The post Feedback Vietnam Experience appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>Lucy Hencher, UK
Hi! Having an amazing time here not been to Halong Bay yet we are going there in a week or so. Back to Hanoi this afternoon from Ninh Binh – love Hanoi although yes you’re right it is very crazy!! Seen some beautiful sites and done some amazing things Lucy
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]]>The post Solo Female Travel appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>Taking a gap year is likely to be the best time of your life, but if you are travelling alone the prospect of solo female travel can be quite intimidating. Many people will tell you that travelling opens you up to meeting new people, and that is true, but some Xtreme Gap Year programmes are better suited to people that would like a pre-organised group of people of a similar age. Everyone is in the same boat, and you might be surprised to find out most of our gappers are solo female travellers (about 65%).
You may be considering taking a gap year alone, for what ever reason. Your mates have let you down, differences in where you want to go, or perhaps you just prefer it that way. If you are a solo Female Traveller, you are a little bit more exposed to risk than male travellers. This is mainly through unwanted male attention, but there are some things that can help prepare you for your trip.
The main issue for solo female travellers compared to their solo male counterparts is the threat of sexual harassment from local men and even male travellers. Ironically more often than not the more conservative a country the more harassment a solo female traveller can expect.
Xtreme Gaps Top Tips for Solo Female Travellers.
1: Dress with common sense and be sure you dress appropriately
It is a sad fact that many man in non western countries view Western women as slutty. This impression is largely due to how tourists dress, and the occasional inappropriate behaviour from previous travellers. How you dress has a big impact.The simple fact is that if you dress appropriately and cover up you will invite far less attention than you would otherwise.If you are heading to a conservative Muslim nation, like Indonesia for example then cover your shoulders and leg.
2: Consider travelling in a group
If you are heading somewhere alone where there is an increased chance of harassment like Asia or South America hang out with other travellers! This again will greatly reduce any hassle you might get. Programmes like the North Vietnam Experience, Thailand Experience and Venezuela Experience are predominantly booked by solo female travellers because they provide the security of going in a group and have airport pick ups and local co-ordinators to help you out.
3: Wear a “wedding ring” on your wedding finger!
This actually helps you avoid unwanted male attention!
4: Stay in control!
If you are drunk and a bit wild you will attract male attention! Drinking and travelling go hand in hand, so we are not suggesting you avoid the booze, just be careful about where and when and with whom you choose to party. Drink Spiking happens, rarely, but still happens. This is the case in any country in the world. So never leave your drinks un attended.
5: The kindness of strangers…
If some one approaches you randomly and is overly nice and helpful, as them and yourself why? Some people are natuarally friendly, but others have ulterior motives.
The following programmes Vietnam Experience, Thailand Experience and Venezuela Class Room tend to be more popular with girls (65% female to male ratio on average) and are excellent for proving full support from the moment you land.
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]]>The post Free Travel Guides! appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>Want exclusive access to tonnes of free travel guides written and edited by Xtreme Gappers on plenty of different destinations? Then like our fan page and you are good to go. We take a lot of pride in discovering, reviewing and writing about some of the most exciting travel activities out there, in our travel guide section you can find all the details.
We are constantly publishing new guides so you can subscribe to the library to get notifications of when new ones are released, might give you something to look forward to when you are back off your travels!
If you would like us to write a guide on one of our destinations or activity then let us know through the face book comments system below.
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We have guides on traveling to Oz, Guides on Kilimanjaro, Guides on staying safe and how to best prepare for your travels. This is not the kind of watered down crap you find in the lonely planet.
We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed writing them. Oh you will need flash to view the guides too. Sorry Ipad people.
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]]>The post New Xtreme Gap Brochure for 2013 appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>Pretty exciting news! The new Xtreme Gap Year brochure is ready! If you have not already requested it click the image below.
The last year has been pretty busy for the Xtreme Gap team researching even more incredible places to go and finding even more special activities for you to do.
Really exciting experiences that you just can´t do at home. Travel that is not only benefits you personally but gives you something seriously cool to write home about.
The brochure is interactive, giving you links to videos, galleries and reviews so you can get inspired about ways to escape the doom and gloom of the News and dreary weather at home. There is another way people (and it starts by clicking the brochure link below).
Have a happy and adrenaline fuelled adventure!
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]]>The post Planning a round the world trip – getting started appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>So you are planning on setting off on a round the world adventure? Good for you!
I love travel and all the exciting things that go with it, and have assisted many people in planning the ultimate round the world trip-
By way of introduction, my name is Oliver Bray and I am one of the founders of Xtreme Gap Year, I take a very hands on approach with our customers and their travel plans (if needed!)
