How To Plan your Gap Year: Part 1

So it’s that time of year again! Exams are looming and you’re probably being asked every 5 minutes “so what are your next steps then?’. Around 20% of those who travel with us are on their gap year so we have years of experience helping people with gap-year planning! We are here to help you plan the best gap year possible and we’ve even asked around the TruHQ office for their best advice and listed things that they wish they had known/done on their gap year. It’s also worth pointing out…you don’t have to be 18 to do a gap year! Whether you are finishing sixth form, uni or just bored of your 9-5 and want a break taking a gap year out or a “sabbatical” can be such a good way to clear your thoughts, have the time of your life and meet incredible people. So here’s our top bits of advice - hope this helps you on your way to planning the time of your life!

HAVE A ROUGH PLAN...

Have a solid plan for the first few weeks! If you took only one bit of advice from us it would be that. The worst way to start any trip away would be to turn up at the arrival airport without a plan and not knowing what your next step is. Before you set off on your journey we’d always recommend knowing where you are going to be and what you’d like to do in the first couple of weeks. That way you can enjoy your first few weeks of freedom and not have to worry about the next day. The PERFECT way to kick off any gap year (not that we are biassed) is a group tour! You’ll be picked up from the airport, shown the hidden gems of the country and given a group of friends for your trip! What could be better?! It will also give you time to chat with fellow travellers, get inspiration for where to go next and you’ll also get 10/10 advice for how to get to your next location.

MONEY MONEY MONEY...

Next up is having a budget. I know boringggg. But it is a good thing to keep in mind with planning. It will help you get an idea of how long you want to spend away, where you want to go and how you want to travel. Be honest with yourself, would you rather spend longer away and save money by booking hostels and eating local or do you want to live the life of luxury? It’s your decision but have a good think about it before you set off. Budgeting apps like PocketGuard, Splitwise and TravelSpend are great ways to track what you are spending abroad. Also your budget and locations of choice will be dependent on each other too. Asia is much cheaper than Latin America, Australia and Europe so your money will go further and travelling around will be cheaper but equally Latin America has some hotspots such as Colombia and Peru which are cheaper than Brazil and Argentina. So the choice is up to you!

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AWAY FOR AGES!

“Remember that it doesn't have to be a year!” Is what Sophie in the office said when we asked her for her advice. And it’s true! Whether you want to go for 6 months after working and saving for a few months or you want to go for even longer, “a gap year” can be whatever you want to be. I know that might sound like pathetic advice but so many people wrongly feel like they haven’t “travelled properly” if they haven't been away for a year. This by the way is completely untrue. Whether you go for 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 years, you have explored the world, had epic experiences and seen things you would never have seen if you had stayed at home. So don’t let the gap year police make you feel inferior just because you haven't hitch-hiked around the deepest parts of Asia for a year!

We hope these first few bits of wisdom are useful and you can begin to start thinking about a gap year and your first solo travel adventure! We'll see you on a beach with a beer in hand very soon!