[STA Travel]

Hello TSR travel ninjas! Lisa and Emma here from STA Travel. We're just dropping in to let you know that we've accepted an invite to be residents of this forum during the beginning of June.

We’ll be here to answer any questions you've got about making the most of your Gap Years. Leave your question for us in this forum between the 1st – 10th June and we’ll be here from the 11th June to help you out. We're backed by an army of over 400 travel experts, from right around the country, so make the most of the opportunity!

Whether you're after some expert information about the different types of overland travel; tips on finding the best flight prices; or ways to boost your CV during your Gap Year, this is the forum for you. All you need to do, is join this thread, and slide your questions into the mix from 1st June — we can't wait to meet you all. Lisa and Emma x

[Raxi24]

Whats the best website to compare flights?
Can you give a list of good websites that offer gap year holidays & websites that offer help in organising your own

[drEaDful]

Do you know much about gap year schemes within the UK?

I'm interested in volunteering within the UK and am interested if there are any particularly popular schemes out there for either next year or the year after. I want to get involved in community projects that are quite varied if possible. Thanks.

[STA Travel]

(Original post by Raxi24)
Whats the best website to compare flights?
Can you give a list of good websites that offer gap year holidays & websites that offer help in organising your own

Hey there Raxi24, thanks for you question. Well, the STA Travel website is a great place to start! We compare flights from lots of different airlines, and remember that we can hook you up with some cheap student fares too. You can search for flights here: http://www.statravel.co.uk/flights.htm

As for Gap Years, take a look at our dedicated Gap Year section on our website: http://www.statravel.co.uk/gap-year-travel.htm It'll give you loads of ideas on what to do on your year out - then just give us a call on 0800 988 4248, or pop into one of our stores, and our travel experts will help you plan your very own year of fun.

Hope that helps! Let me know if you've got any other questions.

Cheers,
Emma

[STA Travel]

(Original post by drEaDful)
Do you know much about gap year schemes within the UK?

I'm interested in volunteering within the UK and am interested if there are any particularly popular schemes out there for either next year or the year after. I want to get involved in community projects that are quite varied if possible. Thanks.

Hi, thanks for the question! We specialise in Gap Years and volunteering abroad, rather than in the UK. Have you considered volunteering in another country? There are heaps of community projects out there that keep it nice and varied - you could be teaching English in a school, helping the local fisherman with their catches, leading a craft class for local women, building a community centre... there really are loads of options.

If you're interested, take a look at the Volunteering section on our website: http://www.statravel.co.uk/planeterra.htm

Cheers,
Emma

[RowingGoose]

How much money would I need to set aside for a gap year?

And also how do you/is it easy to make friends out there?

[Zubby77]

I was looking at multi-city flights on the STA website, and I was wondering if there's a way to check flexible dates for the flights in the same way that you can for normal flights on the site?

[Mocking_bird]

I'm in year 12 and looking to go to Australia during my gap year, how soon should I start organising this?

[Ophelia1]

(Original post by STA Travel)
Hello TSR travel ninjas! Lisa and Emma here from STA Travel. We're just dropping in to let you know that we've accepted an invite to be residents of this forum during the beginning of June.

We’ll be here to answer any questions you've got about making the most of your Gap Years. Leave your question for us in this forum between the 1st – 10th June and we’ll be here from the 11th June to help you out. We're backed by an army of over 400 travel experts, from right around the country, so make the most of the opportunity!

Whether you're after some expert information about the different types of overland travel; tips on finding the best flight prices; or ways to boost your CV during your Gap Year, this is the forum for you. All you need to do, is join this thread, and slide your questions into the mix from 1st June — we can't wait to meet you all. Lisa and Emma x

if I book a trip, will I be able to cancel it or change it within a week, of when I booked it?

[ethan12444]

Hi,

I'm an Australian student looking to take another gap year when I graduate from University in a year. What kind of program would you recommend that combines overseas travel, as well as experience for a business (management/international business) major? Thanks

[STA Travel]

(Original post by RowingGoose)
How much money would I need to set aside for a gap year?

And also how do you/is it easy to make friends out there?

Hey there, thanks for the question!

Your budget for a gap year completely depends on what you want to do, where you want to go and your style of travelling. Do you want to travel, work, or volunteer (or all three!)? How long do you want to go for? Do you mind sleeping in dorm rooms in hostels and cooking your own food? You'll spend a lot more money travelling round Australia for 3 months, for example, than you would travelling in Southeast Asia.

