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Feedback from our users

Glad to see that you like what we do, thanks very much for sending them in as they help to remind us why we do what we do..

Below are a selection of the emails and messageboard posts we have received. If you want to let us know what you think of the site, simply drop us an email.

Rich Judges

"Have to say thanks for all the great information that you give in your books especially the Before You Go book. I had real worries about travelling for the first time but the books provided constant reassurance and a wealth of knowledge that allowed me to read up on the countries before I arrived. Thanks for providing an invaluable resource to all travellers."

David Butler

"I would like to thank you for providing such a brilliant website. I have been intending on doing a RTW trip since last December and bought the ticket last week. I was always determined to do it despite any commitments/anxiety/friends/family doubts that may have crept in to my mind. This website though has definitely given me the belief that it is acheivable though without having a gung ho attitude. There is absolutley everything covered on here, and I mean everything for anyone planning a RTW trip. It's probably going to be more valuable to me than any of the gear I've bought for my trip but it's cost me absolutley nothing. Cheers!"

Phil Hartell

"I have wanted to travel for years. I have now found the time and money to do it and thought that the internet would be a good place to start finding out the information I needed. Knowing the varsity of the internet I thought this could be a long process trying to sort out useful and practical information. Well I never really managed to get surfing as gapyear.com was the first site I checked out and well never left.

There has to be every piece of information a traveller could ever need and if it’s not on your pages you have provided links to where it is.

One of the most useful parts of the site is the bringing of people together. Spending some time reading through some of the message boards gave me more practical information than I could even have imagined.

In an age where there is a website for everything (and most of them are rubbish, or just contain information for the sake of it), it's been great to find this site. Rest assured it will be getting well used by myself over the coming months. Great work..."

John Lightbound

"I was chatting on my first night here in Singapore with some fellow backpackers, comparing notes on guidebooks, when a guy pipes up with 'Guidebooks are always out of date - if you want current advice from people who have just been somewhere, go to gapyear.com' I was so chuffed to be a part of that!"

Chris Akines

"Hey y'all, I'm off to Oz in june and if it wasn't for this website, I would'nt be going! Well, thats a lie but reading through your web pages gave me the kick up the arse I deserved (some people say I deserve more!) and got the wheels in motion... Ok, the story is like this; hum drum another new year. More resolutions I can keep for um, five minutes and I thought sod this, I'm getting outta this rat race and going to see more of the world. So web searching brought me to this site. Then after some clicking, booked a flight to Australia via Singapore on the 13th June this year for a year with a working holiday visa!"

Georgie Chadwick

"I just had to write and say thanks from the bottom of my heart for your book (Before You Go) and website. Here is what it did for me...

I bought the book in January last year, was truly inspired by it and relieved to know that the beginnings of an idea I had to go and travel the world while I was still young, were indeed perfectly normal...and I wasn't on my own!

Having given it much serious thought, I 'bit the bullet' in March last year! I handed in my notice in at work (having been with the same firm in London for over five years) and announced that at the grand old age of 29, I was going travelling around the world for a year! My friends were extremely supportive, my work colleagues were too, but my parents on the other hand were not. Undeterred by them and their negative views, I did my homework. I swear your book became like a bible and I made it happen.

So, on 18th August last year, a girlfriend from uni and I embarked on our round the world trip, starting in South East Asia, then Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and back via the States. We had an amazing time travelling, doing,seeing things and having experiences I had only ever dreamt about.

Well, as for me now. I'm still in Australia and have totally landed on my feet! The firm I worked for in London, have an office in Sydney and they have just given me business sponsorship for 4 years! How lucky am I?! Sadly, it is the end of travelling and backpacking for the moment, but the beginning of a whole new and exciting life too.

Going away travelling has truly been one of the best things I have done with my life. My simple advice to anyone thinking about it, is "Stop thinking, stop talking and just go for it". I have realised you really do only get one chance in this short life, so do something amazing with it. You'll never regret it. A massive thank you again to you all! I couldn't have done it without your help."

George Martin

"Hi gap year! Just wanted to say you make a AMAZING website! It's got loads of really useful info and I've met loads of cool people through it. It also gave me the confidence to go through with my gap year and now I'm out her in Australia having the time of my life! Thanks."

Paul Jeffries

"Just like to say that, as a first-time visitor, it's a great website with loads of useful info. But the best thing is discovering that I'm not the only one old enough to have a mortgage and career - and probably old enough to know better - who's planning to take a year out."

darnhelm

"Wow! I am so excited to find such a fantastic website filled with so many ambitous people!! So many people who aren't afraid to dream big and make those dreams come true!

