Gap Years for Family - Cool Links

Trailfinders, who were very patient with my umming and ahhing and who got us, without hassle, right around the world and back for less than £3000. Good work guys.

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The Traders hotel, Singapore, booked through Trailfinders.
A fabulous deal with 4 star accommodation and five star breakfast. The booking through trailfinders saved us about £20 a night and it was a great hotel with friendly staff who took one look at my exhausted children and let us check in at 9am. (Funny how such a small gesture can have such a profound effect. Over the five months it has been our favourite hotel.) Alternative link.

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A very big thanks go to Linda and Sam who were so patient and who made it seem so easy, Sea Gypsy, Pulau Sibu, Malaysia.

The kids absolutely adored the beach and I found the bar area heavenly, all open and wooden with endless glasses of ice cold drinks and board games. Lindas' children, Jade and Richard, were just wonderful and with all the kids disappearing for hours at a time and coming back covered in sand and beaming from ear to ear, it was a perfect start to our adventure.
We spent New Year there, what a wonderful start to the year.

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The excellent Methven YHA Snow Denn Lodge, so clean and friendly in such beautiful surroundings. They offer - Budget Lodging in New Zealand and are located Methven Mt Hutt Village South Island New Zealand. The Region offers; Fishing, Hunting, Jet Boating and Winter Sports include Skiing/Snow boarding.

A comment that really struck home when I browsed this site was 'As one mother says, "Lunch is your destination." '. I realised that this was someone who really knew what it was like to travel with kids! Our days revolved around meals and snacks and drinks... and when we weren't eating they were hungry (My darling little non veggie eating vegetarian... if I never see cheese again it will be too soon!)

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To Henrike McRae from All Season Campervans in Australia, grateful thanks for a cheap and trusty little van that took us safely over hundreds of miles of Australian countryside. Great service.

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The Happy Wanderers, right on the beach, literally. Sit on your verandah each morning and watch the wild dolphins surf the waves. Beautiful spot but sadly no swimming as waves are huge with a big undertow and no shark nets.

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To Lotto28 the lottery syndicate who kept my hopes alive on the trip that I would have a nice big fat jackpot win on my travels. (I'm still waiting David! We must be due a big win soon...)

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The YHA hostel in Keri Keri the Bay of Islands. Categorically the girls and my favourite North Island, New Zealand hostel with free range chickens and a cross eyed cat. Badminton in the Garden, a wonderful stay.

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To Martin Lewis who has so many great money saving idea. His article on 'Roaming' was very helpful.

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BYOkids Very comprehensive travel site for Australia and around the world that is very family orientated, well worth a visit.

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To Anna Russell from New Zealand YHA for the great deal with car hire and for getting us through 6 weeks of hostelling. Some were superb (KeriKeri) some were okay and some were absolutely atrocious! But we always had safety and a bed.

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Vara's beach house in the Cook Islands was wonderful. Clean, tidy, on the beautiful beach... ...

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To homeexchange.com and Vicki and Dave for your the use of your wonderful home in California. Fabulous to have our home from home and our own space for the first time in months.

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Adventure Travel Tips - The Global Directory of Adventure Travel Websites. If you can't find ideas here...

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Baby goes 2 - Great site, more for the short term traveller but if you are getting a bit nervous and decide that 2 weeks will be easier then two months, it certainly worth visiting their pages.

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