Vacation? I have vacation?

Aug 31, 2006 Author: Veronica | Filed under: out and about

I was out having drinks with some people in Lower Haight last weekend, and I was asking my friend Megan what she was up to this Labor Day weekend (hopefully getting her to agree to go shopping with me, because she knows all the good spots). She looked at me, obviously confused:

“Wait, aren’t you going on vacation that weekend?”

What the… holy crap! Astonished, I looked over to Naomi, and in that instant realized that we had made plans months ago to fly to Southern California for a weekend of… are you ready for this?

Camping. Yes, camping. Out in the wild. With bugs and wildlife and plants. Now, I was a Girl Scout back in the day, and I’ll still go on hikes or walk around quite a bit (although, despite living in San Francisco I have a strong aversion to hills). But it has been a long time since I’ve lived without the comforts of technology that I’ve become so accustomed to. When I told my friend Jared that I was going camping with Naomi, Mona and Allie for an entire long weekend, he burst out laughing (I assume he was laughing, he did say “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA” over IM). Then he asked, obviously concerned, “What, you have a smartphone, you’ll be able to get your feeds there, right?” If I even get cell phone reception!!

This will be good for me, I think. I need to unplug a bit, let my brain relax. Maybe swim with some dolphins (no, seriously, I think we’re swimming with dolphins). If I don’t post pictures by Tuesday night, it means I’ve been eaten by a bear. Or a dolphin. Whatever.

No related posts.

14 Responses for "Vacation? I have vacation?"

Naomi August 31st, 2006 at 8:16 am 1

We are going to die. Seriously, I will be surprised if we actually make it to see next Tuesday.

I can bring my flat iron and hair drier right?
Dan August 31st, 2006 at 8:30 am 2

Watch out for bears. They’re godless killing machines, and the #1 threat facing America.
Kato August 31st, 2006 at 8:50 am 3

You better take at least one electronic device… going cold turkey may be too great a shock to your system. During the east coast blackout a few years back my friends found me curled up in the fetal position when the power finally returned a few days later, chanting, “No… technology… so… alone… so very… cold….”

Maybe you can LARP while you are out in the woods.
Jonathan C August 31st, 2006 at 9:24 am 4

jon’s fantastical camping tips:
1. dolphins are your friends, go on, you can snuggle with dolphins as long as they already ate something.
2. dan’s right, bears are evil…like centipedes, no one likes centipedes
3. Kato’s right too, I was “fetal-ized” during the east coast blackout too, not pretty…so bring gadgets that can get power from AAA, AA, D, C, or 9V batteries…a rarity but possible
4. if you get attacked by a bear, remember any episode of FOX’s ‘When Bears Attack’. Then shout “GO AWAY! You are not wanted, go on! scat! Stay tuned for all new Ally Mcbeal!”
.
hope it helps!!
.
–jon
Pat August 31st, 2006 at 9:55 am 5

We recently petted, fed, and trained dolphins at Seaworld. It was amazing! They gave very strong warnings about trying to swim with wild dolphins, though. I hope your “encounter” will be a sanctioned one with trained dolphins? Have fun!
cmp August 31st, 2006 at 1:31 pm 6

[punkass ships!]

lol

too funny.
Rodrigo August 31st, 2006 at 1:53 pm 7

I love the wildlife, specially when it doesn’t bite me back…
-
But I have to say that bears are not that popular here. You know, monkeys doesn’t like having competition…
CoolB August 31st, 2006 at 2:11 pm 8

Jonathan C: Why bother with all that? Just mention Ally McBeal and all wildlife within hearing distance will be gone.

Seriously tho V, have fun and don’t get eaten, but hurry back cause will miss ya.
John B. August 31st, 2006 at 2:51 pm 9

Ditto CoolB. Ally McBeal will scare away anything.
Jyh August 31st, 2006 at 5:22 pm 10

ack, missed a run-in with the celebrity knowns as Veronica Belmont!

Camping isn’t so bad. We have plenty of fun hiding each other’s electronics and replacing them with rocks.

If there is one bit of advice: don’t pitch your tent on low ground because you will end up wet in the morning.

You’d be surprised how often this happens.
Chicago Sherpa August 31st, 2006 at 10:04 pm 11

And don’t forget to pitch your tent away from your food supply and if you can hanging from a tree limb that is high enough away from the bears… the food that is not the tent.

Oh… if there is any chance of rain at all dig a “y” shaped ditch around your tent where the tent is inside the bowl of the “y” and the bottom of the “y” faces uphill so that if it rains the ditch will divert the water away from your tent.

…or you could just rent a room with room service and broadband.
Nick Fey September 1st, 2006 at 4:37 am 12

Not related to vacations…but…I just heard your kitten-with-laser sound effects on BOL and I fell off my chair with cuteness overload.

Meew-peew sounds now let me know when I have new email and never fail to amuse me.

I thank you.

Nick
Gordon September 1st, 2006 at 3:44 pm 13

hey, dont forget pepper spray….. oh well, i think its too late now
victor September 2nd, 2006 at 5:46 pm 14

Enjoy your vacation. Disconnecting does wonders for the ol’ perspective…