Guardian Travel Writer Competition 2008

I entered the Guardian Travel Writer Competition in 2008 on the basis of a trip I made to an eco-village in Spain for my 30th birthday in April of that year. Such a beautiful place, such nice people and so nice to turn thirty anonymously!

Sunseed Desert Technology
At the end of April this year I had just come out of an incredibly busy period at work. I was jaded, stressed and about to turn thirty. The prospect of another night of meaningless drinking in London didn't appeal and I racked my brain for a peaceful alternative to conventional birthday celebrations. My brother who is generally intuitive to my needs and desires suggested I visit a sustainable village in the Almerian dry lands of Southern Spain. Within two days I had checked out the website and signed up for a week in the wilderness.

Sunseed Desert Technology was set up in 1986 by an entrepreneurial British couple keen to develop and promote sustainable living. The couple bought up some land and property in an abandoned village in Almeria (many villages were deserted during Franco's reign as peasants flocked to the cities for work). The project now comprises four houses and is co-ordinated by a project manager and staff working in several key areas including dry land management, appropriate technology (think solar panels and human powered washing machines) and sustainable living (extolling the virtues of a semi-vegan diet; almost all food is grown on site).

The project depends on help and funding from volunteers. Volunteers (like myself) pay to visit and contribute to the growth and development of the community. If you are expecting five star accommodation then this is not for you; the rooms are spartan (yet with charm); but where else can you expect to be woken to the sounds of Spanish guitar playing, shower in water heated by the sun or be lucky enough to spot a wild boar on an early morning trudge to the community compost toilet?

I only spent a week at Sunseed; you can spend as long as you like, provided you have a long-term conservation project in mind. My week was spent outdoors in the spring sunshine undertaking a variety of practical tasks including planting potatoes and digging furrows. I spent my 30th dredging a channel to help the water supply flow more quickly. Not especially glamorous, but incredibly satisfying!

Volunteers are only expected to work in the mornings from 8-1pm and afternoons are your own. You could simply read a book, whilst occasionally admiring the verdant surroundings or go exploring and marvel at a land that time forgot, as you stumble across numerous deserted villages. One of my favourite afternoon pastimes was a visit to the outdoor pools - a bit like jumping into a basin of emerald green icicle pops - yes freezing but refreshing after a hard day's graft in the hot sun.

And of course you are ultimately living as part of a community, sharing food, passions and laughter. Mealtimes were special - the food was plentiful and delicious and the company was sparkling.

I spent my 30th birthday night attending an impromptu ceilidh in the village grounds (I am Scottish as well as an eco-type); the stars were out and a nightingale sang and there wasn't a drop of alcohol in sight!

Getting there - Sunseed lies around 7km from the village of Sorbas. The nearest international airports are Malaga and Almeria. A regular bus service runs from Almeria to Sorbas and takes about an hour. You can pick up a taxi in Sorbas to Los Molinos where the project is based. As Sunseed is striving to be as sustainable as possible, discounts on your stay are available if you travel overland.