Non-Simultaneous exchange
7 nights
Uršula
Verified
Our first sim exchange could not have been a better experience. And it is exclusively due to the calm (we needed that for our first sim exchange), relaxed, inviting, fun and outgoing nature of Terje and Anne-Helen. It was Terje, who read our profile and reached out at the beginning, just to invite us to their home, to experience this community, try out exchanging and let every member of the family examine their feelings afterwards. In the end we did a sim exchange and were lucky enough to meet in advance in Bratislava in person, which was such a good choice. To witness a well-travelled couple and talk about the advantages of opening homes to strangers and memories connected to friends - travelers and the places visited, was encouraging for us.
Norway in general is a country to fall in love with, instantly, Holmestrand, and Terje’s apartment a great base for exploring, and if preferred, a place to just relax by the sea or on the terrace and feel like a local. The apartment was high tech, modern, left spotlessly clean by our previous exchangers, well equipped, the bed a heaven, our son wanted to take it home with him. 😊
Terje was beyond helpful in every situation, sending one tip after another and brisk at answers to any of our questions. The possibility to rent their e-bikes and car made the experience heavenly. Within a one week stay, we were able to live among the friendly locals, take a boat trip to a nearby island with fun activities (paddleboarding, trying a fat bike), make a full day hike in the nearby mountains, with astonishing views, barbeque in a local bay, having it for ourselves, traveling to the End of the World and back exploring the vast bike trails, soaking a little bit of history of ironworks and mills in Eidsfoss village, and, most importantly with a teenage boulderer, climbing every rock available, and boy, there were sooo many. And all this on a budget, that we could afford only due to the generosity of our guests.
If we would have a possibility to name an embodiment of a PLU spirit in a human being, it would be Terje for sure. Thank you for this amazing opportunity. To everybody undecided, or not sure if this is a way of travel for you, exchange with Terje and Anne-Helen, and you will end up hooked.