Who’d have thought that something which was supposed to be fun could possibly involve such a lot of hard work and planning? But if you put the time in before you leave, you’ll save yourself a great deal of time, money and possibly heartache later.
Research, Research and More Research – Choose Your Destination Carefully
Without wishing to sound like a cracked record (to those of you more familiar with the site) it’s absolutely imperative that you do your research before you set off. Scour the internet, devour as many travel guides as you can get your hands on, and really read between the lines.
Quite apart from anything else you’ve got to ask yourself: Do I really want to go there? Does it sound like a place that I will benefit from going to? This will also be a great help with such vital elements of a successful gap year as figuring out what you need to pack, putting together an airtight budget (for more on this see our article Budget Student Travel Tips), alerting yourself to any important cultural dos and don’ts and finding out the best things to see and do where you’re going.
Insurance
It’s absolutely essential that you get the right insurance for you. Price is obviously important, but equally crucial is that your choice of destinations and activities is covered in your policy. If you want to go Bungee Jumping or White-water Rafting, make sure that, in the unlikely event of an accident, your insurance will cover you. Read the small print (with a magnifying glass if necessary), and make sure that everything’s as you’d like it to be.
Vaccinations
With a whole host of nasty diseases out there, from diphtheria, to malaria and rabies, it’s essential that find out which jabs you need for which countries, and when you need them. In addition to whatever vaccinations you may need, it’s an excellent idea to pack a small first aid kit. You don’t need to pack a defibrillator or anything: a few band-aids and some aspirin will probably suffice.
Visas & Documentation
Although this can be quite complicated, it’s worth dropping in (or at least calling) the embassy of the countries you want to travel to. That way you can find out exactly what’s expected of you in terms of visas and relevant traveling documentation. This is particularly necessary if you aim to either work in the country, or be there for a longer period of time.
