Gap Year News
Gap Year News is your up-to-date news on gap years, backpacking and travelling. Basically, it's anything travel related that we think is fun to read! Whatever happens in the world, we've got it covered.
Sometimes the Gap Year News is useful information, like visa updates or FCO travel advice, and sometimes the Gap Year News is not so useful, like celebrity gossip or a sexy story. However, the news is always written with you in mind, so make sure you keen on coming back to gapyear.com to see the latest news and travel information.
As we write the Gap Year News for you, we like you to get involved too. You can comment on each story and click-through to relevant sections of the site, so start reading and get stuck in!
News for May 2013
Train squeezes through Hanoi
This remarkable video will show you why the phrase ‘mind the gap’ is redundant in parts of the Vietnamese capital, mainly because there isn’t a gap to mind!
Join #gapyearchat on Twitter
Got a question, dream or dilemma about gap years you want to share? Come join the new #gapyearchat on Twitter at 6-7pm GMT on Tuesdays.
The World’s Most Racist Countries Revealed
A survey claims to have revealed the most racially intolerant countries out there. Hong Kong tops the list. Ouch. Britain doesn’t. Phew!
Bizarre requests to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Rebel monkeys, marriage counselling, settling wagers and fertility advice - unfortunately it’s all in a day’s work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office!
The Havana Club Gap Year Winner is Revealed!
It took four months to find the perfect person, but the winner of the Havana Club Gap Year has been chosen. Boy are they in for a good time!
It’s all Greek to Ryanair
Passengers on a recent flight were treated to a dazzling display of incompetence when their plane landed 200 miles from its destination because it was “too dark”.
Astronaut covers Space Oddity in space
How do you improve one of the greatest songs of all time? You shoot it in space. Commander Chris Hadfield has shot one of the best videos we've seen in a long time.
Giant rubber duck makes waves in Hong Kong
A six-storey-high rubber duck has been transported around the world since 2007, bringing a message of peace and harmony, and it has now arrive in Hong Kong.
Dude flies through waterfall
Do you like running around at 100mph, constantly test yourself and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible? Do they involve jumping off things?
Lost ancient underwater city revealed
Archaeologists are unearthing the mysteries of Heracleion, uncovering amazingly well-preserved artefacts that tell the story of a vibrant classical-era port.
News for April 2013
Iceland to be renamed
Iceland has been running a marketing campaign like no other; to rename the country. After more than 25,000 entries, the contest is now down to two names
Is this Bigfoot’s big foot?
An extremely large paw has been found in the woods in Massachusetts, USA, and it is thought to be Bigfoot's. Definitely Bigfoot's and not a bear's.
Man rides world’s tallest bike
There are some crazy cats in this world and this is one such guy. This video depicts a man riding a 14.5-foot-tall bike that he built himself around the streets of LA.
Shortlist announced for Australia’s best jobs
After weeks of campaigning and hundreds of thousands of entries, Tourism Australia have finally announced their shortlist for the 'Best Jobs in the World'.
Man vs. crocodile; man wins
A man has diced with death after fighting off a crocodile in Northern Australia. Yoann Galeran, 29 had to repeatedly punching the croc until he was able to get free.
Skiing world record backflip attempt
If you shred the slopes you know that doing a backflip ain’t easy. Imagine 30 people doing it. All at the same time. Because that’s what’s just happened.
Google Hyperlapse brings your trip to life
Google Hyperlapse is a new free online tool that uses Google Street View images to create a personalised animated road trip that really brings your trip to life.
New city tours led by the homeless
New city tours led by the homeless will show travellers the city of Bath's main tourist attractions, including the Crescent, the Roman Baths and the Abbey.
Google removes ‘favela’ from Rio maps
Rio de Janeiro is looking to clean up its image. So much so that they've asked Google to remove the word 'favela' from some of its maps of the city.
Air turbulence to get worse
If you hate flying then you're not going to be a happy about this one. According to a new study, air turbulence is likely to go up by 10-40% by 2050.
Join a 420 tour to smoke weed in Colorado
Colorado in the US could join Amsterdam as a weed-smokers dream destination if two Denver locals have anything to do about it with their new tour company My 420 Tours.
Adventurer flies by helium balloons in South Africa
Matt Silver-Vallance has completed a journey of a lifetime by flying from Robben Island to Cape Town in South Africa only attached to helium-filled balloons.
75,000 Brits have applied for Australia’s ‘Best Jobs in the World’
More than 75,000 Brits have applied for Tourism Australia's 'Best Jobs in the World', but don't worry, there's still time to get your submission in.
