What Do You Love About Camping Trips?
I'm often surprised when I hear other people say that they don't enjoy camping trips. Often, once I have talked to them a little more, I discover that they've never actually been camping. Alternatively, it may be the case that they've had a bad experience.
Of course, it's fair to say that many of us will have experienced situations where things didn't go according to plan. Seasoned camping enthusiasts would say that this is all part of fun. Indeed, we often learn as a result of these mistakes.
A good example of this is when you head off on a camping trip and end up sleeping in a tent that has a hole in the canvas. Spending the night listening to a constant drip and getting wet isn't much fun at all. In these circumstances, you might feel that it would be easy to understand why this might put others off ever undertaking such a trip again.
My own thought here is that this is very much a learning experience. So what lessons would you draw from this? I'd have thought that you would remember to check your tent next time, prior to heading off for the weekend. Instead, you might even look to buy a new tent. Either way, you're unlikely to make the same mistake a second time.
But what about those of us who love camping weekends and camping trips? Presumably, there's a proportion of the population who believe that we are all quite mad. After all, why would we want to spend time in a cold tent? Why would we put up with the basic facilities that are offered by many campsite owners?
There seems to me to be a fundamental misunderstanding here of what a camping vacation is all about. For me, it's certainly about being closer to nature. There's an opportunity to find yourself in a wild spot and to see parts of the country that you would not usually have the chance to.
But it's also about the additional experiences that become available to you. This means that you can look up and see so many stars at night, for instance. Those living in rural areas may take this for granted. For city dwellers, however, it must be seen as something of a revelation.
It appears to me that camping is about a particular mindset. It's often about relaxing and enjoying simple pleasures. It's certainly different from staying in a luxury hotel, but it's sometimes nice to be different.
Of course, it's fair to say that many of us will have experienced situations where things didn't go according to plan. Seasoned camping enthusiasts would say that this is all part of fun. Indeed, we often learn as a result of these mistakes.
A good example of this is when you head off on a camping trip and end up sleeping in a tent that has a hole in the canvas. Spending the night listening to a constant drip and getting wet isn't much fun at all. In these circumstances, you might feel that it would be easy to understand why this might put others off ever undertaking such a trip again.
My own thought here is that this is very much a learning experience. So what lessons would you draw from this? I'd have thought that you would remember to check your tent next time, prior to heading off for the weekend. Instead, you might even look to buy a new tent. Either way, you're unlikely to make the same mistake a second time.
But what about those of us who love camping weekends and camping trips? Presumably, there's a proportion of the population who believe that we are all quite mad. After all, why would we want to spend time in a cold tent? Why would we put up with the basic facilities that are offered by many campsite owners?
There seems to me to be a fundamental misunderstanding here of what a camping vacation is all about. For me, it's certainly about being closer to nature. There's an opportunity to find yourself in a wild spot and to see parts of the country that you would not usually have the chance to.
But it's also about the additional experiences that become available to you. This means that you can look up and see so many stars at night, for instance. Those living in rural areas may take this for granted. For city dwellers, however, it must be seen as something of a revelation.
It appears to me that camping is about a particular mindset. It's often about relaxing and enjoying simple pleasures. It's certainly different from staying in a luxury hotel, but it's sometimes nice to be different.
