房屋交换成流行 经济旅游新方式

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Susanne and Clyde Billings are on vacation in Los Angeles, visiting their son and his family.

"We're paying zero, nada."

Nothing for the use of this two-bedroom condo with a gourmet kitchen and a table big enough for the entire family to gather around.

"Everybody for themselves."

That’s because the owners Judy and David are staying at the Billings’ home in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

"We hope they are on the balcony, enjoying a cocktail or a Pepsi, and just having a grand old time."

Home exchanges are becoming a popular and economical way to travel. "Exchange. What is that? We switch houses, cars, everything. I haven’t done it before but friends of mine have." "Where are you?" In the movie The Holiday, Kate Winslet swapped her quaint English cottage for a Hollywood mansion.

"The word is getting out, especially in this economy, that this is the way to vacation like there’s no recession."

Here’s how it works: You pay a small fee to join a home exchange site, list your home, then search for places you want to visit.

On HomeExchange.com, there are 27,000 listings in 120 countries, homes in Greece and Ireland, Thailand, and the Canary Islands. The Billings are on their seventh home exchange.

"Maybe the first time we were a little bit apprehensive, second time may be a little bit apprehensive, but after that it’s… just a regular thing and we don’t worry about it any more."

In fact they are already planning their next trip. Carla Wohl, ABC News, Los Angeles.

Vocabulary:

1.       nada: nothing

2.       condo: 各户有独立产权的公寓

3.       gourmet: producing or relating to very good food and drink

4.       swap: 交换

5.       quaint: unusual and attractive, especially in an old-fashioned way

6.       apprehensive: worried or nervous about something that you are going to do, or about the future