Another day, another scorcher. What's an overheated person to do?

Well, if all else fails why not simply sashay away to somewhere with more sensible weather. Especially as Japan's annual heat wave so neatly coincides with summer-bonus time.

If you've had enough of sweating and prickly heat, why not think about blowing your cash somewhere you'll need a sweater more than your Speedos.

Vladivostok: Perhaps it's not up there with Tonga, Tahiti or even Trenton, N.J., in the popular pantheon of holiday destinations, but for chill-seekers this one's a whiz. Expect daytime temperatures soaring to the giddy heights of around 15 degrees while you visit the city's numerous naval history museums. The Japan-Russian Travel Service Co., (03) 3238-9101, can get you to Siberia for 67,000 yen in early August, plus 5,000 yen for a visa. The Air Vladivostok flight departs Niigata, so add a bit more to get there.

Alaska: Up above the 60th parallel, it can be seriously brass-monkey stuff, though in summer it's usually a balmy 10 degrees at low levels. Flights to Anchorage with American Airlines cost 200,000 yen through Beyond Travel, (03) 5358-3177. Alternatively, fly Air Canada to Vancouver for 142,000 yen, rent a car and follow the big hand on your compass.

New Zealand: South of the equator it's winter now, and Auckland gets pretty chilly come August, rarely approaching the 20s, though there's a lot of N.Z. to the (cooler) south. Cathay Pacific and Hit Travel, (03) 3473-9040, can get you to Auckland for 115,000 yen. And a spot of white-water rafting or bungee-jumping will turn your blood to ice if you're still too warm.

St. Petersburg: Put your trust in The Japan-Russian Travel Service Co. again, who can whisk you from Narita to one of the most beautiful cities in the world (with more canals than Venice and the incomparable Winter Palace) for 170,000 yen. On top of that, it's rarely more than the mid-20s even in the height of summer. Flights also go direct from Osaka.

Finland: Getting to the Land of the Midnight Sun and Father Christmas will set you back 170,000 yen flying via Helsinki with Aeroflot and No. 1 Travel, (03) 3200-8871. Temperatures can soar to 18 degrees in August, just right for loitering in cafes or exploring the islands of the Baltic. I would suggest trying a sauna, but that might rather defeat the object . . .

Reykjavik: If you're feeling fairly flush, or you just flush at the thought of Bjork, the aptly named Iceland might be your chill-out Mecca, what with its snow and ice, gushing geysers and hot-water pools. Across Travel, (03) 5467-0077, will put you on a Scandinavian Airlines flight via Copenhagen for a cool 281,000 yen. But it's going to be worth it: Despite their unpronouncable names, Icelanders have a reputation as the planet's biggest party animals. Daytime temperatures reach around 15 degrees in summer.

Tierra Del Fuego: If you're really determined to go to the ends of the Earth, this is the place for you -- though it may cost a lottery win to make it all the way down to fabled Cape Horn itself. But what the heck -- you're on holiday . . . and it will probably be a bracing 10 below zero as storms blow in from nearby Antarctica. The best way to get there is with American Airlines, (03) 3214-2111, to Buenos Aires via Dallas-Fort Worth -- a bottom-numbing 23 hours and a wallet-denting 365,000 yen return -- followed by a brisk 3 hour 40 min. flight on to Ushuaia in Argentina, the world's most southerly city, for a mere $504 return with Aerolineas Argentinas, (03) 5219-0111.

Mount Fuji: If all these notions are cold comfort due to their cost, relief from the heat can still be had atop the handy 3,776-meter summit of Mount Fuji. Getting there costs just the price of a train or bus ticket to the foot of the peak, or even halfway up. After that, you (and 200,000 others during the July 1-Aug. 27 official climbing season) can enjoy huffing and puffing and sweating your way to the perpetual freshness on high.