There’s a scene from the tv show Monk where Monk (a detective who is a germophobe with obsessive-compulsive disorder) is investigating a case in the woods – much to his dismay. He is literally prancing all over the ground, trying his best to not touch anything other than the ground under his feet. Suddenly, he slips and, to steady himself, he reaches out and touches the ground.
“Nature!,” he manages to moan while staring at the offending bits of dirt and convulsing with horror, “There’s nature on my hand!”
I’ve never enjoyed being “at one with nature”. I don’t like gardening (although I’ve tried desperately and I haven’t given up yet – the tomatoes have been a success!), don’t like to swim in lakes or rivers, and of course that means that there is absolutely no camping. Before you go accusing me of never giving it a try, I have camped and, while it wasn’t completely awful, it wasn’t my idea of a fun weekend away. If I have the choice between sleeping in a tent under the stars or my idea of roughing it – the Holiday Inn – then I’ll take my chances with the motel any day. While I find nature to be stunningly beautiful sometimes, I prefer to gaze at it from the safety and comfort of my hotel balcony while I dine on room service.
But, wait! There’s a new trend in travel that I can’t wait to personally try out. It’s called…glamping. Yup. Glamping. While I’m aware it sounds like a surgical procedure (“He died on the table during a routine glamping. So tragic.”), glamping is my kind of camping. I use the word camping very, very lightly here. Here is a picture from Sinya on Lone Man Creek in Texas:
Bears little resemblance to camping, huh? Just how I like it! I’d get to enjoy the views, sounds and wonderful fresh air associated with unspoiled land while still having a beautiful, comfortable bed and indoor plumbing. It doesn’t get better than that! Or, does it? I give you the Serengeti Migration Camp in Tanzania:
Can you believe that they even use the word “camping” anywhere near these places? They’re just spectacular!
There aren’t many glamping places in the United States yet, but they’re popping up quickly. The number of visitors to the National Parks all over the US have gone up over 33% since this time last year – people want to be able to get back to basics and enjoy nature, but they still want to feel like they’re on vacation and treating themselves somehow. The best part is that it’s affordable – the Sinya in Texas costs only $200 per night! Maybe by easing people into nature a little more, while still allowing them (read: me) the creature comforts to which they’re accustomed, they’ll be more likely to do their part in their every day lives for the environment.
No matter how you look at it, I love the idea of glamping and I can’t wait to glamp with the family! If anyone has any experiences with places like this, I’d love to hear about it! Or would you hate this and only want to go camping the traditional way?
