Gap Years
The gap year has become such a widespread phenomenon that it’s become increasingly hard to define exactly what one is. These days if someone says they’re taking a gap year they could mean any number of things; an extended working holiday abroad, volunteer work or simply time out travelling, typically between A-levels and University.
One thing’s for certain however – the gap year has become extremely ubiquitous over the last ten years or so. Not too long ago taking time out to travel was perhaps only an option available to a privileged minority, most people would have regarded the idea of a taking a year out as pretty frivolous.
According to recent estimates the gap year market is now valued at £5billion and is predicted to rise to £20billion by 2010. Clearly the gap year phenomenon isn’t just a flash in the pan; young adults have come to regard this opportunity to see the world and gain “character building” experiences before the responsibilities of further education and making a living take over as an expected rite of passage.
Interestingly however a recent survey has suggested that a surprising number of students are opting to squirrel away money that might have gone towards a gap year, saving instead towards a deposit on their first home.
Recent years have also seen a significant diversification of the gap year market; not only are there more types of gap year experience to consider the places gappers are choosing to visit are increasingly far from the beaten path. Last year saw a growth in travel to places like Panama and Borneo and there’s a definite tendency towards more adventurous destinations.
With a generation of gappers jetting off to such exotic locations and taking part in such a diverse spectrum of activities it would be easy to forget that most of these intrepid travellers are kids just out of school whose parents will quite understandably want to ensure are safe. As much as there might be some romance associated with taking a more spontaneous approach to travel, it’s important that gap years are properly organised and safe.
Gappers and their parents would be well advised to check out sites like www.gapadvice.org.uk before jetting off. Of course, there’s the slightly more comfortable option of booking one of many relaxing holidays you can buy online with Travelzoo and other travel sites, which means you can gently rejuvenate yourself pre-university.
However, the trend for straying from a traditional break and embarking on a whirlwind adventure is the more popular choice.
There’s also an onus on maintaining contact with home. Indeed, it’s now common for young travellers to pack expensive electronics like laptops and mobile phones (an unfortunate side effect that may make them become more conspicuous targets for crime). For this reason, it’s important to have accommodation that’s going to be reliable and comfortable so you can relax and prepare for the next step of your trek. To keep yourself safe and sound, try Hostelbookers, for hostels you can book online, across the world.
The importance of a good travel insurance policy shouldn’t be underestimated, so do make sure you’re covered for all activities you might take part in. A good option is to browse and compare some solid travel insurance packages. AA Travel and Go Travel offer coherent policies, offering good value travel insurance, which cover a broad range of activities.