 Laura Jones - Site & Female Travel Editor My role here at gapyear.com is centred on female travel. Over half of our users are female, and clearly this makes us girls important! Anyone who wishes to write about travel safety, travelling alone, cultural comments or just girls wanting to get involved in writing country guides or funny stories, get in touch! Share your stories with other likeminded girls going or hoping to go and see the world! Countries visited Austria, Belgium, Corsica, Cyprus, Czech republic, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Monaco, Spain, USA Unusual experiences 1. Hitchhiking in Corsica and getting picked up by a priest 2. Going to the wrong fountains in Barcelona (it had been a long day) 3. Roller skating waitresses in Vegas (only in Vegas....) Top five tips 1. Always be polite & courteous - this will cross over any language barrier 2. But do try and learn a few words in the native language, just to show some effort and respect 3. Wear suncream - sunburn is not big and it´s not clever! 4. Bear in mind that safety should always be your top priority 5. Enjoy yourself! Private Message Laura here >> |
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 Hannah Simmons - Site Writer I have done 2 RTW trips. Aged 22 I finished uni and took off for 7 months. I returned worked for 2 years whilst I saved money for my next RTW trip, this time it was for 9 months. After getting back May 2008, I am currently working again but planning future trips to Nepal, India and China. Countries visited Australia, Canada, Cambodia, Central America, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South America, Thailand, USA, Vietnam Unusual experiences 1. 3 day 4x4 trip over the Salar in Bolivia. Along with the amazing salt flats, the area contains bright red lakes, bright green lakes and bright white lakes and is surrounded by snow capped mountains despite being in the middle of a desert at 5000m. 2. Trekking the Grand Canyon. We took the Bright Angel Trail from the rim down to Plateau Point leaving just after sunrise. When we got to the end we were the only people down there and were surrounded by nature. 3. 4 day safari in Kruger National Park. We got to see wild animals close up and in their natural habitats. 4. New Year in Rio de Janeiro. The atmosphere was amazing and there are so many traditions and customs such as wearing white and jumping over 7 waves. Once the fireworks are over then the beach parties really start. 5. 5 day tour in Cuyabeno Jungle Reserve in Ecuador. We saw some amazing wildlife close up including scorpions, tarantulas and boas. Private Message Hannah here >> |
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 Deborah Barnard - Site Writer 23, currently in Edinburgh. I still feel kinda like a student (I studied English Literature and hope to do postgrad) but am actually looking for "real" work at the moment. I just got back from a month in the Middle East (Turkey, Jordan and Egypt). I'm keen to travel more and try new places (next on my hit list are Southern India, Malaysia & Singapore, and Oman), but suspect I will also keep returning to the Middle East, as I love the region. Unusual experiences 1. Sitting in a garden in Yazd, smoking shisha on a beautiful spring evening. 2. Walking into the desert ruins of Palmyra at dawn, utterly alone. 3. Snorkelling in Dahab. 4. Walking through the monkey park (and feeding the monkeys!) in Arashiyama, Japan. 5. Eating dizzi in a rooftop restaurant overlooking Imam Square, Isfahan. Top five tips 1. Travel your way. There is no "RIGHT" route, travel guide, budget, backpack, number of people to travel with or anything else. 2. Be sensible about personal safety, but don't be paranoid! Don't let caution stop you interacting with those around you. 3. Take good gadgets. I'd recommend a sink plug, washing line, swiss army knife & money belt. 4. Take (or buy out there) a nice scalf/pashmina. This is ideal for covering up at religious sites, keeping warm, keeping the sun off, folding up as a makeshift pillow, or even using as a spare towel. 5. Take a notebook/journal. Private Message Deborah here >> |
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 Kirsty Fisher - Site Writer Hiya! I'm a 25 year old currently working and studying in Sheffield. I went round Western Europe and Morocco by train a few years ago and enjoyed it so much planning to do it again this summer. This time I'll be squeezing as many Mediterranean festivals in as possible. Countries visited Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Morrocco, Spain, Turkey Unusual experiences 1. A 14 hour long train Journey from Tangier to Marrakesh in which one of the doors was missing (drafty) & all the blokes piled off to have a massive argument about half way down. 2. The Hotel Elizabetha in Fussen. Run by the oldest woman in Germany, decorated with an array of stuffed unidentifiable creatures and guarded by a life-size christ on a cross...he's watching you... 3. The Tomatina festival in Bunol. 4. Sleeping rough in Malaga after missing the last train and waking up surrounded by tramps. 5. An Italian man who looked like Tim Westwood who got on a train full of pensioners with a boom box. Top tips for inter-railing Avoid express trains They cut out huge chunks of countries and cost a fortune. Residential trains are free, they chug along by the most beautiful scenery, you don't need to reserve a seat and you meet more young travellers. Campsites Why don't more people use campsites? They're brill in Europe! And loads cheaper than even the dingiest of hostels. Planning So you don't waste money on taxis/hotels/over-priced food like I did because I couldn't be bothered to check things out before the trip. Private Message Kirsty here >> |
