My Shack for your Château

We never saw that house swap flick, The Holiday (meant to) but a few years ago we met the parents of one of my daughter's friends and they were raving about how they exchange their shack (their words, I think) in San Pedro for châteaus in France. It all sounded a little suspect to me, as who in their right mind would do such a zany thing, but alright, I'll go along with you. We talked about it in some depth with promises to get together (didn't happen) and promises that they'd send us links to the group they belong to (happened). A few more years went by and my husband asked me if we'd chosen one of the house swap organizations yet, knowing that I can be slow to move if it involves work on my part, and so I finally joined. And then a few months later I finally posted some shots of our nest (moved crap out of way so house looks very tidy and inviting) and then I eventually figured out how to post those pictures on the website and then I wrote glowingly about my area of the world. You know, in a way that would entice a complete and total stranger to come and stay in my house and sleep in my bed. Kinda creepy, non? Just to be sneaky I left out the part that the final drive up to my house entails driving past alternate lifestyle chicken shack type houses where my neighbors hang (okay along with some nice places, too). But Topanga is a mixed bag...a very mixed bag. Ever read Tortilla Curtain? I loved that book and read it not too long before we moved here and understand that it is fiction (no gated communities in Topanga or housing estates) but with underlying truth. You know, fiction. Some people up here are still offended that the book made this area appear even marginally posh and unfriendly.

So because this is Topanga and not Beverly Hills, you'll also understand just why this made me laugh out loud...an email I received from another home exchanger a couple of days ago. And after going to his listing, I figured out that just maybe those folks in San Pedro weren't exaggerating about exchanging their 'shack' for a château!

THE MESSAGE:
Probably July for a full house swap. But available through the end of September
for the guest house/apt here. See our site for an explanation, pics.

A good swap would be for our guest house/apartment in exchange for your guest
house/apartment, about equal, though we have 2 bedrooms in our guest house and
it is a bit fancy. And if we are here, we can be here to show you around this
amazing Island. But you will find everything eventually on you own too. Our
Guest House is really nice, fully equipped.

If we are not here, we would keep much of the estate open, ie., the pool,
cabana, bikes, etc; and there is always the beach, resturants, museums, sites,
fun, etc. Of course if we aren\'t here, we will be at your place! But you can
always call us for tips, etc., It is a great island Palm Beach, in the summer,
the best.

Your area we know very well, been there many many times, don\'t need any help
therefore... two or three weeks or whatever stay, we are open... only my wife
and I traveling, no kids. If interested, let us know soon, as we are getting a
lot of response in only the 3 days we listed