Hi my name is Rob...and I used to be a timeshare consultant! (only for 3 months though) Yup, my sincere apologies to all, but what I can say is that timeshare sales has got to be one of the most intense sales training anyone could wish to have. The pitch is cunningly designed to wreak emotional havoc and draw the victim into the deal without them even knowing it. Shaking hands with the victim on some bogus freindly attempt during the pitch is a subliminal way of making the victim beleive that a deal has been entered into already. As soon as the victim gives an objection you are required to distract them back to a pleasant emotional experience and then start spinning your web again. Besides being an intense an emotional selling technique and fantastic training for any sales person, all I can say is caveat emptor or buyer beware. The sales person will be constantly trying to befuddle you with fantsatic emotional ideas and they will not allow you to leave until you are almost crying. My advice for people going to timeshare presentations is... DON'T GO. Would you buy a car without seeing it, or a home for that matter? NO, so why do it with timeshare? I have nothing against timeshare and have several weeks at my disposal, but I advise people that are interested to rather phone RCI and get the resort guide, and also speak to them about the implications of timeshare swapping. It may cost about R80 for the guide, but you can sit at home and peruse the resorts at leisure. When you find one you like, give them a call and say you are interested in buying but will not do so offsite. They will usually arrange an extremely discounted or possibly free weekend away for you and family to go a see the resort and facilities. They mostly have sales people onsite and if you like the place then go for it. I always recommend buying at a resort that you actually intend going to almost every year, so find one that you really, really like. Only buy gold crown or resort of international distinction and then only buy a full red or peak week. They are the most expensive, but definitely the best in the long run. RCI exchanges are made out to sound extremely good in sales presentations, but the small print always says subject to availability, which may be years. If you buy at a resort you love, and swop out every 2 years or so timeshare is great. Another thing is to recommend SA timeshare to anyone you know overseas. If they buy cheaply (the rand sucks) here and pay the yearly levy (usually about R2-4000 a year) they can swop for weeks in Europe while paying in rands. Anyway, that's my 2 cents. Caveat emptor and always remember the yearly levy which usually increases by 10% per year.