Every year, more and more young people embark on the journey of a life time during their gap year. Seeing the world can seem like quite a glamorous and exciting time, but if you do not plan ahead, then things can become very tricky very quickly. To have the best experience of your life, you have to plan ahead, consider all of the obstacles you may come across, and do your research so you can stray away from the beaten track. Here are some of the best tips to ensure that you have the best gap year ever…
Plan ahead:
This may seem like a really obvious thing to do, but when you are planning to embark on a long trip, it’s important to plan ahead and make an itinerary of all of the places you want to visit. When you are travelling, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with everything you want to see, so if you make a flexible itinerary you will find it easier to fit everything in. As well as planning the steps of your journey, also be sure to research the culture and the history of all of the places you are visiting, so you can have more authentic experience, rather than the tourist version. Although an itinerary is important, it’s equally as important to make sure that you are flexible with your time, as the people you meet, or the places you go can really impact on the adventure you have. Use road tripper apps or download offline maps from TripAdvisor so you can roam in comfort knowing that you can stick to your plans but go off road if you’re feeling daring!
Be sure to insure:
Choosing not to get insurance is a fools errant, as accidents or even thefts can happen at any given moment – it’s important to stay vigilant and protected so that your adventure isn’t cut short and you aren’t having to fork out too much money for any illness or injury you may have. Getting the correct travel documents and visas are equally as important, as without them, you could be refused entry in certain countries, detained or even deported back to your own country. So, for example, if you already have British Citizenship entitlement, travelling in Europe doesn’t require any travel documents or visas, but if you are travelling to America, then you will need to attain an Esta or visa prior to your trip. It always pays to do your research and find out which countries require which documents. If it’s more of a remote location you’re travelling to then it will be wise to speak to the country’s immigration service to find out exactly what you’ll need.
Be wise with money and luggage:
A big mistake that most first times travellers make is over-packing, the reality is that you will most likely remain in the same shorts and couple of t-shirts throughout your trip – as long as you have access to a laundrette and can buy cheap clothes whilst you’re out on your adventures, then you will be fine! Also, it’s important to overestimate how much money you are going to need to take, this will account for any hidden costs or fines that crop up along the way – take more money than you need, and pack less clothes than you think you need.