I live in the UK, I'm 18, taking a gap year from this July to the following September. I'm definitely wanting to travel as much as possible and I've been looking at volunteer building/teaching in South America, but you have to pay about £500 a month for the priveledge, plus visas and flights... I'm looking at having to work a 160 hour month at ASDA for every month I want to get away.

Does anyone know how you can get this sort of thing cheaper, or a slightly cheaper alternative, perhaps where you could earn money whilst over there... I'm willing to compromise on where I go/what I do a little if it means less supermarket hours and more travelling!

Thanks

I'm 17, I am thinking of taking a Gap Year to do hiking, either the pilgrim trails through Europe ( such as The Way Of St. James ) or the John O' Groats to Land's End walk here in Britain.

The problem with those volunteer programs is you normally have to pay a fair amount or do charity work and stuff before hand.

And I'd rather just go hiking with my brother and friends - it's more individual that way, you know?

It's a bit retarded having to pay to volunteer isn't it? But it's not like these people have money to throw around.

I've thought about backpacking around Europe, but I don't know how people do that with all the language problems, having to find accomodation, washing etc... Gives me a headache.

I'd need some pointers on that. You know any links?

My friend went to Thailand for 3 months last year with 2 friends. Apparently, it did't cost too much, and the language barrier didn't pose too much of a problem. You can survive pretty well on a phrase book, and the longer you stay in a place, the more of the language you pick up.