I felt compelled to write this post after chatting with someone on Twitter who was really struggling to get back into work after returning from…
![It Could Only Happen To Me - The Never Ending Journey in China](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/dscf2590-470x140.jpg)
You know those never-ending journeys when you were kids? The ones that went on and on and were only punctuated by the eternal question: “Are…
![It Could Only Happen To Me - An unusual gift in China](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/118-470x140.jpg)
It’s Friday and time for another edition of It Could Only Happen To Me – the weekly series where I feature those travel mishaps which…
![I smile because I am different](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/dscf0759-470x140.jpg)
I got thinking about this post after reading something a fellow traveller had written on Facebook about being laughed at by locals. Although this is…
![Volunteering – To pay or not to pay?](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2-240x140.jpg)
Over the years I’ve done a number of voluntary placements in different countries around the world. Some have been organised in advance, such as working…
![Save so you can splurge](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/078-470x140.jpg)
As I mentioned in a previous post one of the big differences I noticed about travelling on my 30b430 trip, compared to the ‘traditional’ gap…
![How should I set a budget for my trip?](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/ems-photos-074-470x140.jpg)
Setting a budget for my trip It’s all very well getting super-organised about your saving but how should you go about setting a budget for…
![It Could Only Happen To Me - Becoming a local celebrity in China](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/china-403x140.jpg)
As a journalist I’m used to being the one asking the questions and staying out of the limelight. So it came as a bit of…
![What If?](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ems-photos-059-470x140.jpg)
There are few times over the last year when I’ve questioned what I’m doing. Travelling has always been the big love in my life so,…
![30 reasons why 2012 was such an amazing year](https://sp-ao.shortpixel.ai/client/to_webp,q_glossy,ret_img,w_470,h_140/https://thegrown-upgapyear.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/30-470x140.jpg)
There are countless reasons why 2012 was such a great year for me. Here’s 30 of them: You can find out more about my 30b430…