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The One Reason We Camp

As has been so often repeated, our society these days is caught up with TV, computers, cell phones, and constant electronic input. People find themselves absorbed with work, their day to day lives, and the onslaught of modern media. They burn themselves out and don’t spend as much quality time with their family and old friends as they would like or feel they need.

Sometimes there is just a need to get away, to add a little diversity to our lives in a different environment, and in a more peaceful setting. Spending time outdoors is the perfect way to do this, especially if it’s with Friends and Family. Camping brings people closer together, and helps renew our energy and old bonds.

Camping and participating in outdoor activities with those we care about blows away any corporate team building you may participate in. Plus it’s a great way to stay healthy. Hiking, boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, and bike riding are all activities you can participate in together as part of almost any camping weekend or vacation. And who wouldn’t admit that these things are better for us than sitting home on the weekend watching TV.

When it comes to kids, you can use the camping experience to teach them about the outdoors, about cooking, how to set up a tent, how to start a fire, and of course how to put the fire out safely. You can use the opportunity to teach them to swim, boat, canoe, fish and how to care for the environment. It is a learning experience for kids and adults. A way to bring families together. A way to create lifelong memories.

And since we mentioned cooking; preparing and sharing meals in the outdoors is best when you come prepared and have planned your meals. A good propane stove or grill helps too. A communal meal with everyone sharing stories of the day, while they eat, and around a blazing campfire afterward, is often the true highlight of the day.

There is definitely a feeling of freedom we get when we leave the world behind, and are focused on making a life in the outdoors, even if it’s only for a couple of days. It’s revelry with loved ones, and being out under the stars, with a campfire burning, after an active day and a good meal, that gives us a feeling of satisfaction close to spirituality. It transcends our daily lives during time we’re out there.

So back to original question. What is the reason we camp. Is it a love of the outdoors? A social opportunity? The fact that it’s a healthy alternative? Some people say it is to test themselves and to prove they can survive. Some say it is communing with nature they enjoy. It may be that you like the camaraderie of being with friends and family or the feeling of accomplishment of having hiked and conquered a mountain. Maybe it’s because it is an economical way to vacation, or even an educational opportunity for your kids. It could be all of the above.

Whatever your reason for camping, what it really comes down to is, that if you like to camp, it’s because you enjoy it and it makes you happy. According to Wikipedia, happiness a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy”. So if you are one of those people who find contentment, satisfaction, pleasure and joy in camping, and it makes you happy…pack your tents and stoves and keep on camping.

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Costa Rica – A Destination With Unparalleled Beauty

Costa Rica is a magnificent destination located in Central America. The destination is flanked by the Caribbean and the Pacific, to the north, Nicaragua is located, and to the south Panama is situated. The location of this destination is unique in the sense that it is located at the confluence of two continents and two oceans. The city is environment friendly, and the sensitivity shown by the Costa Ricans towards the environment are exemplary. About one fourth of the total area is set aside for the national parks and protected areas. This is the reason, this destination boasts of some unique, rare and endangered flora and fauna mesmerizing environmentalists. These days, cheap flight deals on several flights plying their services to this destination are easily available.

Encompassing the Central America isthmus, this city forms an essential link in the series of small nations joined together. It is fascinating to note that about five percent of the world’s biodiversity is available in the city. About 800 fern species, 2000 types of trees, 1000 types of orchids and 200 mammal species can be seen. Several flights to Costa Rica like British Airways ply their services to this unique destination. A wide range of pristine beaches with white, sandy shores mesmerizes the guests. Four mountain ranges shape the insides of the city. From North to South, the mountain ranges run. Nestled amidst a highland valley, the capital of the destination, San Jose is set. If a visitor simply wishes to unwind, one need not look further than this destination. This extraordinary place is located at the confluence of the continents and oceans; this place is just like a soothing balm for frayed nerves. One can rest in the palm lined shores and enjoy living in the quaint little towns located close by. One can cap the day with a visit to the Caribbean Coast. There are many rivers that meander through the destination at a leisurely pace. The most prominent river flowing through this area is the Reventazon. There are two peninsulas, the Osa and the Nicoya that extends into the Pacific.

The climate of this picturesque destination is a treat for the visitors coming here through cheap flights to Costa Rica. Mild and subtropical climate are a treat for the vacationers. This weather is experienced round the year. As per the elevation, the range of temperature varies. As one goes higher up, the atmosphere becomes cooler. Rainy season continues from May to November and from February to April, the destination experiences a dry spell. On the whole, the destination is perfect for a rejuvenating experience. Availability of cheap tickets to Costa Rica has enhanced the number of tourists coming to this mesmerizing destination.

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Slow Food and Its Positive Influence

In a recent conversation with a friend, I learned about an outstanding grassroots organization called Slow Food, whose global actions have inspired and encouraged positive solutions to our broken food systems. It is a wonderful concept that has actually been around for twenty years! With my careful eating habits and passion for good, wholesome and organic foods, I was surprised that this global movement had some how slipped by me.

What exactly is Slow Food?

Slow Food was founded in 1989 in Italy. It began as an idea, as a direct response to the rise of the fast food industry that invaded Europe, and the ever-accelerating pace of life. The founders were concerned about the decline in local traditional foods, and that people did not seem to care what they were eating, how it tastes, or where it came from. There was a growing awareness of a world that relied on monoculture rather than on biodiversity.

Slow Food represents more than just the food we eat. It is a way of life that encompasses a whole lifestyle approach to living a better, cleaner, and a slower life. It embraces how we process and distribute our food, and our relationship to the environment. It promotes a sustainable way of producing the food we eat. They form alliances with other groups, farmers, and businesses that share the same ideals and desires to preserve, develop and promote local economies and responsible food productions. Today, Slow Food has developed into an international organization that is continually adding new nations and local community branches throughout the world. Their outreach programs include food events and fairs that bring producers and consumers together, food and taste education projects, international and local symposiums. They work tirelessly to protect and defend food biodiversity and traditions, and they create new economic models that are put into practice in different regions throughout the world.

Anyone can get involved. You can visit their website and become a member, learn more, and become informed about what is going on. They provide a list of all nation members. In the United States, they are headquartered in New York. Search for your own state, or even local community. That would be the best way to get involved, on the local level.

Food is one of our deepest connections to one another, to the environment, and to all living things. Imagine the bountiful foods set before us, the preparations made with love and care, and the gathering of the clan, the family, and the community. We all come together to share – our food, drink, and good conversation. When we nurture our relationship to the earth that provides us with all this rich variety and bounty – a relationship that is closely bonded in respect and care – we will begin to heal, both our selves and our precious earth.

It feels good to know that there are great things going on in the world. Positive and powerful movements that I feel certain will help lift human consciousness to a higher state of being.