Journalism internship in India
Will Petley is 18 and from Farnborough, Hampshire
Will has just finished his A-levels and plans to study creative writing and journalism at university but is deferring entry until 2012 so that he can take a gap year.
The trip: a three-month journalism internship in Bangalore, India, departing in September.
The budget: Approximately £3,000, including internship package and homestay accommodation with GapGuru (gapguru.com), £500 return flights and spending money.
The big idea: "Journalism is such a competitive industry to get into and it's so difficult to get work experience in this country if you're under 18 that it just seemed like a really good opportunity to get a bit of experience while also seeing somewhere different. I'm doing a three-month internship on the Indian Express which is quite a big English-language newspaper. There are so many websites offering similar things but GapGuru came to my college to do a talk, and meeting them face to face made it all seem a bit more real.
"I think my parents were a bit apprehensive but at our pre-departure briefing I met some other people who will be travelling to Bangalore, and I'll be staying with a local family so I will still be in a home environment. And there is a co-ordinator out there in case of any problems. I've signed up for an add-on 'Tigers and Taj' trip, which includes a visit to Ranthambore national park and the Taj Mahal, but I also hope to travel lots at the weekends and to see a bit of the country."
Couchsurfing in the Middle East
James Chalmers is 27 and is from Kent
James graduated five years ago and is taking a sabbatical from his job as a senior case worker for an MP.
The trip: four months travelling through the Middle East staying with local families, departing in September.
The budget: £4,000 including flights, visas and spending money.
The big idea: "My work involves dealing with immigrants from all over the world, a significant proportion from the Middle East. After meeting many individuals from the area, I have gradually become fascinated by its politics, religion and people.
"My friends and family describe my trip in various ways, 'brave' being the euphemism that most tend to opt for. I intend to start in Turkey, then travel on to Iraqi Kurdistan, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Egypt.
"It is an extremely interesting time to be visiting the area in light of the Arab spring, if not just ever so slightly risky. I'm travelling independently. All I have booked is my flight to Turkey and I will be staying with local individuals and families whom I have found through Couchsurfing (couchsurfing.com). My itinerary is very fluid which, given the situation out there, is probably for the best.
"The trip is partly about self-discovery. I'm calling it my 'Jesus going into the desert' moment. But there's also an aspirational element in that I hope to get an insight into the region and make contacts that will be useful in my career."
Sport volunteering in South America
Greg Clark is 22 and from Sheringham, Norfolk
Greg graduated this summer from Bath University, where he studied economics, and has been offered a job that starts in January 2012.
The trip: Travelling around Central and South America for three months starting in September.
The budget: Flights £720, accommodation and spending money £2,000-£2,500.
The big idea: "I'm starting in Costa Rica and plan to work my way down towards South America by bus and boat. I am hoping to do some volunteer work (preferably sport-based), and have been searching online, but it is difficult to find anything, and travellers often have to pay to take part in volunteer projects these days. I am also learning Spanish and I aim to have a conversational level of fluency by the time I set off.
"I was fortunate to visit South America for six weeks in 2007, but the sheer size of the continent meant we were only able to experience a few countries and I was inspired to return.
"I am travelling this time with two friends from home. We hope to visit some of the coastal areas in Peru and Chile to learn how to surf. I was not expecting to be able to travel again, but I managed to secure a job starting in January 2012 which included a sign-on bonus. This has allowed me me to budget for this trip. It could be the last chance I get to travel so I'm desperate to make the most of it."
Baristas in Australia and New Zealand
Jessica and Charlotte Richardson are 19-year-old twin sisters from Camberley, Surrey
Since leaving college a year ago they have been working full-time, Jessica at a vehicle leasing company and Charlotte as a chef.
The trip: a one-way ticket to Sydney, departing in October, to work and travel in Australia and New Zealand for at least a year.
The budget: £1,800 each to sign up to Bunac's Work Australia programme (bunac.org.uk/workaustralia), which includes arranging flights, work visas, a stopover in Hong Kong and one week's accommodation. They must each have £3,000 in a bank account to travel to Australia on a one-way ticket.
The big idea (Jessica): "I went straight into work from college and I'm still living at home so I feel like this is my version of going to uni, a chance to leave home, grow up and see what's out there. I want to take some time out and work out what I really want to do.
"I've wanted to travel in Australia ever since I went there on holiday a few years ago. I really liked the people and the lifestyle and could see myself spending some time there. We looked at lots of gap year companies but Bunac stood out because it seemed to offer quite a lot of support. It has sorted our visas, flights and stopovers and put us in touch with others who will be travelling at the same time.
"It has also arranged for us to have barista training so we can work our way around the country, and tells you how to do things like set up a bank account and write a CV. We plan to stay in Sydney for at least three months, and then get on a coach and travel up the east coast and see what happens. I definitely want to go scuba diving in Queensland, have a go at bungee jumping and spend a few weeks in New Zealand. I hope it will give me some perspective and some time to figure out what I want to do with my life."
Interviews by Joanne O'Connor
