Wednesday 26 August 2009

My knapsack on my back

I went to buy a new pen this lunchtime and ended buying some other things as well: a compass and this fantastic lantern. Not just mindless consumerism though, you see I'm going camping in a fortnight. I just hope I don't break the lantern winding it up too much. It's great though - I thoroughly approve of clockwork things - anything that aids me, however slightly, in my flight from the clutches of the Man. Anyway, the lantern - I think it's beautiful, like a miniature lighthouse.

I'm probably too delicate for camping. I don't even like crashing out on people's floors. But it's a friend's stag do and there is absolutely no getting out of it. That was my first reaction anyway. Now I've borrowed a tent, some billy cans and a stove and some other bits and bobs off my brother and I'm almost looking forward to it. I'm going to practice putting the tent up this weekend. Aside from the natural hardships to be expected of camping in northern England in September most of my wariness stems from the 'stag' part of the deal. When drunk I've a tendency to be slightly dogmatic on the subjects of pop music and foreign policy but I'm basically harmless. The prospect of rolling into a small village pub with some of my friend's other, more laddish, friends...

4 comments:

  1. Dogmatic on the subject of pop music or not, they'll all want to be gathered about that lantern; laddish boys are notoriously rubbish in the dark. Though I have to say: a stag weekend? Camping?? In Northern England????!!

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  2. I know - at my age! When we're not downing gallons of booze we've got canoeing and archery scheduled, what could possibly go wrong?

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  3. I had a time when I absolutely loved camping, the longer from civilization the better. At the moment, I think an ancient village inn would suit me better. Northern England nature is beautiful (even if I preferred Scotland when into the wild in the British Islands). I remember some fantastic pubs from antique times (well more or less) which some friend of mine and I encountered, we ended up arguing over rock music in front of live candles and dim amounts of beer …

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  4. An ancient village inn would suit me a lot better. There's one nearby, if it all gets too Lord of the Flies I'll be banging down the door. The Lakes (where we're going) is great but I've been loads. I only went to Scotland for the first time last year and was (predictably) blown away. I loved all the little islands - it reminded me of the map in "A Wizard of Earthsea".

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