Alternative breaks - advice wanted

[Marmora Man]

My holidays have for several years been based around family, children, sand and sea.

Now beginning to think about alternatives - I could sign up for one of the "ethical" tourism companies and walk the jungles of Borneo to see Orangutans, or visit archeological ruins travelling by eco-fuelled jeeps - but that doesn't quite hit the spot.

I can't find what I think I want - the chance to do some good, in parts of the world I've not visited and meet interesting people - I don't need 5* accommodation, meals or entertainment.

Any advice - generally I can only spend a max of 14 days at a time, I'm reasonably healthy, passably fit, have good DIY and general outdoor skills (camping, walking, climbing etc) plus lots of general management experience.

[Fuschia]

TRy this:

http://shop.btcv.org.uk/shop/level1/8/level

[annaj]

I love browsing on this site...

http://www.responsibletravel.com/

I've never booked anything through them, so can't recommend them, but the holidays look great.

[*Bob*]

Hmm. I think they could do with a snappy slogan, Anna. How about:

responsibletravel.com - fleecing well-meaning, well-off folks who are prepared to pay through the nose to ease their consciences

[annaj]

Love it *Bob*.

Can you set it to music for me?

[Ladygooner]

Try Explore Worldwide www.exploreworldwide.co.uk

[*Bob*]

annaj Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Love it *Bob*.

> Can you set it to music for me?

I can - but it'll cost you.

However, if you pay me an exorbitant amount of money I promise to recycle now and again and not put batteries in the bin etc - thus saving the planet for our children.. and our children's children's children and all that jazz.

[mattham]

Responsible tourism is a term so often abused (and I'm saying this as someone who writes about tourism for a living), but one of the best places I've stayed is the Kasbah du Toubkal in Morocco (about an hour or so from Marrakech). They help fund charitable projects for local kids, and employ lots of local Berber people as guides and muleteers. As far as I can see they make a positive impact on the village where they are located. It's a lovely place to stay, do some trekking or just clear your head. (kasbahdutoubkal.com). It's run by an English guy, Mike McHugo.

[annaj]

*Bob* and mattham, you are of course both right.

There is very little truly responsible tourism, but to be fair I didn't recommend that site or vouch for it's eco credentials, I just said the holidays look fab. Which they do.

If we're honest, nowhere you fly to can really be classes as "eco" or that responsible in global terms.

[*Bob*]

Indeedy.

There's a big market these days for so-called eco-holidays. Essentially are lot of them are cheap holidays, massively marked-up with an eco-cherry on top.

I mean, if you really want to spend ten days in the former Yugoslavia in a three star hotel doing a bit of whitewater rafting etc, it shouldn't really cost nearly ?5000 for a family of four.

[PeckhamRose]

If you change your mind about going elsewhere, take the time to enjoy London. It's massive and so fabulous.

Indulge yourself!

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

The wwoof organisation was recommended to me by some friends. You stay on organic farms around the world including the UK and learn about organic farming and sustainable living.

[mockney piers]

Sooooo responsible travel aside, good alternative places to go?

From personal experience Argentina was pretty darned amazing and pretty free of the usual tourist mob.

Closer to home Sarajevo/Bosnia was entirely tourist free when I went, and easily one of the most interesting, friendly and lovely, if a tad pockmarked, places I've visited. Mark's been more recently so you ask him what it's like now. Apparently there are ATM machines there now :D

[Michael Palaeologus]

Argentina and Bosnia - havent we Brits dropped bombs on the citizens of both of those countries in living memory?

Zimbabwe may soon be opening up to tourists - you could be the first. Kenya is also quite quiet Tourist-wise at the moment.

[mockney piers]

Soldiers of Argentina and citizens of Serbia.

We were pretty keen to avoid dropping bombs on Bosnia as we had so many soldiers there trying to feed said citizens, here's the whole sorry story which you can borrow if you're interested. I think it was mostly Clinton who pushed for the Bosnia bombings...but we digress.

[????]

I hear Nunhaed is interesting if you're careful

[LuvPeckham]

I had this dilema a few years ago, and did something completely different and out of the norm.

I booked a weeks course at Eagle Heights (Eynesford, Kent) to learn all about birds of prey, how to look after them, what to do when they break feathers and most important how to fly them and train them (bait on string either dragged or whirled around depending on what bird you are training)

Was an interesting 5 days, and I am not sure if they still do the course that I attended but if they do I would recommend it as it is

a) Fascinating

b) a real education

Got to say would love to take it up as a hobby, and if I do it may well help reduce dog mess or the number of people on Peckham Rye who don't pooper scoop

[Michael Palaeologus]

The National Trust do interesting week long breaks at a variety of their properties. You can get your hands dirty digging and wall laying and so on.

[SteveT]

Ideal eco holiday,

cycle to kent,

pick hops,

collect pay,

and give it to save the children

cycle back smugly.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Most bines are grown at waist height to allow mechanical picking these days. Nice historical idea though.

[SteveT]

Thanks for dragging me into the 21st century PGC

To stay on topic....Cycle to kent, pick apples, collect money........etc

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Sorry, we Maids of Kent can be very prosaic.

[SteveT]

Its allowed PGC no need to apologise, it's always worth reading your prose;-)