Toxic, Tragic and Terrifying Vacations |
I've noticed an interesting thing lately. More and more places are coming up with travel experiences that, well, don't have anything to do with fun or relaxation. We've blogged about volunteer vacations, but what about vacations, tours and overnight experiences that allow you do something altogether unpalatable? Like scare yourself silly in a prison. Or attempt a border-crossing between the U.S. and Mexico. Or get up close and personal with toxic waste. I've decided to list some of the ones I've found:
1. Caminata Nocturna: This 4-hour nighttime hike takes interested travelers along the same route illegal immigrants might use to enter the U.S. from Mexico. You even get chased by fake border control police in the pitch black darkness.
2. Toxic Tour: California-based Communities for a Better Environment takes tour participants to refineries, chemical sites, "brownfields" and other areas to educate them about the environmental and social impacts of pollution.
3. Liepaja Prison: How about an overnight in a Latvian prison once run by the KGB? They even give you a faux medical exam when you arrive for your stay.
4. Street Retreats: A San Francisco organization offers day-long experiences living on the streets like the city's many homeless. You can stand in soup kitchen lines, panhandle and try to get into drop-in centers.
5. Reality Tours: The tours offered by San Francisco's Global Exchange can involve anything from visiting a landmine field in Afghanistan to meeting with coffee farmers in the Andes. The offerings are educationally-driven, but do include cultural excursions to prominent museums and historical sites.
6. Slum Tours: Tourists can visit the small alleys of Mumbai's famous Dharavi slum. An extended tour option includes visits to the Red Light district, open air laundry and a home for boys.
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POSTED BY SYSADMIN - MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2007
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