Roger Moroney: Rather the rat race than wild side

Kevin McCloud at what one family now call "home".

There is a remark heard from those about to embark on, or who have returned from, a holiday to somewhere very quiet which is not uncommon. "Had to get away from the rat race for a while."

Ahh the "rat race".

I personally have never seen rats racing so I will leave that explanation to men of words and phraseology like Max Cryer.

Whatever the finer points, it is a saying possessed with verbal power.

I mean, it would be a tad wishy-washy to say "I had to get away from the ant's nest for a while".

Ants scurrying about working all hours and living amidst a massive colony where everything is on the go all the time are just not the same as nasty rats scurrying about looking for scraps.

But whatever ... it is all about the pace of life ... its demands and requirements.

Of shopping and trying to find a park, let alone a bargain.

Of queuing at half-time for a hot dog only to hear a roar from the crowd indicating that you've missed another try ... like the one you missed during the first half when you went to the lav'.

Of not being able to find anything even mildly entertaining on television one afternoon despite having 20-odd channels to play with.

Of deciding to kick off the second half of the ABs' match with an ale and discovering the pressure of the first half clearly had an effect ... you've run out.

Of waking up thinking it's Saturday when in fact it's Monday.

These are the "doh!" moments indicative of the rat race. So people book a holiday and escape it.

Going back to that initial remark of "had to get away from the rat race for a while" it's the last three words which are the pertinent ones.

"For a while".

Because we pack up and head for distant climes away from the "rat race" but we always come back to it ... so we can save up and then escape it again.

But there are some, not many but some, who do not return to this race of rats.

They make a decision to venture to a place far away from built-up cities, queues and parking fines.

All they want is a place of isolation, so just how they get by without a shopping centre nearby is anybody's guess.

A new four-part series kicking off on TV3 tomorrow night, and hosted by the easy-going Kevin McCloud, backgrounds four groups of people who have made the decision to pursue a most isolated life, which of course means they choose a most isolated place.

Places like a Pacific island, a jungle, a distant slice of Sweden and the sloping terrain of a volcano in South America.

As for the latter, I think I'd rather race the rats, but each to their own. Those seeking the quiet life may be inspired, while those seeking solace and escape for just an hour will be satisfied.

He is a fine host is Mr McCloud, and as he showed on Grand Designs has the ability to draw enlightening comments and reactions from people.

Me?

I'll always stay within 50m of a fridge thanks.

-Kevin McCloud's Escape to the Wild, TV3 at 7.30pm Thursday:

Of all the places Kev has chosen to highlight this is perhaps the most agreeable . . . which means they will likely get more challenging. He steps ashore an island in the Tongan group to meet folk who decided the sound of sea and rustling palm was all they wanted - with the occasional cyclone I suppose. In future episodes the locations are slightly less agreeable, but equally isolated. Each to their own.