While in the process of reading Lord of the Flies, I've been thinking about how it would be neat to be stranded on a desert island, have to search for food, make huts, etc. But the whole possibility of never being rescued kinda sucks.
Take 1 boat, retrofit it with air tanks, and valves and stuff. Basically the boat can sink, and resurface on command.
Take 1 island in a tropical area. I suggest somewhere near Greece as there are a crapload of small unused islands there. Add some edible animals native to that area. The island would need to have a freshwater stream, or lake. Plant some fruit/vegetable bearing plants randomnly throughout the island. Then make it look like an island completely untouched by civilization.
Now, families, couples, spouses, are the target group. One person pays for the vacation, then gives the other person(s) (spouse, family members, friend, etc.) the cover story. "We've won a free vacation to __________" or whatever.
They fly to whatever is close to the island. And are geeted at a pier by a boat which will take them to their "beach hotel". Several people have arrived at the pier (about 15-20) they all won the promotional contest too.
The boat drives? on and as they *happen* to drive by this uninhabbited island, they engine spews smoke on cue, and starts to sink. Since everyone was wearing PFD's they all swim to shore.
So we have a bunch of people who think that this is a tragedy, and several people who know this is their vacation. The people who know, calm the others down, and start to make a shelter on the island, build a fire, get food, etc.
Come the end of their vacation, the boat resurfaces, and everyone is told it was a hoax. They party and the next day they go home.
If there is an emergency, they get the boat and get whomever in trouble off the island.-- swimr, Jul 09 2004 but, in lord of the flies, dont numerous people die? ah what the heck, people need to get a grip on reality anyway, pastries for you!-- yellowblueberries, Jul 10 2004 I think if someone had done this to me, I would be both grateful for what is bound to be a fantastic experience, and angry at being duped. Maybe this is just pushing a great idea too far? I dunno - can't really vote on this.-- wagster, Jul 10 2004 [wag] I was thinking allong the same lines as that, but then I thought that it would have to be stressed that life on the island isn't too harsh. ANd that the person "tricking" you would've had to know you very well.-- swimr, Jul 10 2004 [swimr] and you don't have to tell them...[+]-- FlyingToaster, Feb 28 2009 Use two different boats, only one has to be sinkable. That one delivers the people. The other is the "rescue" boat. No one except the organizer would ever have to know the truth.-- MechE, Feb 28 2009 Yeah, I was thinking this might be kind of nice, before I came to my senses and realized that it would SUCK!
And when I say "suck". I don't mean that in a possibly good way, or in a "I'd prefer something different" way, or even in a "what a bummer" way. I mean that it might be horrifyingly banal, could result in discomfort, and would almost certainly involve diarrhea.
And, by "diarrhea", I mean the actual brown stuff, in liquid form, running down your leg, because you're too busy looking for food to take a day off, hanging out near the latrine (which you haven't yet had time to find good materials for fabricating an implement with which to dig).
I don't like this idea, though I'm glad some other folks do. '+' for making my boring life seem more attractive than it did a minute ago.-- colorclocks, Feb 28 2009 random, halfbakery