People who know the true meaning of carpe diem! My friends and I used to think that folks like us were rare, but you all have proved me wrong! Go you! Keep dreaming big and seizing the day, because who ever said that we can't accomplish everything we want to? Well, maybe some people did, but who cares, be yourself and become who you want to be!!! I feel at home with all of you! Thank you!"

rintintin

"I absolutely love this organization. The site is well done, and everything is open and relaxed. I read about this website in a magazine article my mom's friend ripped out for me, since I wanted to take a "gap year" before I go off to college. This place has all the resourses I need for anytime in my life, it's great. It's like my new life guide I wanted to thank everyone for starting gapyear.com and for the organization itself. I love this place so much I want to continue to spread the word; I am going to make a patch for my backpack and spread the word to everyone I know. Thanks you guys!"

lucie

"I think this site is class, the info on it is excellent and the message boards are great. I've recomended it to many friends and they all agree, so I'd just like to say 'well done' to all the Gapyear.com team for making such a wicked, helpful and fun site!"

nikes

"I mentioned this in a previous post, but after coming across this site I have been really motivated to get up and go somewhere! I've been 'meaning to do it' for ages, now, after reading about where other people are planning to go, and about their experiences, I've decided to just do it! So thanks a million for giving me the inspiration I needed!"

Bexy

"Gapyear.com is brilliant. Have been faffing around trying to decide what the hell to do with my gap year. Reading all the notice boards about what everyone is doing really motivated me - I'm now off for a ten week expedition to Belize. So partly thanks to the gapyear.com crew, I'm off for 10 gruelling weeks of buildings schools, painstaking conservation work of mayan archeological sites and exhausting trekking through dense rainforest. Thanks gapyear.com - I think. Not to mention the requirement of raising £3,300 by 1st February. What have I let myself in for?!"

mutz

"I do really love this site! For some time now, I have been thinking about starting a gap year, but I have never really had the motivation. This site has really helped me. I sit here for hours just picking up tips and info on travelling. Next year when I start the ball rolling, i wanna use this site to help me find a travel buddy. Well done to the makers of gapyear.com!Carry on all the good work!"

roadtripper

"First of all, thank you gapyear.com! I dont know what I'd be planning my life around if it weren't for you guys! When I'm stressed and tired of all my work, I find this site helps me out. Kind of in a 'summer '05 I'm gonna finally go on my gap year' sort of way.

I wanted to go this year, but college being college, and courses being courses, I have to leave it until next summer. but I'm excited already! Thank you so much for giving me a much needed kick up the bum!"

Jonny B

"I would just like to take this opportunity to salute you, Sir Tom Griffiths. After hearing good comments about your book, I logged onto Amazon and bought myself a copy. Two days later, it plopped through my mail box and I read nearly the whole thing within a few hours! It's got everything in it that I;ve always been inquiring about and is brilliant because it's written by a fellow adventurer and not some fat-cat who only writes about the advantages and disadvantages of gaps, like many other guides. Tom, you're a national resource."

Euster

"I agree, it's a very good book. Even ignoring the great info it gives, the book is worth the money just by the motivation it gives you to get cracking on your plans. This site is great also. The lads do a great job."

AliceL

"I finished reading Before You Go yesterday and what can I say - brilliant! I found it really helpful and will definitely be taking it with be - don't worry though I won't use it as my bible! Just wanted to recommend it to anyone who's taking a gap year, even if you've got it all organised - read it! "

VikkiF

"I think gapyear.com is great! I was waiting for a friend in a book shop and was just flicking through books and found "Before you Go". Read about a page, had to buy it and then read it in two days. Then I checked out this website... and now my trip is all booked and paid for. I'm in my last week of work and I'm so excited!

There's so much useful information and ideas in the book and on the website and that's what has encouraged me to be brave and finally do it. The book is written as if it's a friend telling you things and everyone on this website (staff and other gappers) are really friendly and helpful. So a huge thanks ... if I hadn't found the book I'd probably still just be plodding along bored ...but now I'm off on an amazing trip!"

The Lost Soul

" It was 'Before You Go' that was my initial motivator to get out there and sort out my plans. Before my chance meeting with this book in my local Waterstones, travelling had only ever been a dream and I never thought I'd be able to do it. Reading this book made me realise how feasible it all really was and that I had to do it while I still could. I have other motivators now (such as my own determination) but if it hadn't have been for this book then I'm pretty sure that I'd have never got this thing off the ground. The book has a knack of reassuring you just as you're starting to develop doubts... a real motivator.

I always keep thinking about... 'If I hadn't gone into town that day, then I wouldn't have found that book, then I wouldn't have found that site, then I wouldn't have met people that made me realise how plausible the idea was, then I may have never took that final step and booked those flights,then I may have never gone travelling in the way I really wanted to.' Who knows?"

K_a_t_y

" I'm off to Ghana in 16 days time and had the good fortune to be brought 'Before you go' by my cat (don't ask!) for christmas. I know I'm simply saying what a million other people have said but Tom I bow at your feet. In the space of reading 'Before you Go' I went from being very much on the verge of getting cold feet with a worrying lack of excitement to having what is best described as a nervous anticipation. In other words, I'm still terrified but really really excited too!! I can't wait now! Thanks... I never knew a book could make such a difference."