Naked man braves crocodile-infested waters for bet
A fisherman in Australia has jumped onto a log racing down the flooded, crocodile-infested Daly River, all in the name of a bet. And to cap it all off, he did it butt naked.
Daredevils go kayaking on lava
Pedro Oliva, Chris Korbulic and Ben Stookesberry have taken it to the next level by braving some extreme conditions and kayaking on lava in Hawaii.
News for March 2013
New Finnish passport is a flip-book
Finland have released a new passport where each page has a photo of a moose which walks forward when the page is flipped. How do you think we can improve our passport?
That levitating girl
For two years Tokyo-based photographer Natsumi Hayashi has uploaded a different photo of herself levitating every day becoming That Levitating Girl.
Fishmonger finds bomb inside squid
This may not go down as the catch of the day but a Chinese fishmonger has found a eight-inch live bomb inside a squid after gutting it for a customer.
Budapest offers cheap city break
Budapest has a lot to offer backpackers and travellers. Now there's even more reason to go as it's just been voted as one of the cheapest cities to travel to.
Lost camera returned to owner after five years
The owner of a barnacle-encrusted camera that survived a 6,200 mile five-year journey bobbing around at sea found in Taiwan has finally been identified.
Photographer nearly gets eaten by alligator
A photographer taking pictures of alligators on a riverbank in Costa Rica nearly got eaten alive in an attempt to take the perfect photo. Instead, he got this video.
Amsterdam’s oldest prostitutes retire
Louise and Martine Fokkens, twins, are believed to be Amsterdam's oldest prostitutes, but at the age 70 they're finally hanging up their knickers.
The world’s most expensive gap year
Ok, so maybe this is a little out of our budgets, but it's still pretty awesome; VeryFirstTo.com are offering the world's most expensive gap year.
Google Maps takes users to Mount Everest
From today, people can take an online tour of four of the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each of the world's continents, thanks to Google Maps.
easyJet launches route to Moscow
Today easyJet have launched a new route from London to Moscow that has already seen a positive effect on the popularity of people travelling to the country.
Sex in space could kill you
A popular fantasy among men is having sex in space, but it might have to remain just a fantasy for now as new research suggests it could kill you.
Cute sea lion cub hitches a ride
Warning; cute alert! Cute alert! The most adorable sea lion cub has been caught on camera hitchin' a ride on a kayak near California's South Bay.
India visa reforms affect British travellers
The Indian Government are reforming their visa application process at the moment in an attempt to make it easier for nationals from some countries to apply for a visa.
Chinese airline to start selling cars on board flights
If you're the type of person to panic buy without shopping around then you'll be pleased with the Chinese airline Spring Air's latest announcement.
Proposal turns into washout
Matthew Hartman was down on one knee, just at the point of proposing to his girlfriend, when a giant wave crashed into them, sweeping them both off their feet.
Randy pandas get some alone time
As we all know, pandas refuse to have sex That's why we were shocked to find out two randy pandas have been getting some alone time in Japan.
Frozen wee smashes through caravan
A lump of frozen wee from a passenger plane has smashed through a woman’s caravan in Staffordshire leaving it ruined and now worthless.
Tourism Australia launches ‘best jobs’ competition
If you're planning a gap year and want to work in Australia, then look no further than Tourism Australia's new campaign, the 'best jobs in the world'.
Guy pushes his girlfriend off cliff
Sometimes boyfriends do shitty things, but shoving a girlfriend off a cliff might literally be pushing it to the edge. In the latest film by Devin Graham you can see how he does it.
News for February 2013
Hotel CCTV catches man stark naked and locked out
One hotel guest reveals more than he meant to, to a whole hotel of people, when the door locks behind him as he puts his tray out for room service #totesembarrassing.
Roadkill now a legal dish in Montana
The heads of the US State of Montana have passed a law to make eating certain roadkill legal - elk, antelope and deer are all up for grabs - hands up who thinks this is ok!
Cat vs. crocodile
A cheeky critter took on a crocodile in an epic battle that's reminiscent of Mohammad Ali vs Joe Frazier. It had the stare-downs, the huge haymakers, and a clear victor.
Want to have better sex? Travel more
It has long been known that getting laid on your gap year is a fun thing to do. Now it has been proven that couples who travel together have better sex lives.
gapyear.com is looking for interns
We're looking for a super enthusiastic content and social media intern to follow a structured training programme at gapyear.com. Have you got the skills?
Snoozing sloth lands in speedboat
Sloths are known for being one of the world's slowest and laziest animals. Not this one though; this sloth has been caught on camera living life in the fast lane.
