Eastern Europe and the Ae gean - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 117

aa Five Facts
• You can travel up to 1037km on a bicycle on the energy equivalent of a single litre of petrol.
• There are more tigers in private ownership in the US than wild in the rest of the world.
• Over eight percent of global jobs are in tourism.
• There are approximately 48,000 flights worldwide every day.
• There are now more boats on Britain's waterways than there were during the Industrial Revolution.
aa Five great topics on unusual (and clean) journeys
In the Empire of Genghis Khan by Stanley Stewart (Flamingo). A journey of a thousand miles across Mongolia on
horseback, with sensitive and humorous insights into the prevalent nomadic culture.
The Cruellest Journey by Kira Salak (Bantam Topics). One woman's solo journey by canoe down the Niger River to
Timbuktu, in the shadow of British explorer Mungo Park.
The Kon-Tiki Expedition by Thor Heyerdahl (Flamingo). A travel classic: Heyerdahl's crossing of the Pacific Ocean on
a balsa-wood raft in a bid to prove his hypothesis that Pacific Islanders originally came from South America.
Round Ireland in Low Gear by Eric Newby (Picador). A somewhat grumpy travelogue based on the acclaimed writer's
journey around the Emerald Isle by bicycle with his wife in tow.
Stranger on a Train by Jenny Diski (Virago Press). Partly autobiographical, this meditation on solitude and friendship is
drawn out via encounters with various memorable characters met on trains across the American wilderness.
aa buzzwords oF new tourism
Barefoot luxury Simple living with a bit of style.
Couchsurfing Sleeping in other people's houses for free, and letting them do the same at yours.
Glamping Glamorous camping; a night under canvas with a bit more than a sleeping bag.
Off-grid Self-sufficient lodging not connected to public utilities (eg electricity or mains gas) and providing its own
supply of these.
Voluntourism Volunteering while on holiday.
aa not cricket
f Bog snorkelling Competitors swim underwater for sixty yards in a murky bog, without using
a recognized swimming stroke and instead propelling themselves by their flippers alone. The
international championships are held every year in Wales.
Bol Chumann na hEireann (Irish Road Bowling) Competitors try to roll a 28oz (794g) iron
ball along a road course averaging around 4km in as few rolls as possible. For more see W www.
irishroadbowling.ie.
Buzkashi The national sport of Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan. In essence, polo with a decapitated animal, involving
several hundred horsemen trying to get a headless goat or calf into a target circle while opposing riders try to wrestle
or whip it out of their hands.
Kabbadi Two teams face each other across a court. One leaps forward, holding his breath and tries to touch as many
of the opposing team as possible before they have to take a breath. This Indian game was a display sport at the 1936
Olympics.
Sipa The national sport of Singapore, and popular under different names in other Southeast Asian countries, it's like
volleyball but without the use of hands or arms. Competitors are staggeringly athletic, performing backflips, overhead