(Martyn, this is so "off-topic" that I wouldn't blame you, I just wouldn't know where else to put such a query..........)
However, SWMBO and I fancy a non-work related, relaxing break in England in the March/April time frame. Don't want to stay in hotels, don't want big cities, don't want restaurants. Do want walks, pubs, corner shops etc. etc.
Anybody fancy swapping houses for two weeks or so ( perhaps three) ?
Large ( 7 en-suite bedrooms, games room, English speaking satellite TV, etc. etc.) house in Rio de Janeiro, with maids, driver & cars at your disposal. Not far from the beach, about 10 minutes walk. etc. etc. Actually, just outside Rio, about 15 mins drive from Copocabana/Ipanema. I'll give full details if you're interested. Very safe & guarded gated-community. Pretty good place to be with kids - could be a cheap holiday. (holiday cost of living is about half of the UK, perhaps less).
Anything out of city, two bedroom plus with a decent local pub would be interesting for us. It really doesn't matter where, since Adriana doesn't know the UK at all, so she thinks its all interesting. (I know, but she'll learn !)
No bills involved, i.e. you don't pay my electricity/telephone, I don't pay yours.
Weather here at that time is hot (30's) , but subject to rain. When it rains, its normally warm rain and doesn't last long. Most of the time is hot and sunny.
You'd find life easier with Portuguese, or perhaps Spanish, but it doesn't really matter, since you'll find the locals pretty accomodating. Also, one of the maids speaks English (more or less).
Only possible negative is that if I can't make alternative arrangements, you might get stuck walking two retrievers each day.
Serious question, so save the Lada jokes. Also, more specific conversations are better in e-mail than here - confidentiality and all that.
Martyn - thanks for your tolerance, unless you deleted this in which case - raspberry noise.
M.
p.s. if you're interested, don't let the price of flights put you off. Its a long flight, but very cheap deals are available at that time of year - other friends have flown for 250 quid each, and the driver will collect you from the airport.
p.p.s. If you don't live in the UK, but you live somewhere in Asia I might like to go, I could be interested.
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I have no problem with postings like this. Especially from Backroomers who have been as helpful as our boy from Brazil.
HJ
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Can't help with the swap, but could put a post card about your swap in the newsagents window in Chipping Campden. (Cotswolds - pubs, walks, countryside etc)
There is also a Channel 4 series on at the moment about house swaps, so could look up details of House Swap agencies if that would help.
Rebecca
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> Can't help with the swap, but could put a post card about
> your swap in the newsagents window in Chipping Campden.
> (Cotswolds - pubs, walks, countryside etc)
Thanks Rebecca, I'll e-mail you more carefully thought out offer/reqmts.
Don't fancy it yourself then ? Got swimming pool, sauna & jacuzzi. Most of the time you can even keep the dogs out of the jacuzzi !!
Mark.
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I read about several organisations that organise house swops. The article was mainly talking with reference to one agency that swopped between Florida, USA and England. Apparently it works very well as you choose who to swop with and damage to property/cars is minimal. Most house swoppers seem to treat holiday home as carefully as their own.
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Mark (Brazil) wrote:
>
> (Martyn, this is so "off-topic" that I wouldn't blame you, I
> just wouldn't know where else to put such a query..........)
>
This is fine by me. I only wish I had enough space here to reciprocate and take advantage of the offer (in which case I'd be kicking your backside for not asking me first, via email!)
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To clarify, since somebody asked in e-mail....
The house I go 4-wheel driving from is in Chile. I am offering to swap the one in Rio.
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if you want you can do a holiday swap for my place (seriously), its a three bedroomed house in tyne and wear, front garden and a rear concreted yard, its victorian and has many original features, lovely walks along the coastline, you can lend any, or all of my cars, or my two motor bikes (including my newest addition - a 1957 lambretta LD150). if you are interested in this, then let me know.
also we are close to the cheviot mountains, the pennine way, northumbria, and kielder reservoir.
