Gap Year Escape welcomes guest posts from other writers. How does this benefit you?

Guest posting allows you to showcase your talent to a related audience that isn’t your own and expand your readership. We have a large global readership among budget travellers and backpackers. We’ll include a by-line that includes a link back to your own content or profile.

What do we ask for?

• The content must be original and not posted elsewhere on the internet.
• We don’t set a word limit as such. Approximately 500 words but this can be more if the subject matter demands it.
• Images for inclusion in the post are desirable.
• Links are acceptable within the post but excessive linking to unrelated content is not.
• Subject matter can be varied. Our aim is to inform, inspire and entertain. If your article does at least one of these then we will consider it.

Some previous Guest Contributions can be found here:

Grenada, The Spice Isles – HopandJaunt.com

The Other Side of Bali – GreenAroundTheGlobe.com

Top 10 Tips for Safer Travel in South Africa – AussieTravelAdvice.com

We reserve the right to edit articles for SEO purposes. Quality is of utmost importance and submission does not guarantee acceptance. So if you are interested in featuring on Gap Year Escape you can send post ideas or on spec posts to Amar.Hussain (at) rocketmail (dot) com or get in touch here.

I must admit that blogging and running an online business started off as a hobby and became a lifestyle. Like any successful business, they grow, which of course means more work. I thought it was about time I got an intern.

I do need to manage your expectations. The work you will be doing isn’t glamorous, may even lean towards tedious at times but it’s fundamental to what I do.

What will you be doing for me?

• Search Engine Optimization
• Social Media
• Article writing
• Networking
• Research for my new book
• Advertising
• Reviewing tours and activities in Australia and New Zealand

What I am looking for?

• The ability to commit to approximately 15 hours a week.
• Available for a 6 week period starting August/September.
• You have plans to travel to Australia and New Zealand end of 2010 or 2011.
• A keen interest in writing, travel and social media.
• The ability to work efficiently and self-motivate.
• Professionalism. You will be representing Gap Year Escape and that means me.
• Good written English.

What do you get in return?

• My knowledge on social media and online marketing.
• Ongoing mentoring through the life of your blog.
• A reference should you apply for an online media or marketing role.
• I have also arranged for you to attend on my behalf (worth over $1200):
• 5 Day Sydney to Byron Bay Surf Tour, Australia
• Great Ocean Road, Australia
• Mornington Peninsula, Australia 
• White Water Rafting, New Zealand
• Franz Josef Glacier Hike, New Zealand 
• Additional tours and activities may be arranged nearer the time.

To summarise, in exchange for doing some less than glamorous work online from the comfort of a computer anywhere in the world you get; knowledge, experience and awesome trips. Sound reasonable to you? So if you’re planning on travelling to Australia and New Zealand in the near future and are interested send an e-mail to amar.hussain [at} rocketmail [dot] com. I’m a businessman so I appreciate a CV but this is online media. Be creative if you want to get my attention and a writing sample would help. Also, don’t try and astound me with eloquent prose. I’m not that kind of writer.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Amar

P.S If you think this may be of interest to someone else please pass it on or Digg, Stumble or Tweet. Thank you.

Treble Cone is 35 minutes from Wanaka and 90 minutes drive from Queenstown. Standing at 2088m it offers a great mixture of slopes and some rather challenging black runs.

As I step off the Kiwi Discovery Ski Link bus it really dawns on me; it’s winter and I’m on a mountain! I love hot weather but I’d trade it in for this kind of scenery. The view alone from the top of Treble Cone is worth a visit in itself.

I’m booked on to a 3 Day First Timer Burton Learn to Ride Package. At $400 for 3 days; which includes 4 x 2 hour lessons, full day lift passes and quality Burton gear, it’s one of the cheaper ways to learn to snowboard in New Zealand. Treble Cone is also a Burton Learn to Ride (LTR) Centre. Coupled with the Burton clothes rentals I got from SnowRental in Queenstown I am ready to roll.

Personally, I think the three day package is spot on. Day 1 has a lesson on the beginners slope in the morning and the afternoon is free time. I did a bit of snowboarding in the afternoon but to be honest I was working muscles I didn’t know I had so I didn’t do much. The package does include a scenic pass up the ski lift and a free drink so I just enjoyed the view. Day 2 is a morning and afternoon lesson and day 3 is just a morning session. I think this set up is perfect for beginners as I found I was shattered on the first day and on the last day I just needed to go on my own way and practice in the afternoon.

Learning to snowboard initially can be quite frustrating. The thing I found most difficult was standing up! Not the best way to start but trust me it gets much easier. I was surprised by how quickly I improved, even on the first day. I think this comes down to the instructors. Treble Cone has an exceptionally high standard when it comes to the instructors and they don’t make it easy to get a job teaching there. You can be rest assured you’re being taught by some of the best.

I really do think that it would be a shame for anyone to come to New Zealand during winter and not try snowboarding. From my experience, if you’re a complete beginner I would strongly recommend at least two days of lessons, three if you can afford it. Two days of lessons had me comfortably doing green runs but by day three I was trying blue.

