You can also boil water in paper. I tried it once  in a paper bag but it burst when it became soggy.

However:-

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/527233/boil_water_in_one_dollar_bill/ 

It relies on the fact that the water ensures the temperature of the bottle never exceeds 100C (unless it boils dry).

However, get the bottle too close to the flame, and you'll probably find that the thermal resistance of the plastic is high enough to cause a sufficient temperature gradient across the bottle wall that the surface temperature is a little too high...

I've used the same idea to perform selective annealing of cans in my stove building; fill the can section with water to the depth you want the annealing to occur, and then blast it with a chef's creme brulee torch.  The aluminium only anneals above the waterline, and in a nice, controlled manner.

> oooh! get him! too posh for a blow torch

As you might guess, it was cheap, and from TK Maxx.  It's more controllable and accurate than a blowtorch, too.

It's never been anywhere near a creme brulee...

please to hear that capt. quite right to.

"more controllable and accurate than a blowtorch" lol. such subtlety of operation is usually far beyond me. i've only just discovered the delights of an adjustable wrench. now my toolkit is wrench, hammer and screwdriver.