An Intellectuals View on Camping

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mercalia
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An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by mercalia »

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Vantage
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Vantage »

I think some people think too much.
It's camping. :roll:
Bill


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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by reohn2 »

Vantage wrote:I think some people think too much.
It's camping. :roll:

But you forget,they have to fill their column ìnches somehow :wink:
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Tangled Metal »

reohn2 wrote:
Vantage wrote:I think some people think too much.
It's camping. :roll:

But you forget,they have to fill their column ìnches somehow :wink:

It's another published work to add to their CV. Then they can keep referencing it to bump up their stats to get more money / status. It's the way academia works in some countries.
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Sweep »

Will try to get round to scanning it.

I often find that with the guardian online content, the most interesting/pertinent/amusing stuff is in the comments.

Particularly on sex and gender issues.
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Sweep »

Just read it.

Mainly a load of old waffle - doubt they were paid much for it.

One vaguely interesting bit on folks recreating home despite supposedly wanting to get away from it.

I did a couple of years ago spend some time on park holidays sites as they were doing a £1 a night offer for anyone turning up and needing no power.

Happy as larry on my bike with my patch of grass I was amazed by some of the long term chalet/luxury wotnot rents - verandas, large screen TVs, strings of fairy lights - the folks may as well have stayed at home.

Surprised he didn't mention glamping.

Please god tell me where the hipster campsites are, if in fact they exist, so that I can avoid them.

Off to the comments.
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Vantage »

Sweep wrote:
Particularly on sex


Razzle might be more fun :lol:
Bill


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horizon
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by horizon »

I found this quote really telling:

But the way they do that has changed. In the past, campers typically connected with people across the whole campsite. Today’s campers tend to socialise only with people in their immediate party. In a world of technologically enabled disconnection, camping has become a way of reconnecting with friends and family. But the way we camp today makes us less likely to connect with people we don’t know.


That's certainly been true of what I have observed in recent years. And it has made camping sites much less pleasant when it occurs. An extended family grouping turns up, complete with extra cars, flag poles and whatever. Yes, they have a lovely time together but you don't feel inclined to break into their group for a chat and they don't appear to need to respect the fact that others are camping in the same field. The atmosphere and the chance to share some conversation have changed. They really need their own rally field.

My take on it is that although a big family gathering is great, people are quite nervous about the world and meeting other people - they want to be insulated and protected by family. Part of the ethos of camping (if it has an ethos) is that not only are you communing with Nature but with other human beings too, breaking down social barriers in a setting that encourages that. That's an aspect of camping I enjoy and these larger groups put me off camping in the high season - I tend to avoid campsites that offer firewood!
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Psamathe »

Sweep wrote:.....
Happy as larry on my bike with my patch of grass I was amazed by some of the long term chalet/luxury wotnot rents - verandas, large screen TVs, strings of fairy lights - the folks may as well have stayed at home......

I used to think the same when cycle touring (camping) in Europe (France & Germany mainly). But then I started wondering why so many of the "pitches" had been turned into long term lets, almost holiday homes or cheap living for retired. People have their massive collection of garden ornaments, sheds, flower beds, etc.

I then realised how lucky I am in that I have a good sized garden, live in the countryside, etc. But likely many of those on their long term let pitches maybe live in a city apartment or have no garden or no peace and it really is a moderately low cost way for them to get a small patch of grass, to be able to sit outside in the sun, etc.

Ian
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Psamathe »

horizon wrote:I found this quote really telling:
But the way they do that has changed. In the past, campers typically connected with people across the whole campsite. Today’s campers tend to socialise only with people in their immediate party. In a world of technologically enabled disconnection, camping has become a way of reconnecting with friends and family. But the way we camp today makes us less likely to connect with people we don’t know.

That's certainly been true of what I have observed in recent years. And it has made camping sites much less pleasant when it occurs.......
My take on it is that although a big family gathering is great, people are quite nervous about the world and meeting other people - they want to be insulated and protected by family......

I agree but think (some) people use a range of techniques to avoid contact with others. Earlier this year I went travelling staying in hostels and I was shocked at how bad particularly youngsters (gap years) were at talking to others. They use their phones as an avoidance technique - sit in common areas intently studying their phones, not looking up and thus sending strong message "do not disturb". What was so disappointing was that independent travel plans are invariably vague - you know some things you want to see but you find the really amazing things by talking to others or find the easiest way to get there by talking to others or find the best way (e.g. avoid crowds/stay longer/etc.) by talking to others. So sit in a "do not disturb" pose and you miss out on so much.

