Quirky Travel Goals

For some, travel is about pursuing the most routine and banal passions rather than draw grand vacation plans, finds Nausheen Tareen

Our travel wish lists are usually predictable. The obvious ones are visiting seven wonders, enjoying top cafes, drinking every possible brew and ale to scaling mountain peaks or trying out scariest rides. But how about people who travel to collect milk bottles, pose next to brown coloured sign boards, click images of roundabouts or photograph mail boxes, pose with famous graves or village water pumps! These are the journeymen whose quirky passions make them different from tourists. A part of a group named ‘Dull Men’s Club’ in the UK, these men travel the globe to live their unusual passions. Their motto in life is simple – rather than fret about extraordinary, enjoy the ordinary.

Steve Wheeler – Milk Bottle Collector

Steve Wheeler at his Milk Bottle Museum at Malvern, Worcestershire, UK

Steve has a collection of 20,000 milk bottles from all over the world! For a man who does not like milk at all, this is one unusual passion Steve pursues. He does not intend to make money out of his collection and has stored it all at Steve Wheeler Milk Bottle Museum in his garden. He already boasts of a large collection of milk bottles from within the UK and has travelled abroad – Germany, France, South Africa, Hong Kong, Portugal and Iran – just to collect these bottles.

David Morgan – Traffic Cone Collector

David Morgan holds Guinness World Record for largest collection of traffic cones!

What started as a chance activity in 1986 has turned into a passion for now 72 years old David Morgan. He has collected more than 500 traffic cones till date and stored them in the shed, garage, backyard and some even under his bed. The family, is obviously not the most enthused with this hobby of his but David is at it driving around looking for rare traffic cones that he can be added to his collection.

Kevin Beresford – Appreciating Roundabouts

Kevin Beresford is President of UK Roundabout Appreciation Society!

Kevin Beresford travels mostly to photograph roundabouts and turns his collection of images into books and calendars. And his society is already a decade old. For most of us, roundabouts do not mean anything but for 62 years old Kevin, these are oasis on a concrete patch that lift people’s spirits on long journeys. And are eco-friendly!

Mark Dabbs – Tombstone Traveller

Mark Dabbs has spent almost 40,000 pounds or Rs 35 lakhs on visiting tombs across six continents!

Mark Dabbs takes mind off his work by visiting graves of famous personalities. If this in itself does not sound queer to you, then you have to know that he has already visited up to 500 famous tombs! Kennedy, Presley, Bruce Lee, Chaplin and Beethoven, you name it and Matts has been there and posed and paid his homage.

If these men already sound strange then you need to read about Amanda Hone who travels the world to spot brown coloured tourist signs and so far, has visited thousands such. Retired postman Peter Willis photographs mailboxes across the UK while Dick Williams loves to pose next to water pumps in villages. If these aren’t your unusual travellers then there are some who collect bricks and others who love to photograph hedges. And do not forget the restaurant menu collectors.

While we jot grand plans for our travel, for these men, the motto is simple – forget amazing and relish the regular around you.