I have been on a lot trips in the past (68 countries and counting so far!) and pretty much been to every continent (well not the 2 poles) with work and for pleasure, so I do have some experience in round the world trips, and all that goes along with it.
Many people really don´t know where to start when it comes to planning a huge trip, understandably so, as there is so much to see and do, so I have created a series of newsletters that can help give you some guidance when it come to planning your round the world trip.
If you are planning on that once in a life time exodus, then check out our round the world section. Customisable itineraries taylor made for you, vetted and researched by us. Sign up on this form and we will send you information on planning your trip Including:
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Firstly some things to think about! Planning a trip is a pretty exciting experience, all the place you can go and all the cool things you can see. The people you will meet on the way from all over the world, and the totally amazing adventures out there that await you, but like many you may be wondering where to start.
Most people have an idea of roughly where they want to go before they set off, knowing certainly helps because it enables you to research flights a lot easier, and once you have a route in mind you can get to the really fun stuff. However if you don´t know, start with an Atlas or Google Earth (there is a google earth plugin on the home page of our site – check out the big map). Think about places you have seen on the TV that are of interest and ask your mates where they would recommend!
Your personal budget will make a difference as to where you can go, Africa and Asia is a lot cheaper than Australia and New Zealand, but they all are a very different travel experience. So think about what you want to get out of the trip!
If you want more of a cultural experience head to Africa, Asia or South America, if however you want more of a party and action sports scene, check out Australia and New Zealand and the USA. Just remember the golden rule! Don´t be too greedy! You might have limited time away and spreading yourself too thin can lead to too much travel – sometimes it is best to enjoy somewhere for a while!
Sometimes you can combine both quite easily, like Asia and Australia and New Zealand, other time you will find it is a lot more expensive to add on certain continents to a round the world itinerary. In my experience South America always adds on a significant amount to flight prices so consider where you would really like to go carefully and weigh up the pro´s and Cons. Don´t get me wrong South America is a truly amazing place, but probably worth exploring on its own trip, rather than bolting it onto a round the world trip for instance, especially if you have limited time or funds.
Here is a check list, write it down on a piece of paper, buy a little notebook to scribble down your ideas and do your budgeting, or if you are really nerdy sign up to google documents and start planning your trip saving your stuff online (handy to access anywhere on your travels).
Firstly When can you go? So you may just want to drop it all and head off tomorrow, great if you can, but if you are unsure it helps to set a date! Plan you departure on the flight prices and weather (seasons) at your intended destinations. The most popular time to set of on a round the world trip from the UK is After January 21st. Why? The weather is miserable in the UK and the flight prices have decreased after the Christmas holidays.
Remember if you are heading to the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed, and if you are heading somewhere Equatorial, to watch out for Monsoon seasons.
Secondly how much realistically can you save? Money is the life blood of travel, the more you have the more you can do, so work out what you can save, and cut costs like there is no tomorrow. £10 goes a long way in Asia! Once you work out how much you can save this gives you an idea of your total budget and what will be realistic. Remember you will always spend more that you think, so double your estimate. May seem like a lot, but it is pretty realistic.
So there you go, and action plan to get you started, with plenty to think about. If you want lots of further tips and hints sign up to this newsletter it contains lots of advice on finding good flights and travel insurance then its on to the fun stuff, some kick ass ideas for your trip…on that note be sure to join our facebook group for access to photo galleries, videos and ideas for travel options!
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]]>The post Lets go to Uncle Ho. appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>Uncle Ho to the Vietnamese, Ho Chi Mihn to you and me. Uncle Ho, last the leader of the communist North Vietnamese, and he successfully managed to beat the French, and USA out of Vietnam. He is somewhat loved by the Vietnamese, and loathed by Americans of a certain age, understandably so.
During the conflict with the USA, Uncle Ho lived in Hanoi, in an an assuming little house in a little park. These days, you can pay his residence a visit (and you will on the North Vietmanese experience.)
Ho, did not live a very extravagant lifestyle as you can see from his room, and collection of French cars in his garage, he lived as any good communist leader should, with the basics. (Take note Kim Jong Ill).
Still it didn´t stop him from taking on and beating the biggest superpower in the world. Amazing what you can achieve in a Peugeot.
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]]>The post Play with Guns Kids. In Vietnam. appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>A Vietnam Gap Year is an eye opener in many ways, but for me, one of the most “makes you stop and think” moments comes after a visit to the Chi Chi Tunnels. The Tunnels were started long before the USA invaded Vietnam, because they were first used by the Vietnamese in the battle with the French. During the war with the USA, they were greatly expanded to accommodate tens of thousands of troops, who lived underground away from the reach of Napalm bombs and B52s.
To say the tunnels are cramped is an understatement even though they have been widened to accommodate a european ass, there is no chance your average citizen of the USA today will be able to fit in one.
