Gap year travels

[JakeR]

Hi people.

Just interested. I am going to be travelling for about 2-3 years in around a year and a half. I plan to go to all these wild places to see them for myself. First of all i want to "complete" (!) South Africa, travelling around Gauteng and seeing as much as possible. I basically want to see it without the dependancy of my dad.
Second, most probably far east (got to research that one!). Thirdly Australasia, visit the place i used to live, Sydney for the first time in what will be about 15 years! I will learn spanish on a student scheme so i can work in southern America. And it is also a useful qualification!

Anyway, what stories do you have? And what are your experiences of travelling? Regrets? Advice? Warnings?

Cheers all,

Jake

 

[Raz]

Can I be your pack horse?

 

[Ed]

Go to your local library and check out the 'Lonely Plannet' guides to the areas you are thinking of going. They are packed full of advice and full of need to know infomation.... One trick I found was if you want to keeps off the tourist/traveller trail. just go to places not mentioned in the LP guides.... ;-)

 

[maddave]

Go to your local library and check out the 'Lonely Plannet' guides to the areas you are thinking of going. They are packed full of advice and full of need to know infomation.... One trick I found was if you want to keeps off the tourist/traveller trail. just go to places not mentioned in the LP guides.... ;-)

Ed is bang on....The lonely planet guides are a godsend. Also if you go to lonelyplanet.com, there's a section called "The thorn tree" where people ask questions and post experiences of places they've been...Invaluable

 

[NickBristol]

Apart from being hugely jealous of you being able to even contemplate a 2 or 3 year trip... best advice I can give from my own experiences of travelling is to get to know as much as you can about local customs and religious attitudes BEFORE you go to a country. It's really easy to forget just how tolerant and free the UK is. Well most of the time...

Second thing is related, learn as fast as you can how to appear unthreatening, uninteresting, totally compliant and friendly (without appearing nervous or ignorant) to local Customs or Immigration officers. Learning how to say hello, goodbye, thank-you and 'sorry that's all the [insert language here] I know' in the local language is usually enough for you to get minimal trouble and reduce the risk of intrusive body searches! Dont ever get angry or obstinate if you get 'stop and searched' it only makes life worse, they're only doing their job and trying to make your journey safer, either directly or indirectly.

 

[Stuart]

Nick is spot on

you can not under estimate how much of a difference it will make if you learn a little of the local language even if its just hello,thank you, yes, no etc

the local offcials can be a real pain but always always be very polite but dont be afraid to be firm if the need dictates

I once spent hours in a hanger on African port with the contents of my and the rest of the ships passengers bags emptied all over the floor trying to explain the a border official what a GPS was (I should have just said yes when he asked me if it was a phone) whilst the official from the ministry of agriculture cut open all by dehydrated food rations because they contained rice!!!!

 

[JakeR]

Thanks all. I realise the importance of the simple things. Cheers Nick, i think officers will only be more of a problem if you give them attitude.

The thing about the length of time is why bother rushing into the Rat Race? i think i want to live life for a few years! So my plan is to keep WELL of the tourist trail. I think it now exactly how to do that in South Africa, as i have been all over (almost anyway!).

Thanks for te advice on lonely planet. I wonder now how my sister did it (who travelled for 2 yrs). i dont recall her using the lonely planet guides. My biggest problem i think will be work visas, do you know how hard they are to get hold of? If i can speak spanish, would it help? (which is also my main aim). i think bar work will be financing it all. But i wil be working beforehand to get enough to enable me to live in spain for 3-4 months.

Cheers all,

Jake

Jake

 

[ditchfield]

Because of blinking top up fees, I thought that I would not be able to take a gap year due to having to pay £6000 extra to go to uni a year later. However, I have found out that if I apply for uni before a gap year, I can pay the cheaper price (does that make any sense). I hope to travel to Scandinavia and Iceland. Can't wait. Have fun Jake.

 

[JakeR]

Pete, your right. Its called "deffered" entry i think. But i couldnt do that due to the fact i want 3 years out. I think the value to me as a human way out weighs the monetry cost of top-up fees. (is it cheaper if i go back as a mature student?)

Cheers,

Jake

 

[Ed]

Thanks for te advice on lonely planet. I wonder now how my sister did it (who travelled for 2 yrs). i dont recall her using the lonely planet guides.

Another bit of advice.... don't bother taking it with you.... every western traveller you meet will have the LP or Rough-Guide (another breed of guide) to the area.... but they are a good read before you go ;-)

Ed

 

[Martyn]

The "Rough Guides" are good too. I learned tons reading it while in Thailand. They're particularly useful if you're not there for long, as they can get you up to speed quickly with local customs, what's good and what to avoid etc. They're also good for killing away long hours on trains and waiting in bus stations.

 

[JakeR]

Thanks all. I never really thought about reading guides. I mainly wanted to research the boring bits and then follow my nose. but there is no harm done by learning more about certain areas!

Cheers,

Jake