Tuesday 2 December 2008

 

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Michael Henderson

Michael Henderson suggests


Evolution means not having to sleep outside

Wednesday, 20th August 2008

Jonathan Freedland begins his piece on camping thus:

If I promise not to show you my holiday snaps, could I be allowed to mention one moment from my vacation, just completed? It was late evening, already dark, on a camp site in the Cévennes national park in France. I had joined a queue of fellow campers, when I caught the eye of one man, Dutch I think, clutching his roll of toilet paper, waiting to use one of the site's two non-flush lavatories (a sign urged us to put paper in the accompanying box, rather than risk blocking the septic tank). His expression, part amused, part plaintive, part weary member of the international fraternity of dads said: "I have a BMW parked just down the hill. I'm not short of money. I could have afforded a hotel. Why am I here?"

If I'd been there - an impossible concept, since almost nothing on earth would drag me anywhere near a camp site again - I like to think I would have gone up to him and said, simply: God alone knows why.

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James

August 20th, 2008 10:14am

I trust that Mr Dweebman lived up to his useless paper's phoney green diktats and took a copy of The Guardian with him?

Let's be honest, that's all it's good for.

Roy

August 20th, 2008 10:54am

If funds are low, there is such a thing as staying at home, getting the camera out and documenting the art in ones home surroundings. Things one might not see in the every day turmoil of every day life. Failing that, use the super macro.

Play

August 20th, 2008 11:16am

Spot on. Born a working-class Brummie, I've been on the run from authenticity all my life. The only festival I'll consider is Glyndebourne.

Spencer de Vere

August 21st, 2008 9:33am

I have absolutely no sympathy for anyone who holidays, uncoerced, in France. Even less if they frequent a place named "Cevennes".

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