Shopping

Holiday Planning

Airlines
Aer Lingus
(0870 976 5000/ www.aerlingus.com).

BMI
(0870 607 0555/ www.flybmi.com).

BMI Baby
(0870 264 2229/ www.bmibaby.com).

British Airways
(0870 850 9850/ www.ba.com).

Cheap Flights
(www.cheapflights.co.uk).
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Easyjet
(0905 821 0905/ www.easyjet.com).

Ryanair
(0871 246 000/ www.ryanair.com).

Virgin Atlantic
(0870 380 2007/ www.virginatlantic.com).

Grown-up gap years
Gap Advice
An indispensable independent website that offers heaps of sensible, impartial tips for prospective gappers, whether they plan to go on their own or pay to go with a group. Features a useful downloadable budget calculator.
(www.gapadvice.org).

Gap Guru
Specialises in volunteer trips to India. It aims to ‘create placement opportunities where they will do most good’, matching individuals with projects.
(www.gapguru.com).

Gap Work
A sensible advice site with plenty of links to resources explaining how to apply for jobs or get visas. The emphasis is on turning your trip to your CV’s best advantage.
(www.gapwork.com/careerbreak).

Gap Year
A comprehensive site that says it’s a ‘one-stop shop’ and the ‘UK’s largest gap-year community’. Buy round-the-world tickets, rucksacks, travel guides, as well as tracking down potential travel mates .
(www.gapyear.com).

Gap Year for Grown-ups
Linked to Real Gap Year, this site for older travellers (that is, non-students) tells you where you can go and what you can do. The company’s team of 20 experienced travellers are on hand to get booking for you.
(www.gapyearforgrownups.com).

Insurance
Columbus Direct
Often comes up with the most competitive quotes.
(0870 033 9988/ www.columbusdirect.com).

Endsleigh
Cheap suppliers of insurance for students.
(0800 028 3571/ www.endsleigh.co.uk).

Worldwide Travel Insurance
(0870 112 1100/ www.worldwideinsure.com).

Information sites
Association of National Tourist Offices
(www.antor.com).

Foreign & Commonwealth Office Travel
(www.fco.gov.uk/travel).

XE.com
International currency converter.

Weather sites
(www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ www.weather2travel.com/ www.wunderground.com).

Passports & visas
Passport Office Applications
Renews and issues passports for British Nationals.
(0870 521 0410/www.ukpa.gov.uk).

Post Office
Provides EHIC (the new E111 for European Healthcare). Also come here for Passport application forms and commission free currency, and foreign driving permits.
(08457 22 33 44/www.postoffice.co.uk).

Travcour
Arranges visas for worldwide travel.
(020 7223 5295/www.travcour.com).

Travel companies
Ebookers
(0870 821 4000/www.ebookers.com).

LastMinute
(www.lastminute.com).

Opodo
(www.opodo.co.uk).

STA Travel
Cheap travel for under-26s.
(0870 160 0599/www.statravel.co.uk).

Trailfinders
Trailfinders is an independent travel company with 35 years of experience that will help you tailor-make your ideal trip and then book it all for you.
(www.trailfinders.co.uk).

Wellbeing Escapes
Online company specialising in pampering holidays from yoga retreats to spa breaks across the globe
(www.wellbeingescapes.co.uk).

Travel tips
Barcelona Week
Written by expats living in Barcelona, this is an informative, weekly updated cultural guide to the city.
(www.bcnweek.com).

Chowhound
Guide to eating in the five boroughs of New York.
(www.chowhound.com).

Hostel World
Excellent resource for finding budget accommodation.
(www.hostelworld.com).

Just Off the Fast Track
Lists places to stay near UK motorways and main routes if you need to bed down mid-journey.
(www.justoffthefasttrack.co.uk).

National Geographic
For serious travellers, this has some exciting blogs about amazing trips.
(www.nationalgeographic.com).

Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride specialises in surfing gap experiences. Like Patrick Swayze in ‘Point Break’, you get to follow the waves – and gain a teaching qualification.
(www.ttride.co.uk).

Villarama
Rent villas directly from owners worldwide for cheap rates.
(www.villarama.com).

Vehicle hire
Car Rentals
Online booking discounts and price comparison service
(0845 225 0845/ www.carrentals.co.uk).

Easy Car
No-frills hire service.
(0906 333 3333/ www.easycar.com).

R&A Van Hire
Self-drive vehicles, starting at £35.25 for 24 hours.
111 Shakespeare Rd, SE24 (020 7737 4737) Herne Hill rail.