This year I am planning a wonderful gap year around the world. When I was 16 years old- ( a long long time ago) I wrote a “Things to do list before being 50 years old”. Backpacking around the world was one of them. It is also one of the things I have yet to achieve. Actually no, yet to finish. How come?. Well I started my gap year when I was 21 years old – I was in Paris at the time and my first destination was London then Belgium- Europe and so on. However two weeks after my arrival in London…. I meet wonderful young man. Yes, you guessed! Didn’t go further than London- Got married, had children, a career, a life in general.
Resuming My gap year.
I have been fortunate enough to have had a career in the travel industry so in many ways I did travel the world. Nevertheless I am still hunted by that unfinished gap year. I am still longing for the open road. I have talked so much about it that my children gave me an ultimatum: do it now or for ever hold your peace.
Now I am 50+ the kids have left home- So I thought why Not? Here I am preparing my gap year or even better my Golden Gap Year. I will be picking up from where I stopped many years ago.
It’s scary but exciting.
Things to consider before my gap year
My budget
What are my travelling purposes.
My safety-How to keep safe?
Insurance-Vaccination
Travel cost from one country to another.
Weather in the country during times of the year.
What to pack?
Festivals/ celebration
Meeting people/gap year ideas for adult volunteering
Top priority to find route that can be done on the cheap
Best itinerary for my travel
The most challenging thing will be to decide which country to visit or revisit. It’s therefore difficult to choose the best itinerary or to decide where to visit first. There are places I always want to visit like : I am fascinated by Botswana after watching the series : The No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. Also Namibia, I would love to climb the orange Dunes, they are just beautiful. Japan, I have been before but I missed the cherry blossom. My dream place is Tahiti, Bora Bora to be precise.
During my Golden Gap Year I should see all the places I always dreamed of.
Travel Schedule ( subject to change).
November : Namibia, Botswana, South Africa
December- February: Nepal, India,
March: Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos- Vietnam
April: China,
April-May: Japan – South Korea
May-July: Australia, New Zealand- Pacific Islands
August: USA
September-October : Europe
November: Back to London
As picking my locations will play a crucial part of the process, I hope to be able to create my best travel itinerary and start my travel.
I have just -one year- from my first day of planning/researching until the day I board the plane.
Let me know your thoughts on an adult gap year. Whether you have done it or consider taking one.
So come with me on my journey. Share it. Pin it.