Aardvark Daily

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Roughing it with hi-tech

12 December 2008

At this time of the year, Kiwis all over the country begin planning and preparing for their Christmas holiday.

Most people, especially those in high-pressure jobs, really look forward to a week or two of "getting away from it all" when they leave their normal lives behind and spend time just chilling out at their favourite holiday spot.

Most will pack a bag and stay at a motel somewhere near a beach, lake or river but many will drag out their tents or hitch up the caravan and head for a camping ground.

Yes, Kiwis love to "rough it" and get away from the trappings of modern life by getting a little closer to nature without all the conveniences we so often take for granted

Or do they?

When I was a kid, "roughing it" really did mean ditching most of the home comforts and conveniences.

I recall that every Christmas (and a few other holidays of the year) we'd load up the car and head for a little rented batch.

Just about the only "luxury" we had was electricity.

No phone, no TV, no comfortable bed (just hard unyielding bunks and bags), no "corner shop", no movie theatre -- in fact not much of anything except water and bush.

But it was great!

Compare this to today's version of "roughing it".

Just take a stroll through any camping ground in the country and you'll spot a huge number of TV aerials and Sky dishes as those who say they're "getting away from it all" find themselves unable to go cold-turkey.

It's also quite normal to see those who seek rest and relaxation to be wandering around with a frown on their brow and a cellphone pressed to their ear.

And, while mum and dad watch TV in the awning of the caravan, you'll probably find the kids playing with their PSP inside.

And, when it's time for some fishing -- dad and his mates pile into the boat, hit the electric start and cruise out into the water -- the brilliantly coloured screen of the sonar relaying vital information about the waterlife below.

GPS helps them track down the spot from which they pulled a huge haul of fish last year and their rods are of the latest carbon-fibre and titanium construction.

As they pack up to return to shore, they call up their wives using their cellphones, just to make sure that those beers are already in the fridge. Yes, they brought a small gas-powered fridge too!

And when they get back to land, they'll download the pictures they took with their digital cameras to a laptop and upload them to their MySpace page over a cellular internet connection.

So let's face it...

The vast majority of Kiwis who say they'll be "roughing it" this Christmas or who claim they'll be leaving technology behind are fooling nobody.

Hi-tech has become such an integral part of our lives that "roughing it" simply means using a slightly slower wireless internet connection rather than the full-speed DSL hookup they have at home.

Leaving technology behind means watching a 19-inch LCD TV in the caravan rather than the 42-inch plasma they left behind.

I'd like to hear from any readers who really do "rough it" over the holidays. What's your version of "roughing it"?

And just what role will technology play in your Christmas break? Will you be simply throwing a sleeping bag in your pack and tramping off into the bush? Or will you be enjoying every bit of technology you've earned over the past year?

Do Kiwis really know the meaning of "roughing it" any more?

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