Eye On Travel: October Festivals: Weird and Wonderful. Mostly Weird...

Pumpkins: The Hunt for Orange October

Autumn is a strange time of year. As the weather takes a turn for the grim, the days get shorter, the leaves fall off the trees and people’s behaviour takes a turn for the odd.

This is reflected in our October festival review. The storm after the September calm if you like. Or perhaps the Munich beer festival hangover. So if you like events that are both fascinating and a little disturbing, then read on...

How to change a lightbulb in Catalonia

People standing on top of each other should be no cause for concern. In fact in the Spanish city of Tarragona it is a competitive sport with the annual Concurs de Castells starting on 12 October16. The objective is to build colour coordinated human towers.

Ok so far. Then picture the towers rising up to nine stories high. With a child placed on top. Add to that the local Cava festival. What could possible go wrong? Just don’t stand too close or try to join in after a few glasses of fizz...

GET THERE: The festival takes place in coastal Tarragona which is about an hour by train south of Barcelona with multiple daily flights from the UK and a good base for the region. Alternatively, the nearest airport is Reus (aka Barcelona South) served by Ryanair.

The Roof, the Floor, the Sky is on fire

If celebrating with fire brings out your inner arsonist, then the Hindu festival of light, Diwali, is the one for you. Celebrated by Hindus all around the world, ignition starts on 30 October16.

For the best immersive experience, go to Mumbai, home of Bollywood and India’s business centre. There will be parades with lit butter and oil lamps, very loud fire crackers and a lot of fireworks. Expect a riot of colour, noise and the very real prospect of being set on fire by mistake.

GET THERE: Mumbai has daily flights from the UK. Combine with some Autumn sun in Goa which is a 1 hour flight to the south or Delhi, gateway for the Taj Mahal region, 2 hours north by air. Book well in advance unless you like rooftop rail travel. Visa on arrival is now available in India.

Thai dental floss for those nasty vegetables

So now it starts to get a bit weird. From 1-10 October16 in Phuket, Thailand is the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. No, that’s not the strange bit. This festival is to thank the Gods for not getting malaria (I prefer taking tablets) by the Chinese communities.

It is celebrated with parades, food stalls and events at temples around the island. More darkly, it also features people in a trance like state running over hot coals and committing acts of self mutilation such a poking metal spikes through their skin.

GET THERE: Phuket is a great holiday destination with miles of long sandy beaches and the warm, clear Andaman sea. With daily one stop flights from the UK it is easy to get to and there are plenty of top class hotels away from the gore with as much meat to eat as you like.

The Village Parade, New York: It’s a Thriller

To most people October is all about the 31st: Halloween. This involves people pretending to be dead frightening people who are not. The, er, spiritual home of this is the USA. The biggest parade in the world is The Village Parade in New York.

You will stand out amongst the estimated 2 million spectators if you don’t dress up. The parade passes through Manhattan and is followed by theme nights in bars & clubs throughout the city.

GET THERE: New York has over 30 daily flights from the UK. The 31st is a Monday so a long weekend will give you the opportunity to explore the city’s sights, shops and nightlife although the biggest shock of all might be the £/$ exchange rate on your credit card bill!

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