Gap Years for Grown Ups: The Most Comprehensive, Practical Guide

A guide for grown ups wanting to take the trip of a lifetime, containing information on specialist schemes and opportunities for professionals and mature travellers. Covers everything from what to pack to paying the mortgage when away, as well as advice from adult gappers who have been there and done it.

The definitive guide to taking a gap year or extended break. --The Sunday Times

Encyclopaedic --The Guardian

A good source of information. --Talk Money

Whether you're 25 or 85 there's a world of opportunities out there:
Crew a yacht across the Atlantic
Protect loggerhead turtles in Greece
Work with deprived children in India
Travel overland across Africa
Take a gourmet cookery course in the Loire Valley
Build walkways in the Costa Rican rainforest
Learn to be a dive master in the Red Sea
Teach English in Japan or China
Work with bushrangers in Botswana

Find out what these and many other grown up gap years are like inside...

The benefits for students of a Gap Year have long been accepted, but increasing numbers of older people are now following their example by putting their normal lives on hold and going off to see something of the world; for their benefit Vacation Work have created Gap Years for Grown Ups as a companion book to the highly respected Taking a Gap Year.
There are many reasons why someone may choose to leave their job and take a gap year. Younger people may want a breathing space, a chance to step back, evaluate their career, and perhaps to head off in a new direction, while older people whose children have left home may realize that they now have the freedom to travel or to go off and achieve some personal goal or ambition.
Gap Years for Grown Ups contains all the essential information on the range of opportunities, including specialist gap year programs that accept older participants; jobs and voluntary work around the world; joining expeditions; gaining some new skill or qualification; or simply traveling. The book is vividly illustrated with first-hand advice and tips from people who have taken a gap year and now share their experiences of taking time out.
The book also explains the mechanics of an adult gap year including how to persuade the boss to grant leave and ensure that there is a job to return to; how to finance a break from work, whether to go off alone or to take a partner; and finally how to tackle the return to work.
Inside you will find information on: taking the plunge; nuts and bolts - preparing to take off; doing something worthwhile; directory of specialist programs; working and living abroad; travel and adventure; taking the family; new skills and new projects; spiritual development; back to normal or a change for life. Plus over 100 first-hand accounts from grown-ups who have taken Gap Years.

Most helpful customer reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Great book, too many volunteer advertisements
By Loving40
I was searching for a book that I could relate to since I'm not in my twenties anymore, or even thirties for that matter. This has a lot of good information and I'm finding it very useful for planning my travels.

My only criticism is with regard to all of the volunteer opportunities they've pasted on many pages throughout the book for which people must pay in order to participate. I can only assume that the writers/publishers of this book are receiving gratuities for doing this. However, in my research I've found that these companies are not all that they seem in these advertisements or their websites and I encourage anyone considering that route to do his/her research before committing and paying thousands of dollars to volunteer somewhere else in the world.

All in all, this book was a good investment for references but you can obtain the same information and more with enough dedication and time spent searching the internet.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
The "bible" of travel sabbaticals
By The Global Wanderer
Griffith's well-rounded mix of travel ideas, inspiration, advice, travel resources, and case studies should be beneficial to anybody who considers taking a sabbatical. The books has even more value to you if your travel experience is limited. Griffith calls her book "the most comprehensive, practical guide to taking a career break", and at least with regard to travel and the kind of travel (adventure, charity/volunteering, etc.), she is right. The book contains some advertisements by third parties, but they actually enhance the book. The book seems to be updated frequently. The slightly European perspective is refreshing because many travel resources listed are not the ones you might find in American books. Since travel is a big and very professionally organized industry in Europe, her resource lists should be very valuable to you.

See all 2 customer reviews...