It's so, so easy to make friends on the road - you'll meet like-minded travellers everywhere. A great way to get started and ease yourself in is with a group adventure tour. These are small group tours led by local tour guides who really know their stuff, and there are loads specifically for young people. You can look at them here: http://www.statravel.co.uk/tours.htm

Cheers,
Emma

[STA Travel]

(Original post by Zubby77)
I was looking at multi-city flights on the STA website, and I was wondering if there's a way to check flexible dates for the flights in the same way that you can for normal flights on the site?

Hey Zubby, I'm afraid we don't have that functionality on our website for multi-city flights right now. If you give our travel experts a call, though, they'll be able to let you know prices and times for a few different dates. You can call them for free on 0800 988 4248.

Cheers,
Emma

[STA Travel]

(Original post by Mocking_bird)
I'm in year 12 and looking to go to Australia during my gap year, how soon should I start organising this?

We can book flights up to 11 months in advance, so I'd wait until next year to actually book anything. Doesn't stop you doing some planning, though! If you want to be super organised, you can book an appointment to speak with our travel experts in store now, and bag yourself £20 off your booking: http://www.statravel.co.uk/branch-appointments.htm

Cheers,
Emma

[STA Travel]

(Original post by Ophelia1)
if I book a trip, will I be able to cancel it or change it within a week, of when I booked it?

It depends on your ticket - some flight tickets are non-flexible, others are. It's likely there will be a charge to change/cancel aspects of your trip though. The best person to ask is your STA Travel consultant, they'll know all the ins and outs of your ticket.

If you get our Multiflex Pass, you can change aspects of your travel itinerary while you're actually on your trip - you can find out more about that here: http://www.statravel.co.uk/multiflex-pass.htm.

Cheers,
Emma

[JammyChoos]

How safe is it to travel? And which country would be the safest ?

[STA Travel]

(Original post by ethan12444)
Hi,

I'm an Australian student looking to take another gap year when I graduate from University in a year. What kind of program would you recommend that combines overseas travel, as well as experience for a business (management/international business) major? Thanks

Hi, thanks for the question! We actually specialise in gap years for UK residents - there are a few different programmes that could suit your needs, but to be honest, I'm not sure if they're open to residents outside the UK. It's worth contacting our team in Australia - you can visit their website here: http://www.statravel.com.au/

Cheers,
Emma

[STA Travel]

(Original post by JammyChoos)
How safe is it to travel? And which country would be the safest ?

Travelling is safe as long as you're sensible and don't put yourself in any dangerous situations - so the same as with most aspects of life!

If you're worried about travelling alone, have you considered joining a group adventure tour? You'd be with small groups of like-minded people, led by knowledgeable local tour guides. We run adventure tours all around the world - you can see them all here: http://www.statravel.co.uk/tours.htm

All countries have their safe and not so safe areas. Western countries like the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are the closest to the UK in terms of culture and standards of living, so you may feel safer in these places.

Hope that helps, let me know if want to know anything else.

Cheers,
Emma

[StuartWbMitchell]

Hi there,
I've been looking at going abroad during the summer of next year once I leave school. My idea is to volunteer for around 2 months, then travel for a short while and experiance a little of the world by myself for a few weeks after. I've been looking at various projects, however i'm not really sure what i'd like to do. I know i'd like to be quite hands on and independant, not involved in a set "programme" for a few weeks, but don't want to leave the big city in Scotland to travel to another big city abroad, for example Rural Locations in Africa appeal quite alot to me. I have no idea where to start, which companies to look at, how much it will all cost ect.
If you could perhaps point me in the right direction.
Thanks
Stuart

[STA Travel]

(Original post by StuartWbMitchell)
Hi there,
I've been looking at going abroad during the summer of next year once I leave school. My idea is to volunteer for around 2 months, then travel for a short while and experiance a little of the world by myself for a few weeks after. I've been looking at various projects, however i'm not really sure what i'd like to do. I know i'd like to be quite hands on and independant, not involved in a set "programme" for a few weeks, but don't want to leave the big city in Scotland to travel to another big city abroad, for example Rural Locations in Africa appeal quite alot to me. I have no idea where to start, which companies to look at, how much it will all cost ect.
If you could perhaps point me in the right direction.
Thanks
Stuart

Hi Stuart

Volunteering is a really great addition to any long trip, it brings an entirely different element of satisfaction and accomplishment to your travel experience, not to mention it looks great on your CV once you get back! There are plenty of different types of projects to choose from in a massive range of off the beaten track type destinations – so no big cities if you prefer. How about teaching English in a small beach town in Mozambique? Or helping with Panda conservation deep in the hills of Chengdu, China? A good place to start would be to take a look at the huge number of opportunities on offer and try and pin point what you’d like to do then have a chat with someone. http://www.statravel.co.uk/planeterra.htm

Our consultants are totally clued up on all things volunteering and would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Thanks for your question!
Lisa