| Three years ago, my friends Judith and Joc quit their | | | | gardens at this beautiful establishment in exchange for |
| corporate jobs and decided to move to the southwest | | | | a week vacation at some later date. |
| of France. This was an enormous decision to make | | | | The website photographs and the event photography |
| considering they had two small children and they didn't | | | | for weddings, vow renewals, and family reunions were |
| know anyone in France. In Loire Valley, not far from | | | | professionally done too by a professional photographer |
| Cognac and Bordeaux, they purchased a dilapidated | | | | who exchanged his services for vacation time. |
| farm and renovated it into a countryside inn with | | | | As I dug deeper, I discovered my friends had really |
| private cottages that have fully-equipped kitchens and | | | | leveraged this bartering concept and exchanged |
| in the main building, they have created a bed and | | | | vacations for the following services: |
| breakfast which have guest rooms and common | | | | 1. Local vineyards provide wine |
| areas with the same lovely charm of French country. | | | | 2. Computer network specialist |
| They have done an incredible job with creating an | | | | 3. Bicycle repairman maintains their fleet of bicycles |
| intimate atmosphere where their guests come to | | | | 4. Housekeeping and serving waiters |
| spend their vacations again and again. They have | | | | 5. Electrician |
| eloquently named their bed and breakfast, Domaine de | | | | 6. Construction workers |
| la Porte (The House of Doors). Each cottage and | | | | 7. Interior designer |
| guest room has been meticulously decorated. | | | | 8. Laundry services |
| Breakfast and dinner are served family-style for good | | | | 9. Website design |
| reason; my friends want you to feel welcome in their | | | | 10. Musicians |
| home and part of the family. Their approach has been | | | | 11. Landscaper |
| tremendously successful, so much so that they are | | | | 12. Auto mechanic |
| now attracting family reunions, destination weddings, | | | | I'm sure that the list goes on and on, but in my brief |
| and even off-site business meetings. | | | | stay these are the bartering arrangements I have |
| I had the luxury of spending six weeks with my friends | | | | witnessed. With a little imagination, you and your family |
| this past spring and what I discovered was a gem of | | | | can create a very cheap vacation package by finding |
| an idea. Thanks to Judith and Joc, I can provide you a | | | | an innkeeper willing to barter. |
| terrific idea of how you can spend a vacation for free | | | | Where have you always wanted to visit but didn't think |
| or nearly no-cost. As you can imagine, running a bed | | | | you could afford?o The Florida keys?o The French |
| and breakfast requires a lot of money to get started | | | | countryside?o The British Isles?o The Rocky |
| and to keep it running! | | | | Mountains?o Australia? Brazil? Thailand? |
| Each week during my visit new people arrived. Most | | | | Choose your desired vacation spot and make a few |
| were paying guests; others though were guests that | | | | calls to the local private bed and breakfast |
| earned their vacation through bartering. This cheap | | | | establishments. Explain your interest in bartering your |
| vacationing idea was of great interest to me. | | | | service in exchange to travel to their bed and |
| The intricate gardens with every local flower in place | | | | breakfast. You may be surprised to find out that the |
| was designed and implemented by a professional | | | | owners of this fine establishment would welcome your |
| landscape architect. How could they afford this | | | | expertise in exchange for some rest and relaxation! |
| gorgeous setting I wondered? When I asked my | | | | Cheap vacations can be yours with a little creative |
| girlfriend, she let me in on their secret of bartering. The | | | | planning. |
| professional landscaper spent a week creating the | | | | What a terrific way to see the world on the cheap! |