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> (in which case I'd be kicking your backside for not asking me first, via email!)
But given I spend so much of my life the other side of the line, you'd have to cross it to get to me..............
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Mark (Brazil) wrote:
>
> > (in which case I'd be kicking your backside for not asking
> me first, via email!)
>
> But given I spend so much of my life the other side of the
> line, you'd have to cross it to get to me..............
Remember, it's my line, I drew it, I can rub it out!
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Is this a private affair or can anyone join in?
(Not me. We're stuck with the NHS and socialist Scotland. Dammit!)
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Mark (Brazil) wrote:
> Anything out of city, two bedroom plus with a decent local
> pub would be interesting for us. It really doesn't matter
> where, since Adriana doesn't know the UK at all, so she
> thinks its all interesting. (I know, but she'll learn !)
When you're over here, try to get to an Imax cinema in the hope that you can fall about laughing at the Freelander advert. It may be shown elsewhere, but today was certainly the first time I have ever seen it, and it made me think of you ...
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> and it made me think of you ...
For the right reasons, I hope.
And what's an Imax cinema ?
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Imax is a HUGE cinema, with a screen about 7 stories tall.
Very good for wildlife, surfing, mountainclimbing movies.
(Or stories of the rainforests, no doubt)
I haven't seen the freelander ad, but can well imagine...
Out steps rugged outdoors type.
slams door.
handbrake disengages.
Freelander rolls down slope, and into piranha infested river.
rugged outdoors type swears loudly, and is eaten by a large snake.
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ian (cape town) wrote:
> I haven't seen the freelander ad, but can well imagine...
>
> Out steps rugged outdoors type.
> slams door.
> handbrake disengages.
> Freelander rolls down slope, and into piranha infested river.
> rugged outdoors type swears loudly, and is eaten by a large
> snake.
Not that one, and I'm now told it's an old one, been on TV, just I hadn't seen it. Plot is 'Freelander as wild animal', 'rescued' from the city and 'released' (from the back of a covered pick-up truck) into the African bush, where it joins up with a herd of similar 'animals' who roam off happily into the sunset. The messages I received from this were:
1. Freelander no use for the purpose for which 99% of people want one, ie around town
2. Freelander can't 'escape' under its own power, hence need for pickup truck
3. Freelander best abandoned in the wild
I remembered Mark's view of the Freelander in the 'Not an objective test' thread and thought he might agree with this!
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> 1. Freelander no use for the purpose for which 99% of people want one, ie around town
> 2. Freelander can't 'escape' under its own power, hence need for pickup truck
> 3. Freelander best abandoned in the wild
Absolutely; with an emphasis on 3)
> I remembered Mark's view of the Freelander in the 'Not an
> objective test' thread and thought he might agree with this!
I'm complimented you even read it.
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I own a '73 VW "Thing". aka a Kubelwagen.
Great fun, and a weekend runabout. 2WD, but can outperform the average Freelander off road.
This is not to cast dispersion on Solihull's finest, or try to hype my motoring skills, but to stress that the average Freelander driver considers himself fireproof, as he has 4WD...
(The same attitude exists amongst those with ABS, I've noticed...)
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Mark (Brazil) wrote:
> > I remembered Mark's view of the Freelander in the 'Not an
> > objective test' thread and thought he might agree with this!
>
> I'm complimented you even read it.
I don't pretend to understand all the posts on this site - the thread that led to a discussion of Shakespeare was particularly erudite!!! - but yours are always worth a look.
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> the thread that led to a discussion of Shakespeare was
> particularly erudite!!! -
And that one carried on in e-mail and got more so.
>but yours are always worth a look.
Thank you, kind lady. (David - nyaah, nyaah, mine are more mature than yours !)
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> the thread that led to a discussion of Shakespeare was
> particularly erudite!!! -
And that one carried on in e-mail and got more so.
>but yours are always worth a look.
Thank you, kind lady. (David - nyaah, nyaah, mine are more mature than yours !)
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Your threads are more mature or....
Careful.
David
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