Why pick Treble Cone over another mountain? It’s an interesting question. Coronet Peak and The Remarkables are popular due to their distance to Queenstown but does that necessarily mean they are better? Not at all. Treble Cone is a great place to learn. If you are already a snowboarder and come to Queenstown on holiday I would urge you to make a trip to Treble Cone. I honestly believe you’ll be converted.

What’s wrong with snowboarding at Treble Cone? I guess the main concern is the distance, perfect from Wanaka but not so close from Queenstown. Still even though the driving times are longer I think it’s worth it.

All in all a great experience. Loved the instructors at Treble Cone. They were such a friendly team and they taught me well. Will I continue with Snowboarding? Hell yeah I will! I really did get the bug for it and I am considering doing a season somewhere else.

I now count myself a snowboarder; 50% more attractive and 75% more cocky…

This post was sponsored by Treble Cone, Kiwi Discovery and SnowRental.

That’s Rachel. We’ve been friends for years. We went to business school together back in the day and was actually one of my first friends at university. Rachel has booked some time off work to come and join me for part of my travels. Don’t let her looks or blonde hair fool you, Rachel is actually a genius and a avid traveller too. She’s visited many different countries including the likes of Australia, Thailand, Tanzania and Jamaica.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. I think the photo (right) was probably the last time I saw her.

Will certainly be a change to my dynamic travelling with a friend from back home as opposed to people I have met on the road. The beauty of travelling solo on a Gap Year is the ability to just be selfish. You don’t like a place or a group of people, you just leave. As fun as it might be fun to abandon Rachel if she annoys me I don’t think she would be too happy with the situation.

Anyway, we actually need your help!

We’re going on a road trip! We are starting and finishing in Los Angeles and have 17 days to do the west coast. Here’s the catch; we don’t have a clue!

We’ve kind of pieced together that we would like to do Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Grand Canyon.

Here’s what we would like you lovely people to do. Are you a local or have you done a similar trip? Can you suggest a route? Recommend budget accommodation or a good car rental company? What should we be seeing? Alcatraz? Universal Studios? Should we drive back from Vegas through the desert? What are the driving times like?

We refuse to pick up a Lonely Planet. We want to do this whole trip using word of mouth and social media. So please leave a comment, a tip or retweet on twitter. We are also doing a week in New York before Rachel leaves me, so any suggestion for NYC too would be greatly appreciated.

Keep your eyes peeled for the USA Road Trip Series! Cheers for your help guys!

Looking to get away for cheap this summer? HostelBookers, the leading budget accommodation specialist have just launched a ‘Summer of Love’ sale.

The summer accommodation deals on offer are across 28 top destinations worldwide including New York City, Sydney, Venice, London, Rio de Janerio and Paris.*

With a vast range of hostels on board offering nights at discounted prices customers can get at least 20% off the normal rate! Here are just some of the great offers:

-Barcelona Hostel ‘Barcelona Dream’ has 20% off

-Sydney hostel ‘Syndey Central Backapackers’ has 20% off

-Paris hostel ‘Home Latin’ has 20% off

-Dubrovnik hostel ‘Ivo Guesthouse’ has 20% off

To take advantage of this offer customers need to place a booking by 31^st July 2010 and travel completed by the 30^th of September**.

Let’s give you a bit of background. Franz Josef is a 12km Glacier located in Westland National Park on the west coast of New Zealand’s south island. Franz Josef terminates 19km from the Tasman Sea and 300m above sea level. It is one of the few glaciers in New Zealand still growing. Franz Josef is a major tourist attraction on the West Coast. A quarter of a million visitors a year can’t be wrong!

Franz Josef Glacier Guides offer five options:

• Glacier Valley Walk
• Half Day Glacier Experience
• Full Day Glacier Adventure
• Ice Climbing
• Heli-Hike

The company really do well to offer various packages to suit different levels of ability and cost. I went along on the Full Day Glacier Adventure.

There was a large group doing the full day and we were split into five groups. One being for those who were the fittest. You should know by know that I always like to do things the hard way. However, due to a pre-existing injury I was advised against going into group one. This actually worked to my advantage. I ended up in group three which meant that the pace was rather comfortable and I had plenty of time to stop and take far too many photos! If you are concerned about your ability or not sure which option would be suitable just pop into their office. They were really helpful in discussing it all with me.

The initial walk is through the valley which is rather easy and the excitement builds as you draw closer to the looming glacier. There is a slightly steep climb right before the Glacier but it really didn’t cause anyone any trouble and you go at an easy pace. Just before the ice, you stick on your crampons (spikes that go on over your boots) and then you are away!

It’s strange to be in such an environment. One minute you are walking on rocks and the next you feel like you are in Antarctica. It’s not as difficult as you might think. Wearing the crampons makes it relatively easy to get around on the ice. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to take some incredible photos which are all the more impressive with the stunning ice backdrops.

