Many articles and books have been written in recent years about culture in or

Camping
   All right, everyone, please be seated. Tomorrow morning, we are setting out for our camping holiday in the North-West Wood. I want to Offer you some advice on what to take on a camping holiday.
    Well, let’s take equipment first. The most important items here, obviously, are your tent and your sleeping-bag. Both of these should be lightweight, otherwise you will soon regret the extra weight which you have to carry! And you should really get first-class equipment —the best quality you can afford, in fact. You won’t regret the extra expense, I can assure you from experience. Lightweight and best quality, then. I suggest you go to several shops. Have a good look around, and see what’s available. And then you’ll need some sort of stove. A small one, I suppose. There are several good ones on the market. Again it’s a question of having a look around until you find what you want. Oh, and while I think of it, don’t forget to take a torch, with a spare battery, of course. It’s the sort of thing you can easily forget, but you’ll find it’ll come in handy.
   Next, clothes. This is a more open question, of course, because obviously you will have preferences, but anyway I suggest the following. For everyday wear, shorts —let’s say two or three pairs —and perhaps a pair of long trousers too, just in case it turns cold. Several shirts. That’s the sort of thing you can decide for yourself. A jacket, of course, and a good thick sweater. You won’t need an overcoat, but a light raincoat is useful. You know the sort. The kind you can roll up and put in your pocket. And then perhaps the most important thing of all —your footwear. My advice is to get a pair of really strong shoes or boots —it depends on what you prefer —but personally I always take boots. Several pairs of socks. Oh yes, and a pair of light shoes or sandals, for when your feet are tired. I suppose there must be other things. I can’t think of anything else at the moment, but I think you ought to make a note to check this list.
   Well then —yes, the question of food. Here again I can only give you a few indications —it depends so much on what you like —but anyway there are basic things, like tea —or coffee perhaps. Then you’ll have to make up your own mind whether you want to take dried food or canned food. Dried food is lighter, of course, but I suggest canned food. It’s convenient and hygienic. Oh, by the way, do take some chocolate along too. Even though you don’t normally eat it, it’s a useful thing to have with you, especially if you get hungry in the middle of the night!
   Ok, now, medicine. Well, the best thing is to go along to the chemist’s that’s what I always do —and see what he suggests. Get him to make you up a small first aid kit. He’ll know what basic things to put in it, if you tell him you are going on a camping holiday. Oh, make sure you take some insect liquid in case you are bitten by some insects. It can easily happen in the woods.
   And then there are a number of miscellaneous things —just suggestions —no more. I suppose you’ll take a camera. In that case don’t forget your spare rolls of films. I always take a small pair of binoculars, for when I go out walking. They ’re not essential, of course, but they make life more interesting. You could take a small transistor radio. It depends where you’re going, but usually you can pick up a station —unless, that is, you prefer to forget the outside world! What else? Well, I always take along a couple of books to read. And your diary —it’s always interesting to pass the time writing up a diary —keeping a record of what you have been doing.
   All right, what else? Hum... by the way, did I mention maps? You’d better put that under the category of equipment. OK, that’s all.