We are Michael and Christine, married for over 40 years with two grown-up children, who no longer live with us, and one grand-daughter. We are retired professionals - Michael, an engineer and Christine, a university research assistant. Michael is a keen sailor and golfer, while Christine enjoys the outdoors and is an active volunteer at the Melbourne Museum and at the Australian Gardens branch of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens, while continuing her university interests.
An extension of our sailing interests is part ownership of a canal boat in France, as a result of which we currently spend one month each year in France, usually preceded or followed by two to four weeks exploring some other part of Europe. It is this opportunity to see other parts of the world, and the desire to be more than "just fly-by-night tourist" that has led us to undertake house swapping.
We have experienced two home exchange, one in New Zealand and the other in Wales, United Kingdom. We are also actively participants in Couchsurfing activities where we host overseas visitors to Australia for short periods, and we have stayed with Couchsurfing members while travelling in Europe.