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 Clare meredith - Gaplass I´m 25 and getting married in the summer but this doesnt mean I´ll stop travelling. I took a 4, yes 4 year Gap year before going to University which involved doing plenty of awful jobs in the UK to fund lots of amazing experiences world wide. I always travel solo and I´m a big fan of it. I regularly organise meet-ups for members here in the UK so make sure you come along to the next one and say hi. Countries visited Australia, New Zealand, America, Fiji, Cook Islands, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Greece, Egypt, Turkey Unusual experiences 1. ADrinking rum and coke with Kings of Leon at 4am in Hong Kong Airport whilst on a 6 hours stop over. 2. Nimbin, Australia. 3. Being woken up in the middle of the night by a guy in my dorm who stuffed some American dollars and a bag of weed under my pillow and legged it during a police raid in Thailand. 4. Being a beer skivvy at an Australian test cricket match. 5. Thinking for almost 3 weeks I was on the Island of Capri in Italy...I was on Ischia. Top five tips 1. Antibacterial hand gel. I don´t leave home with out this stuff and a tiny bottle last you ages. 2. Don´t plan every last detail of your trip. You´ll end up meeting people and not be able to travel with them as you already have your next part of the trip booked and paid for. 3. Don´t pack your backpack to maximum capacity. You´ll never get it all back in again and you´re bound to pick up things along the way. 4. Travel with an open mind and you´ll open yourself to a world of experiences. 5. An eye mask and ear plugs are essential to surviving life sharing a room with other people. Private Message Clare here >> |
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 Alexandra Quinton - Gaplass I am travel obsessed! Ever since I went on a cruise around the Mediterranean on a school trip when I was 15 I have had the travel bug, and I don't plan on trying to shake it off! I have loads of knowledge on travel kit, especially about rucksacks - how to fit them properly, the differences between, pros & cons of toploaders vs. travel packs, the best size to choose for a particular trip and so on. I also have extensive knowledge about travel health, including malaria prevention & how to find accurate information about vaccinations, water purification & food safety. I have a passion for Africa, and have travelled to Kenya & Tanzania (so far!) so if you have any questions about either place (including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro - which I have achieved) just get in touch. In May 2009 I am setting off on my biggest journey ever with my fiancé. We are taking 9 months out and visiting Hong Kong, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Japan, Hawaii, Canada, Caribbean (Bahamas, St. Thomas, Puerto Rico,Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands), Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia & South Africa! Countries visited Greece, Cyprus, Crete, Turkey, Israel, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Kenya, Tanzania, India. Unusual experiences 1. Camping in the middle of the Masaai Mara National Park - waking up to firstly hear a lion roaring in the distance & a fluffy tailed mouse eating through my bag of safari snacks! 2. Watching a goat being slaughtered, taking it home, still warm, where we barbequed it & ate it. The head & entrails were in our fridge for about a week, then disappeared only to be served in a nice thick stew later that day. 3. Being at the Taj Mahal with my fiancé & having Indian people crowding round us to take our photo. 4. Reaching Uhuru Peak on Mount Kilimanjaro! 5. Seeing a tiger in the wild in India. Top five tips 1. Learn some of the language to help you get by - just hello, yes, no, thank you and please will suffice - any more is a bonus. This will help you communicate, and also you will gain more respect from the locals. 2. Read up on cultural norms in a country, and respect them. If you are a female travelling to a Muslim country, remember to pack the right clothes so you do not cause offence. There is more to visiting a country than getting a tan - sometimes covering up is the way to go. 3. Get your vaccinations and malaria tablets sorted out at least 8 weeks before departure. Last minute vaccine courses can be stressful! 4. Take antibacterial hand gel with you wherever you go, and always pack baby wipes and toilet paper. 5. Remember that your trip is your trip - you plan it how you want and go where you want to go. Don't be dictated to by others. Private Message Lexi here >> |
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