Alternative vacations

The two characters were crossing one item off their "bucket list" -- a collection of all the things they wanted to do before they died. Needless to say, many involved travel and lots of those involved stepping out of the bounds of everyday living.

Many of today's travellers want more than beaches and sunshine for their cherished vacations: there is a growing demand for "more meaningful travel experiences" and it's not limited to the under 30's. Indeed, it's Jack and Morgan's age group who are increasingly opting for this alternative. No wonder adventure travel is such a fast-growing segment of the leisure travel market.

Adventure travel comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and what constitutes "adventure" is often in the eye of the beholder. From full-on, white-knuckle experiences like skydiving, mountain climbing or white water rafting to the gentler pursuits of hiking, biking or birding, the aim is to stretch the limits of the imagination and create experiences that are life-changing and unforgettable.

The most recent variations include volunteer vacations. Travellers (who, by the way, pay for their trips) have an opportunity to assist in building houses, schools, roads or tutoring local children and adults while experiencing the culture first-hand -- this is not your run-of-the-mill beach holiday. For example, mainstream package holiday company Signature Vacations (available through Carlson Wagonlit travel agency) has introduced a volunteer component into trips to Costa Rica.

Even golf holidays can stretch your limits. Golfers are now adding an untraditional element of adventure to the traditional golf holiday by attending exclusive golf academies hosted by some of the world's greatest professionals, or their swing coaches, or by developing a "bucket list" of must-play courses and scratching them off one at a time. Now that's scratch golfing!