It usually takes time and effort
to scrape together the funds for a gap year, and these adventures take plenty
of planning too. So, the last thing you want when you finally set off on your
globetrotting trip is for something to ruin your experiences. Here are three
things that have the potential to spoil your fun, and some top tips to help
ensure they don’t.
1) Sickness
When you’re away from home, it’s
more important than ever to take care of your health. After all, if you get
sick when you’re abroad, you might have to bring your adventures to an abrupt
end. There are lots of potential health threats to watch out for too, from
stomach bugs caused by poor hygiene to tropical diseases. Before you set off on
your travels, it’s important to do some research to establish what risks you
are likely to face. Depending on where you’re going, you might need to get
vaccinations to protect you against diseases like hepatitis A and B, typhoid,
yellow fever, tuberculosis, rabies and Japanese encephalitis. You may also
require protection from malaria. There is no vaccination to guard
against this disease, but you can take anti-malarial medicines. For example,
you may be advised to take a course of Doxycycline malaria tablets. This treatment offers protection from one
to two days after you start the course, so you’ll need to begin taking the
tablets before you enter at-risk areas.
More generally, pay careful
attention to food and water hygiene and make sure you don’t overexpose yourself
to the sun. If you’re ever in doubt about health-related issues, you should be
able to find reliable information and guidance online.
2) Running out of money
Another sure fire way to spoil
your trip is to run out of money. Budgeting for gap years is notoriously
tricky, and you’ll have to be savvy if you’re going to make your money last.
Firstly, be realistic when you’re working out how much cash you’ll need to fund
your travels. Being overly optimistic about how far your money will stretch is
a recipe for disaster further down the line. Meanwhile, try to pay for most of
your major travel costs upfront so that you can ensure you won’t end up
stranded in some far flung location.
Create a spending plan too, and
keep a record of your expenses as you go. This will show you how quickly you
are working through your resources and help you to identify where savings need
to be made. Make sure you keep your money secure as well. For example, don’t
carry large sums of cash around. It’s much better to use travellers’ cheques
and prepaid cards. In addition, it’s useful to have an emergency fund that’s
separate to your regular spending money and that you can use in the event of
unexpected problems.
3) Missing home
Right now, the thought of getting
away from everyday life at home might be one of your major motivations for
hitting the road. However, when you’re thousands of miles away from family and
friends, you may surprise yourself by how homesick you feel. It’s normal to
miss the comforts of life back home from time to time, especially if things
aren’t going to plan. To stop this getting in the way of having a good time,
make an effort to keep in touch with loved ones by scheduling regular video
chats and using email and social media.
Your gap year could be a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the world and expand your horizons,
and by following advice like this, you can ensure you make the most of it.
*In collaboration with Lloyds Pharmacy
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