Manual Focus Photographers' Travel Exchange Program

[Orio]

well, I don't know if the title sounds good in English - maybe you mother language folks can help finding a better one.

Anyway, the idea behind this is:

most of us photographers love to travel and see/photograph new places. But traveling is very expensive. Not much on the transportation side (low cost flights are a daily matter nowadays), but on the hotels side: hotels are very expensive, and those that are not, are usually not safe enough to carry around, and leave in room, expensive equipment.

So the idea is to have this program, where us fellows of the forum can host each other in our homes. A good opportunity to meet and have some great lenses and photography talk - and a great way to save money on travels, and maybe afford travels that would not be affordable otherwise.

So, everyone who can offer a bed or even only a roof (people can bring their sleeping bag) for a fellow photographer's vacation, can put his/her name in this thread.
No money should be asked for hospitality, as the spirit of this initiative is not lucrative. So please enter only if you can offer it for free.

I of course make my house available. I have a guest room with double bed. There is room in it for another couple of matresses or sleeping bags. I also have a couch-bed in my studio, and a couch in the living room, with other space for sleeping bags. So I can even host a small manual lenses meeting. I live alone because my woman lives and works in Parma (30 kms from here), she comes here in the weekends but even with her here, there will be room for everyone.

Well it's not completely precise that I live alone. You will meet the most photographed 21st century star if you come here: Melissa.

[Borges]

Good idea. If someone needs a room in our area let me now. I have to talk with my wife and my kids first, but I am sure we find a solution.

Moers is part of the lower rhine plate, west of the ruhr area with its often abandoned industries. This one is visited by photographers from all over the world in droves:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Landschaftspark_Duisburg-Nord_bei_Nacht_-_Gesamt.jpg

Michael

[Attila]

I join to Orio's travel exchange program, we have a small summer flat at Lake Balaton in centre of Hungary. Drop me a message if anybody interest to stay some days here.

http://www.pbase.com/hqdesign/hungary

[LucisPictor]

This really is a nice idea!

Unfortunately, I cannot offer free accommodation at the moment. But we plan to refurnish a guest room in our little house. We just need to find the time...

But maybe I can help if somebody looks for a place to go and stay. I know many friendly people.

Carsten

[Bob]

Orio,
Please include me in the travel exchange program. We are about 40 miles +/- west of St. Louis,Mo. About 45 minute drive from the airport. Lots of things to see and do in the area. In St. Louis, home of Budweiser Shaw's Botanical Garden, Agusta, Mo. and Herman, Mo. located on the Missouri River in the heart of Missouri's wine country.
We have a guest room and additional space if needed.

[TDN]

I'm moving to an apartment of my own this summer. I have a couch, so if you need a roof and a cold beer in Gent, Belgium, let me know

Tom

[Attila]

Many thanks Tom for your offer!

[impactcr]

Hey,this is great!

Unfortunately,i cannot offer you accommodation,my apartment is just too small,but it would be my pleasure if any of you folks come here in Serbia to be ur guide and take you sight seeing and feed u...with beer!
Here in Serbia everything is cheap,food,beer and also hotel rooms,at least for europian standards,for instance,u can get a decent hotel room for around 15euros per night or a big fat hamburger for 1euro
and ofcorse,my momz is a great cook,so when u try serbian cuisine,u`ll never wanna leave!Believe that!
U can see lotta interesting stuff just in Belgrade,here are some examples:
Kalemegdan fortress
Hram svetog Save
Novi Beograd / New Belgrade
Zemun
And lots of other ineresting places,u can also see ruins left from 1999 nato bombing of Serbia
So,yeah,if u have any questions i`ll be more than glad to answer.
And,damnit,how could i forgot...
Women!
And that is probably the best thing we can offer,beside food



/edit

some nice stuff i just found

here

here

[Attila]

Many thanks for your offer!

[Farside]

[bob955i]

And more beer......

And I've just clicked on that women link....

And I'm gone....

[Orio]

I'm too old for these young ladies, but I would surely love to photograph some of them as models. Some of them have really inspiring photographic look. No wonder why so many top models are of Slavian origin.

-

[Attila]

Eastern Europeans a very mixed nation here we have so many very nice ladies compare with some other countries. Yeah, Serbians, Bosnians one of the top ones. I have a friend from Bosnia who is a girls she has beautiful blue eyes , bit looks like Mila Jojovic. I have a Serbian friend in who is living in Florida when I saw first time their kids I think I can't see as well.They were a little angles and when I saw their Mum I know why ... My wife has also some Russian origin...

[impactcr]

Hey,ur never too old for young,fine ladies n i promise i wont tell ur wifes

So,how many of you are coming ?

[Attila]

Unfortunately I have no money and time to travel this time

[Orio]

[Orio]

This thread has been one of my not many best ideas so far. It has already worked twice, Attila and Krisztina visited here in June and I and Monica visited Budapest in August.

-

[peterqd]

[Attila]

Thank you Chris! I was ordered and removed from the States ....

I don't think so I able to get any VISA , we still need VISA...

[Flor27]

I'm glad to join the program, with a small room for a couple in a small town, 40 minutes away from Paris center by train and 15 minutes away from Euro Disney... I have to warn you that my spoken english is very bad so don't expect me to be a pleasant people to speak with and that my two babies still cry all night long

[Attila]

This is very nice from you thanks!

[Orio]

[Flor27]

It's tempting but my wife has to agree first

[Orio]

[tanheis]

We have 2 small apartments... The one where I live now is quite small but
I have a mattress so it's not a problem... Second bigger apartment is being repaired at the moment.. It's heated and possible to sleep there with a sleeping bag too if not scared of the wood and the tools there

This smaller is 1.8km from the city centre... The one being repaired is in the centrum. 150 meters from railway station.

So if someone wants to come here now winter time you are welcome except january when we are in India

The city is Tampere... 160km from Helsinki.
From europe there is direct flights to Tampere but if coming further then need to fly to Helsinki but there's direct bus from airport coming all the time.