Words such as ‘escape’, ‘adventure’, and ‘paradise’, terms which once upon a time symbolised a refuge from grey suburban life, have become defunct. They have become holiday brochure words and marketing lingo, and they can in no way guarantee that when we make the solitary journey to the furthest reaches of Mongolia we will not end up drinking Guinness and watching Sky Sports with the bloke from ten doors up. These days, in order to really escape, it has become necessary to crawl along the desert floor, hack into the jungle, disappear down the backstreets, or castaway into the blue. Here are some of the last great escapes.

Voluntary working holidays

If you would rather nurse an orphaned monkey or a milk-bloated snake than a pint, you may be interested in i-to-i Ireland’s travel ventures. Here you can travel to the furthest edges of the world to track cheetahs, kick box with Buddhist monks, or watch little hatchling turtles emerge from their shells. Alternatively, you can help to educate street children, restore old buildings, or work in the foreign media. These are volunteer placements, so bear in mind that you will spend your holiday working: in zoo, conservation site, institution, school, or otherwise. The cheapest trips, called mini-ventures, last for two weeks and are not particularly cheap but they do cover the placement fee and offer full support and, if necessary, language training. The trips, spread over 19 destinations with five more to come, are aimed toward “people with a conscience about travelling.”

FACTS

i-Ventures:
Voluntary projects
Last: from 4 to 24 weeks
Available in: 19 countries
Open to: everyone aged 17 to 70.
Work: You can choose between teaching English, conservation, media, health, building and care work projects.

mini-Ventures:
Voluntary projects
Last: Two weeks. You can use the weekend to explore.
Organised: your project, accommodation, airport pickup and internal transport.
Price: For most destinations €1095 with €295 deposit.
Countries: Sri Lanka, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Ireland, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa: Johannesburg, Cape Town.
Contact: i-to-i Ireland, Exploration House, 26 Main Street, Dungarvan, Co Waterford. Tel: +353(0) 58 40050. Email [email protected].

Backstreet breaks

This is a new idea the travel business is trying out, aimed at those who prefer the backstreets to the tourist spots. The ideas is that, instead of tramping along all the usual sights with your tour guide, his flag, name badges and brood, you get to wander the backstreets of your chosen city, mingle with the natives, and explore many of the places often missed by the brochures. Instead of a tour guide, the tour operator meets you at the airport and hooks you up with a “buddy” (a local guide who is familiar with the area and its hidden gems) and some other travellers. You will then set off en masse to discover the sights such as markets, squares and local hangouts.

The Imaginative Traveller Backstreet Breaks include return flights ex. Dublin, arrival transfer, the services of a “buddy” for one day, city and local area briefing, and breakfast and two nights’ accommodation. They can be booked through SAYIT travel.

FACTS

Backstreets of Bangkok:
2 nights / 3 days €649 for travel up to the end of December.
Daily departures in Bangkok. Weekly departures in Saigon, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Kathmandu, Cairo and Istanbul.

Bangkok Facts:
Rtn flights ex. Dublin to Bangkok €649 June/September – OPEN TO ALL
Rtn flights ex. Dublin to Bangkok €600 June/September – Students & Under 26
Rtn flights ex. Dublin to Bangkok €655 July/August – OPEN TO ALL
4 star hotel accommodation €20.50 per person in a twin room
2 star hotel accommodation €13.50 per person in a twin room
Budget meal €5

Contact: SAYIT Travel, 73 Grand Parade Cork. Tel: 021 427 9188.

Horse drawn caravans

If the idea of exploring the West of Ireland wedged in between a carload of your closest friends or sitting with your nose pressed up against the window of a tour bus doesn’t appeal, there is another option. The Irish draught horse, having toiled for generations on Western Irish farms, has now branched out into caravan chauffeuring. Apparently he’s a good natured type with a kindly temperament and a suitability for the quiet country roads of the West. On his back will rest your holiday home: a caravan decked out with pine furniture, matching quilts, curtains, cushions, and cooking utensils.

Caravan dwellers need no experience in handling as the horse is experienced enough and full training and supervision are provided. Caravans sleep 4-5 but you need to like each other a lot if you’re traveling for more than a week. You are given a map of the area so that you can go over your route before you head off into the wild bog land and farming country of the region.

FACTS

Price: €740 per caravan for a week
Bring: Clothing for all weathers and towels. A flash lamp and cool bag are also useful.
Contact: Cartron House Farm, Ballinakill, Kylebrack, Loughrea, Co.Galway. Telephone: 00 353 509 45211 Fax: 00 353 509 45987 e-mail:[email protected]

Canal barges

Picture yourself in a boat on a river with marmalade toast and tangerine jelly and a few beers cooling in the water. This kind of holiday is made for those of us not prone to seasickness who would rather abandon the holiday traffic jams all together and just lay out on a barge instead. In Ireland we apparently have almost 500 miles of waterway in which to float, however, very few people consider the water to be a holiday destination.

One of the best places to hire a barge is on the Royal Canal. Upon arrival you are given instructions on how to handle a boat and work a lock, lasting 30-45 minutes. Then you can move in, grab the wheel, and pick a direction. East will bring you toward the Boyne Aqueduct, Longwood Harbour, Enfield, and Kilcock Harbour. West will bring you to Mullingar. You can dock and dismount along the way to stretch your legs in the towns, take in the beauty spots, and sample the local brew.

FACTS

Rates: Summer Weekends €80-95 per person. 4 Days €130-160 per person. Four Days; €130-160 per person.
What to bring: towels, non-slip footwear, raingear, food/drink.
Experience needed: none
Licence: none
Location: Leisureways Holidays, the Royal Canal at Killucan. One hours drive from Dublin. Easily reached by bus (hourly service to Kinnegad).
Booking: Credit Cards (Visa/Master)
Contact: Leisureways Holidays, 01-8225034 087-2114324. www.leisureways.com email: [email protected]

Saving for Wales

And if all of those off the beaten track routes fail to whet your appetite for a life less ordinary, Wales, one of the quirkiest holiday destinations on the planet, should suffice…

1 Race against a horse at Man vs Horse Race, Llanwrtyd Wells, Mid Wales 7 June 2003
http://llanwrtyd-wells.powys.org.uk /index1st.htm

2 Watch the sheep Oscars at Ewe-phoria, near Llangollen North Wales
http://www.ewe-phoria.co.uk

3 Get mud in your eye, ear and nose at the World Bog Snorkelling Championships, Llanwrtyd Wells, Mid Wales. 25 August 2003 http://llanwrtyd-wells.powys.org.uk /index1st.htm

4 Ride the largest wooden rollercoaster in Europe at Oakwood Park, West Wales
http://www.oakwood-leisure.com

5 Scramble in the Real Ale Ramble in Llanwrtyd Wells, Mid Wales. 22-23 November 2003 http://llanwrtyd-wells.powys.org.uk/index1st.htm

6 Descend 300ft to an underground world of coal faces at Big Pit
National Mining Museum of Wales, Blaenafon http://www.nmgw.ac.uk

8 Find a large open-air festival celebrating local cheese at The Big Cheese, Caerphilly, 26-27 July 2003
http://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/bigcheese/

9 Spend a weekend dancing in a forest! Morris in the Forest, Llanwrtyd Wells, 4-6 July.
http://llanwrtyd-wells.powys.org.uk/index1st.htm

10 Eat seaweed at the Abergavenny Food Festival, 20-21 September 2003
http://www.abergavennyfoodfestival. co.uk