Visit them you must, (they are located not far from Ho Chi Ming City) because it is a really educational experience. As well as learning about the tacics used by the Vietcong, (my personal favorite was we were told by our guide that the vietnamese made reversible flip flops so the US soldiers could not tell which way their tracks were heading), you can check out some of the remaining battlefield hardware left lying around in the jungle. Sherman Tanks, Crashed Aircraft and Bomb craters litter the Scene.
You learn and see first hand some of the grizzly traps left for the GI´s and at the end, if you are up for it, you can get you hands on an M16 or Ak47 and blast the shit out of targets at a firing range. (They are pictures of Polar bears by the way – don´t ask what the Vietcong have against polar bears, but they don´t like them).
Want to go FULL AUTO, then get your trigger happy fingers on an M60 MAchine gun. Not for the faint of heart though, and definaely do not do it at home.
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]]>The post Hanoi Street Scene. Pure Crazy. appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam is officially nuts. Official in our book anyway, having spent some time hanging out there we know it is bonkers.
In Hanoi, the motorbike is king, it is everywhere, there are NO Rules when it comes to driving, walking, and crossing the road. It is a Man eat dog, sorry I mean dog eat dog world out there (literally, though the Vietnamese do eat them) and you had better be ready for one massive culture shock. Not that this is a bad thing (well apart from the dog eating that is) Vietnam, and Hanoi in particular gives back that little bit of travel sparkle in an increasingly globalised world. It is inescapably different, so different that you know you are travelling, you feel it in your bones that you are somewhere new and exciting.
Just a quick stroll through the streets reveals lots of little fun travel moments, be it seeing a bicycle loaded up with an incomprehensible amounts of crap, char grilled chickens feet served in an old coke can or just the stench of salted quid jerky.
If you dare cross the road you have bikes and people at your from all sides, who might even attempt to sell you something as they drive by.
It is a wonderful experience, even if visiting Hanoi is a mental one.
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]]>The post Halong Bay Vietnam appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>On the Vietnam Experience you will visit Halong Bay. Halong Bay is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994 and for good reason.
Halong Bay is a body of water of approximately 1,500 square kilometres in North Vietnam with a 120 kilometer coastline, in the Gulf of Tonkin near the border with China, and 170 kilometers east of Hanoi. Ha Long Bay – means “Bay of the Descending Dragon” in the Vietnamese language. The bay consists of a dense cluster of 3000 limestone monolithic islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, which rise spectacularly from the ocean.
While exploring the bay, you feel lost in a legendary world of stone islands. There is Man’s Head Island, which resembles a man standing and looking towards the mainland. Dragon Island looks like a dragon hovering above the turquoise water. La Vong Island resembles an old man fishing. There are also the islands of the Sail, and many more. They have named 989 Islands.
Today was one of the best days so far on my trip for pure holiday indulgence. We got a bus from Hanoi the 4 hours to Halong Bay warf. The journey was not bad, the first part Tho (the guide) told us lots of interesting history and then we stopped off at a craft shop where a nice lady gave me a chop stick holder with a dragon fly on! The rest of the way most of us dozed and we arrived to the throng of tourists very quickly.
Our boat was lovely. It had 3 levels, below deck were the sleeping cabins, which were really clean and had a fully functioning bathroom! The main deck had a great dining area and bar and then the top was the sun deck – bliss! Arrival drink finished we set off and left the rest of the boats and the newly developed Halong city in the distance.
Now, think a bit like in James Bond’s Goldfinger, and you’ll get the idea of the many “monolithic limestone islands” we were sailing by. Lunch was served pretty much as soon as we set off. It was delicious! After that we went up on the sun deck and chilled out, seeing some local fishing boats and homes floating on the water.
We stopped off to visit a huge cave called Hang Sung Sot, which had loads of stalactites and stalagmites inside, some of which Tho tried to tell us where shaped like various animals. Another one was rather weird shaped and lit up in pink – apparently it was a cannon!!
Back on the boat we did a bit of a circle because some of the group where doing kayaking and one was broken but that was fine. I was happy reading my book on the sun deck.
Another really great day on the Vietnam Experience!…..
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]]>The post Do what the Americans never did- Experience North Vietnam. appeared first on Xtreme Gap Year Blog.
]]>The Xtreme Gap North Vietnam Experience is all you could need on an adventure trip in an awesome country. If you want to experience a country completely unlike any other, Vietnam is not a bad destination to have on your itinerary.
Vietnam is a country best travelled in a group, and the North Vietnam Experience does exactly that. As for adrenaline Travel, just get in a car, on a bike or in a rickshaw anywhere in the country to find out exactly how much fear you can take.
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