Our guide was pretty good at reading the group. We never rushed but we didn’t hang around either. He was also particularly knowledgeable. I wasn’t deliberately being a pain, I just had a lot of questions like an inquisitive five year old. He was able to answer everything I threw at him.

Is this tour for you? If you can walk then yes it is. I loved it and I also love the photos I have from the trip. I would highly recommend the Full Day Hike. Our guide pointed out where the Half Day Hike went to. Although you get to reach the ice you definitely get better value for money doing the Full Day. So unless you are strapped for time, the Full Day hike is a must.

This trip was sponsored by Franz Josef Glacier Guides.

Sorry, I clearly get defensive about Fergburger and my habit. I’ve been here just shy of a month and had one nearly every day. I did cheat on Fergburger the other day to have a pizza instead. I felt more and more guilty with every slice. So what is Fergburger I hear you ask? Gather round children and let me tell you a tale.

Fergburger is one of those fairytale ‘rags to riches’ type affairs from a back alley burger joint to main street success. Global giants such as Burger King were unable to compete with the might that is Fergburger. As an individual with a business background I can’t help but be impressed and totally suckered by Fergburger, their success, brand and how they operate.

Fergburger is open 21 hours a day, has an incredibly efficient kitchen and lovely ‘fluffers’ to keep you entertained while you wait. Each time you order a burger you know it will be just as good as the last. All the ingredients are fresh and locally sourced. The only way it could be fresher is if they kept Bambi in the back. They also cater for different dietary requirements and have a wide variety burger options. My personal favourite is the Codfather (It really does make an offer you can’t refuse), but frequent the Bun Laden from time to time.  I would like to set a challenge. Can anyone eat the ‘Big Al’ and chips? Seriously if you manage this please leave a comment because you deserve a medal or a cookie or something.

Fergburger’s burgers are great but this isn’t just about the food. Fergburger is an experience, a rite of passage. Remember when you were six years old and you went to McDonalds for a Happy Meal? It was the most exciting thing ever right?! Fergburger is like that for adults! Whether you wake up in the morning and crave a breakfast burger or stumble out of World Bar with the munchies, Fergburger is always a good idea.

When you travel to New Zealand one of the things that always gets mentioned is Fergburger. I heard about it months before I got here and it really does live up to the hype.

As for my addiction I am willing to go with it until I leave Queenstown. Then we might have a problem. I’ll be kicking and screaming not to get on the bus. I mean look at the picture, I am far too happy. I think an intervention and a twelve-step programme are in order…

Written by Amar Hussain: Writer. Traveller. Fergburger Addict.

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t like cute little penguins?! I’ve seen Happy Feet and Surf’s Up dozens of times and the idea of watching these little guys storm a beach really appealed to me. There are quite a few operators who run the Phillip Island Penguin Parade Tour, but Bunyip Tour’s Moonlight Express Tour has a rather nice twist. Let me give you a breakdown.

After about an hour’s drive you stop for a welcomed refreshment stop and can take a nice stroll along The Nobbies boardwalk and also enjoy views of Seal Rocks. Now believe it or not Seals are kind of hard to spot. You could be staring at a rock… or is it a Seal? Definitely a rock. Ok that rock just sneezed. What?!?

You have two options with the Penguin Parade; normal seating or pay an additional $11 for the exclusive viewing area. To be honest I would say save your $11. If you get there early enough, grab a spot on the first seating area, at the front on the right hand side. That’s the best piece of advice I can give you, although you will get a decent view wherever you are sitting. Also, the other reason I wouldn’t pay for the exclusive viewing area is that once the cute little penguins have waddled their way on to the beach they head towards their burrows. Head back to the boardwalk and you can see them up close and personal. I was so close I could have picked one up (trust me, I was tempted).

Now here’s what really impressed me with this tour; the lantern-lit night walk at the Moonlit Wildlife Conservation Park. I’ve been to a lot of national parks on my travels but to visit one at night is a different experience altogether. Armed with a lantern and food you take a steady walk round the park. The highlight would have been when we saw a pair of Tasmanian Devils. I’ve never seen them so active before! We also got to see and feed all types of animals such as Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats, Bettongs and Quolls.

Would I recommend this tour? Yes I would. Would I recommend it with Bunyip Tours? Even more so. The Penguin Parade was great but the unique selling point for me would have to be the conservation park at night. It wasn’t rushed at all, everyone got plenty of time with the animals and it’s minor but you didn’t have to pay extra for feed like some other places.

This isn’t for a particular type of tourist. Our tour bus was a mix of travellers and families. One final piece of advice would be to ensure you wrap up warm! It gets pretty cold sitting on the beach waiting for the Penguins with the ocean breeze.

Bunyip Tours operates numerous tours in Victoria. Check out my Neighbours Tour and Wilsons Promontory reviews too.

This tour was sponsored by Bunyip Tours. Images courtesy of Bunyip Tours.

Images copyright of respective owners: Gap Year Escape, Calypso Star Charter, Bunyip Tours and MojoSurf.