Believe it to not, there are places where there is more to life than ‘The Beautiful Game’. As your team trudges sheepishly home to face another post-mortem on their early exit, you too could be coming home, rejuvenated, exhilarated and inspired from your own football-free adventure.
1) Cuba
Cuba has won the Olympic gold medal for baseball more times than any other country and you would be hard pushed to find many footballs being kicked around Havana’s crumbling colonial streets. The state-controlled TV channel Cubavision is not particularly conducive to the flashy commercialism of today’s modern World Cup either, preferring instead sexed-up Mexican soap operas and wildlife documentaries. Even boxing and basketball come ahead of soccer in popularity, making it a perfect getaway to enjoy the rum, sun and revolutionary-fun served up in generous Caribbean portions.
2) Bhutan
Like a delicate flower pressed between two heavy books for a long time, Bhutan has managed to keep its unique culture intact despite being sandwiched next to its superpower neighbours; India and China. Archery is the national sport in this mountain kingdom which only joined FIFA in 2000. Since then, its team have won just three of their forty international matches, with their biggest defeat of 20-0 coming against that other mighty footballing nation; Kuwait. With Gary Lineker and his pundit chums safely on the other side of the world, you could enjoy this secret garden all to yourself, trekking through sylvan valleys sprinkled with fairy-tale Buddhist temples, set to the mellifluous tinkling of yak bells. Fantastic.
3) Sri Lanka
Swap your footballs for coconuts on one of Sri Lanka'a gorgeous sun-kissed beaches, and explore a country known more for its talented cricketers than its soccer stars. Football has yet to catch on in this verdant land of tea and spice, yet with its status as a destination for those chasing the piquant exoticism of India at a calmer pace, this sultry island delivers a perfect blend of adventure and relaxation to the soccer-weary traveller.
4) Canada
Canada were predictably impressive at the Sochi Olympics this year, skiing and sliding into third place with 25 medals showing that when it comes to sport, ice and snow are still preferred to grass and goalposts by most Canadians. The extraordinary abundance of tranquil lakes and towering mountains that make Canada one of the premier winter sport destinations presents the traveller with unrivaled outdoor adventure come summertime. There are few countries in the world where you can so easily hike, paddle, cycle and water-ski yourself to a contented exhaustion, before enjoying an evening of cocktail sipping and international cuisine sampling from the top floor of a swanky downtown skyscraper. The combination of 36 pristine national parks with buzzing modern cities – such as Vancouver and Toronto – make Canada a winner whichever sport you play.
5) Botswana
From Cairo to Cape Town football borders on a religion for many Africans, yet head into the wild interior of Botswana'a intertwining deltas and golden savannah and a different team of superstars will be waiting for you. Roaring, flapping, jumping and sloshing around some of the world’s most preserved national parks, an abundance of rare and vibrant wildlife make Botswana prime choice for an unforgettable safari. Botswana’s football team, appropriately nicknamed The Zebras, failed to win a single match during the one time they qualified for the African Cup of Nations, yet what this beautiful country lacks in footballing prowess, it more than makes up for with its untamed landscapes, crepuscular sunrises and dazzling wildlife encounters.
6) Faroe Islands
A wild card at number six, the isolated Faroe Islands present a forgotten frontier that are definitely worth the extra effort to reach. Clusters of lobster pots and grass-roofed cottages dot the beaches and valleys offering some beautiful photo opportunities, but don't take your eye off the skies where the main attraction comes on two wings. A set of binoculars is a must in order to enjoy the thousands of sea birds that squawk and fuss on the cliffs that rise out of the North Atlantic Sea like gigantic natural perches. In June and July the islands host a number of festivals where traditional dancing, boat racing and spontaneous tug of wars can be found alongside some of Scandinavia's hottest music acts. Add to this an intriguing history of warrior kings and ancient folk stories and you can be forgiven for thinking that you just saw a Viking longship on the horizon...In fact it was probably a breaching whale.
7) The Arctic
For the extreme footballaphobe there is one place left that is guaranteed to be free of missed penalties, broken metatarsals and all the never-ending ballyhoo of another World Cup. An Arctic Cruise offers the ultimate escape for the intrepid traveller, and there are operators who can take you on an expedition to the icy wilderness for an astonishing once in a lifetime experience. You will never forget the feeling in your stomach when you first see icebergs floating by like giant white cathedrals as walrus gaze up at you from the ice, and polar bears roam the shores. The sensation of absolute remoteness under wide empty skies induces both peace and exhilaration, and it won’t just be the football that you leave behind in the Arctic but the noisy rattle and hum of modern day life.
