bikes or even the ping pong table but these were available. Joan's directions and house manual told us everything we needed to know plus there were maps and information in the house. All in all, a wonderful time in a special place. Thank you Joan and Jeff.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Joan 4 years ago

What a cosy and comfortable bach in the beautiful small beach side community of Whiritoa. Thank you Pete and Jude for the opportunity to stay here. A perfect location, quiet and with an easy walk to both the beach and tennis courts. Lovely to have the choice of a swim in the wild waves or the calm and flat lagoon. Handy to be able to walk to the dairy for milk, etc. So very kind of you to leave a welcoming birthday card and a bottle of wine for Pete's birthday. The one day of continuous and persistent rain which meant we stayed inside, was great fun thanks to the supply of games you offer. All in all, a lovely long weekend in a great location. Many thanks!

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Pete 4 years ago

Pete and Judy were perfect guests leaving our house clean and tidy. Pete communicated clearly and promptly prior to their visit and has sent me detailed notes about our upcoming visit to their place. The wine we left out for them was politely declined so we now know which colour to leave them when we visit next month!! But how honest was that.....most people would have just taken it anyway! I highly recommend Pete and Judy as exchangers.

Guest Feedback: Pete stayed with Carey and Peter 5 years ago

What a wonderful exchange! Gemma's house is spacious and light with a huge deck area that was just perfect for family games, coffee and just gazing at the beautiful view of Mt Manganui. Lovely being semi-rural with sheep and cows but so close to lots of activities. Our favourites were climbing The Mount, visiting the Quarry Sculpture Park and White Water Rafting at Okere Falls. Our house was left very clean and tidy and we had easy communication prior to and during the swap. All in all, it was a perfect long weekend and I would thoroughly recommend Gemma as a great exchanger.

Home Feedback: Carey and Peter stayed with Gemma 5 years ago

Gemma was great to communicate with prior to the exchange and she left detailed notes about feeding the lambs. A welcome bottle of wine was left for us which was kind. Gemma left our house clean and tidy. A perfect exchange partner!

Guest Feedback: Gemma stayed with Carey and Peter 5 years ago

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Carey and Peter

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Campervan, sleeps 2. Are you ready for an adventure? Explore NZ & stay in stunning campsites

Motor home • Algies Bay New Zealand

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Statistics

General Overview

The Space

Guest Access

Notes

Features

Washer

Dishwasher

Clothes dryer

Oven

Microwave

Coffee machine

Fridge

Iron

Hair dryer

Heating

Air conditioning

TV

WiFi

High Speed Internet

Bathtub

First aid kit

Wheelchair accessible

Smoke alarms

Fire extinguisher

Bed sheets

Towels

Workspace

Fireplace

Home cinema

Toys

Gym

Sauna

BBQ

Pool

Hot tub

Balcony

Garden / yard

Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace

Covered porch / verandah

Kosher home

Meat-free kitchen

Gated community

EV Home Charger

Bikes

Camping gear

Kayak

Tennis court

Standup paddleboard