Driving a car allows you to choose your own route and discover new things.
For Mr. Asakura, who often drives a car on a regular basis, time spent in the car is refreshing.
When I am driving alone, I often listen to music. I don't really think about anything in particular, and before I know it, I'm completely absorbed in the music. By the time I reach my destination, my mind is refreshed, or rather, cleared. It's like taking a bath. My mind switches off."
Such an effect is difficult to obtain with public transportation such as trains and buses. It may be something that can only be felt through the act of "driving.
In the case of trains and buses, the routes are predetermined, but in the case of cars, you can choose your own route. But with a car, you can choose your own route. Of course, there are times when I rely on the navigation system, but if I know a place or a direction, I subconsciously think about what route to take. This kind of mental exercise is what makes it different from public transportation.
As Asakura says he tries to avoid taking the train or bus as much as possible, and instead bicycles, walks, or drives.
When you decide your own route, you discover new things. For example, if I take a different route than I normally take in my car, I can notice things like, 'I didn't know there was such and such a store. It is difficult to make such discoveries when you are in the same routine. In that sense, being able to choose your own route is a good thing.
When you are in nature, you have the sensation of moving muscles that are different from those you normally use.
We talked about cars and driving for a little more than an hour. The "Kangoo" arrived safely at West Lake. Without taking a break, we started setting up the camp site as soon as we arrived.
When you live in the city, it's hard to find time to spend time in nature like this. I enjoy getting in the car, driving around, and enjoying the mountains, rivers, oceans, and lakes. I think that is the simple reason why everyone loves camping. Even if it is only once a month, having this kind of time changes your mood. I think it is very important to get out of the routine.
Mr. Asakura is steadily assembling the tent with his experienced hands. While working with his hands, he talked about the physical changes he feels when he comes into nature.
When you come to a place like this, you get the feeling that your field of vision is opening up. I feel as if my eyesight has improved. It's like my physical senses are sharpened.
After setting up the tent, it was time to change clothes and get ready to inflate the sap board. He seemed very motivated, saying, "It's a beautiful day, and it looks like it's going to be really nice."
This is only my fifth time to do it in total, but it is a very deep activity. There are many different types of boards, and it's fun to paddle the oars and suddenly make a sharp turn. Today's board is thicker and more buoyant, so it doesn't turn as smoothly, but I'm still very happy to be able to play here in the nice weather.
While talking about this, I picked up my board and landed in the lake. First, we kneel down and slowly ease ourselves into the water.
Just like paddling in surfing, you paddle the oars to move forward in sap, and the more you paddle, the more you move forward. The more you paddle, the more you move forward, which is fun. That is a great feeling. There is a trick to the way the oar is exposed to the water and the way it is pulled out, and a good paddler can row straight ahead even if he rows on only one side of the boat. I think it will be a lot more fun once you get to that level.
Mr. Asakura moves swiftly around the lake on his board, paddling the oars. His expression gradually became serious.
When you live in the city, you can't have this kind of fun on a daily basis. It is fun to be able to experience something out of the ordinary, or to have a gap from your normal life. For example, mountain climbing makes you breathless, doesn't it? Similarly, I don't think you get out of breath so much when just walking along the streets in the city. Swimming in a swimming pool is totally different from swimming in the ocean. When you are in nature, you have the sensation of moving muscles different from those you normally use, and I like that.
