Trust me when I say the average Greek has zero interest in probing the backstory of (yuck) camping. You know, pitch a tent in the wild, cast a line in the water in hopes of hooking a fish. Then fire up the Coleman stove before settling down for an earthy mingling with nature.Nope, not our people. I can assure you that within 20 minutes after settling in between thick growths of maples and spruce trees, we become uncomfortable being squeezed in by so many `xeni’ who actually look like they’re enjoying the crudeness, the insanity of being somewhere where they don’t…
The opening line of an apparently Greco perspective on the activity of camping. (click the post source if you’re interested)
When you look at it abstractly, camping is a rather strange activity. We voluntarily downgrade our living conditions, expose ourselves to the elements to a greater degree, and reside further from the built up amenities.
And we call it fun…
AND, in my opinion it is fun. Many others agree. There is a relaxation in the simplicity of camping, of living closer to the hunter/gather existence and limiting out emersion in the tech has relaxing, and dare I say restorative qualities when it is done right.
Done ‘right’ is a subjective thing, right could be a trailer for one person who buys a week at a campground lot, and hiking a trail with premade sites for another who has nothing more than an inclement weather bag and their food. ‘Right’ means you are doing it in a way that you accomplish your recreatative goal, that even if it was physically exerting it was a good time. You had fun. You reconnected and bonded, with your family and friends or with yourself.
That is camping. The voluntary downgrading of your living conditions for fun.
