Last weekend, we did something radical, something adventurous, something cheap. We got together with a couple of other families and went CAMPING. In tents. Who would have thought you could do this so easily and cheaply in Taiwan?
(I'd like to thank http://www.forumosa.com/ and it's Swap Shop section for providing me with a whole set of camping gear in return for some essential oils I had bought on a whim and left sitting in the closet. Swapping things with online friends is just awesome; I never would have bought myself a hammock but it was a surprise in the swap items.)
Here are a few things I discovered over the weekend:
- Camping is easy. There are numerous camping grounds around Taiwan, several not far from Taipei. You can stay in cabins, and places also provide gear for hire if you need it. Our tent site was only $400 which included use of the bathrooms, hot showers, electrical outlets, and grounds which boasted a very nice tennis court.
- Kids love camping. I'd forgotten this part. It is really easy to entertain kids when you take them to an open space, provide friends and a few bits of sports of equipment and food. My favorite quote was my son's, right before bed, "I love camping. I feel so free, with nobody telling me what to do and when."
- Parents love camping. Sit back, supervise the kids, and hang out with your friends. Much better than dragging protesting boys and girls through supermarkets and shopping malls or putting up with the noise of an indoor playspace.
- Camping is cheap. In Taiwan, you can pick up camping gear at pretty good prices online, from Costco, or from camping stores. (About $2,000 for a four-person tent.) You can also hire it from a friend of ours here (You can email them in English:dbk.dbk@hotmail.com). If you stay in a camping ground, things like barbecues and tables are already there, so you don't need to worry about getting those.