Same when cycling - meet people coming the opposite way and find out about closed campsites, hills, shops, conditions, etc.. Get to learn about different bikes e.g. never used one beyond old Sturmey Archer 3 spd when I was a kid but here everybody seems to hold Rohloff as the best but this summer I came across several people with Pinion bikes and several others talking about Pinion as their dream for next bike. No idea if they are right but you only find out about a lot of things by talking to others. Camping is an ideal opportunity to meet and talk to others who are not necessarily from the same background who don't necessarily hold the same opinions, etc.

Ian
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Vorpal »

horizon wrote:I found this quote really telling:

But the way they do that has changed. In the past, campers typically connected with people across the whole campsite. Today’s campers tend to socialise only with people in their immediate party. In a world of technologically enabled disconnection, camping has become a way of reconnecting with friends and family. But the way we camp today makes us less likely to connect with people we don’t know.


That's certainly been true of what I have observed in recent years. And it has made camping sites much less pleasant when it occurs. An extended family grouping turns up, complete with extra cars, flag poles and whatever. Yes, they have a lovely time together but you don't feel inclined to break into their group for a chat and they don't appear to need to respect the fact that others are camping in the same field. The atmosphere and the chance to share some conversation have changed. They really need their own rally field.

I think it somewhat depends upon when & where you go. Campgrounds in Norway come in a couple of different sorts. Child-friendly ones with playgrounds, cafes on site, things for the kids to do, and in areas where kids want to visit (i.e. near a zoo or water park). The other sort tend to be on popular walking & cycling routes, in national parks, etc., and are more likely to attract individual campers or small groups on long distance trips, folks with caravans, touring Norway from Germany or the Netherlands, etc.

The child-friendly ones tend to be bigger, and attract larger groups, especially in school holidays. Children who aren't with a big family group (and sometimes those who are) will run around and find playmates amongst the other campers. The last time I was in a child-friendly campground, I spoke a little to a few other parents with kids because ours were playing together. We chatted rather more with the families that camped next to us and had children. I can't say that we really socialised with anyone else.

But, there is much more sort of community feeling in the smaller campgrounds on walking & cycling routes. People chat with each other, offer other campers leftovers, etc. When I was setting up my tent, I found a rock to use to put my stakes in, and another camper came over with a mallet for me to borrow. I learned the the two German guys in light weight solo tents were walking a national trail. The French student was staying in the same place for a few days to do some hiking before starting school at a Norwegian university....
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by foxyrider »

Psamathe wrote:
Same when cycling - meet people coming the opposite way and find out about closed campsites, hills, shops, conditions, etc.. Get to learn about different bikes e.g. never used one beyond old Sturmey Archer 3 spd when I was a kid but here everybody seems to hold Rohloff as the best but this summer I came across several people with Pinion bikes and several others talking about Pinion as their dream for next bike. No idea if they are right but you only find out about a lot of things by talking to others. Camping is an ideal opportunity to meet and talk to others who are not necessarily from the same background who don't necessarily hold the same opinions, etc.

Ian


In theory what you say is true but I have to say that I've not often experienced such camaraderie. Maybe its me, middle-aged with a clearly lightweight set up and more often than not a weird bike (my Airnimal is the default camping bike), I've actually had more conversations with Bikers than cyklers and I've done the cycle camping bit from the Alps to Scandinavia. For example, in Sweden this year I stayed on 8 different campsites over the two week trip, crossed wheel tracks regularly with other tourists but the longest conversation with any of them was a brief exchange as a couple of us navigated out of Rostock port after the overnight ferry. I even spent the night in the seat next to one of them and exchanged no more than brief greetings, maybe they all knew the best places, routes etc and didn't need to talk to me to exchange views? :wink:
Convention? what's that then?
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Sweep »

thanks for posting this mercalia.

The comments are indeed interesting - part way through them.

Some good stuff in there.
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horizon
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by horizon »

We were camping again briefly this weekend - one night local shake-down trip for Mrs H.

I had this article in mind but what came up mainly was the the mobile phone problem. I'm quite noise-sensitive but what struck me was that people were dealing with "back home" or "back at the office" problems. These were often quite long, shouty calls which wasn't pleasant but, as always with mobiles, they cut you off IMV from the people around you (both they and I). And I presume their relaxation time is shot.

I think we need the campsite equivalent of a "quiet carriage". Because mobiles are now ubiquitous and their use accepted, the problem seems to have gone away. But it hasn't. They are still intrusive, on campsites as much as anywhere else.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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Re: An Intellectuals View on Camping

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Youth Hostels are or were good for meeting people
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