By: Blonde Two
The Two Blondes have recently been doing a bit of academic pseudo-study. We have been discussing the hypothesis of Type One, Type Two and Type Three Fun. This most excellent conjecture suggests that there are three types of fun and that they can be applied in particular to the outdoors.
Type One Fun is just that… it is fun. On a typical Type One expedition, there would be sunshine, laughter and clear, fresh air. Photos would be of wide views and clear skies. Everybody would go home happy and feeling like they had had a great time. The Two Blondes have had a few such expeditions with some of our wonderful youngsters, but Type Two is more common.
Type Two Fun is the fun that isn’t funny to start with. On a Type Two expedition, there will be difficulty, there will be tricky decisions to make and there might even be tears. A Type Two expedition is likely to include rain, wind and a few bogs. Someone might get lost, someone else might struggle physically, someone will go home feeling fed-up. The thing about a Type Two expedition though is that it provides after-the-event pleasure. Eventually you will look back on the expedition and smile, it will probably even become a treasured memory. We Blondes have made many of these memories, both for ourselves, and hopefully for our youngsters.
Type Three Fun isn’t really fun at all. It is the expedition that went completely wrong, the one when you couldn’t keep up with anyone and the one where you discovered that your waterproofs weren’t after all. Type Three Fun is hard slog and discomfort, it is the one that makes you think you will never do that again, even weeks afterwards. We Blondes have discussed Type Three Fun along with the others, and we have decided that we have never had such an expedition. We ran a few through the hypothesis tester. How about the one when I broke my ankle? Nope, definitely Type Two, there was a helicopter, the lads carried my stretcher and I had a great story to tell. What about the one where we nearly had to call Dartmoor Rescue out for a lost team? Not that one either. We worked it out and found the team just before dark, lessons were learnt and again, there was a great story to tell afterwards.
If I was you, I would aim for a Type One Expedition every time, but don’t be too disappointed if you get a Type Two instead. In the end, Type Two’s are the expeditions you treasure, the ones you hold in your heart, the ones that make you think, ‘I did that!’
Type one is there for anybody who enjoys being outdoors and appreciates the observance of the natural world, perhaps taking the dog for a walk in the kind of conditions you describe, but through some accident or unforeseen circumstance that can quickly degenerate into one of the other two.
Type two and three are quite different assuming they comprise of a challenge decided on at the outset. Enjoyment, or “fun” throughout, if you consider the exact meaning of those words is not necessarily part of the deal. There may be individual periods of enjoyment where you are performing within your capabilities, but if it is a proper challenge you will go beyond enjoyment, but what is experienced is satisfaction in overcoming those kind of difficulties and completing the challenge, or even if not achieved, in knowing that you gave it your best.
Rising to challenges and solving problems are inherent motivations of the human condition resulting in our progress as a species. Challenges are not only physical – think of the endless examples of scientific discovery, creation of powerful art, raising a target figure for a charity, mastering an acclaimed performance of music, all likely to involve hard work and huge mental application, often extended over long time periods.
Back to Type 3 as a physical challenge. Have I ever thought. “never again”. The answer is “no” but perhaps with the caveat “not for quite some time!”
Ah the contrast between, ‘not for quite some time’ and ‘let’s go again tomorrow’ – I can’t remember the last time I said the latter!
Retrospective fun – yes, most long distance walks, for a start, and quite a few bits of backpacking had their moments too. Never yet had a type 3; nor do I want one; but I do hope I am ready, if it happens, to turn it into a type 2 somehow.
Maybe that is the key to avoiding Type Three – Be Prepared as Mr Baden-Powell said!
The best part is we are heading into type 2 fun. Winter. More chance of the rain, wind and hopefully snow. I remember being in the Lakes, on a walk I’d planned to take in some snow, not too much but enough to give that flavour we desire. However I ended up wading through thigh deep snow. Laughing. Out loud. On how stupid I was to think that i could get away with a taster experience. I loved it afterwards, at the time there’s that sense of terror that keeps you gripped in the now and thinking when will this end. Its a two that becomes a zero, above a one, because it has that quality of I was there and loved it.
Exactly the sort of thing we were talking about. Bring on the winter! Mind you on Dartmoor you are more likely to sink into a bog than into snow!
And then there’s Type Four Fun when having disdained Everest (agreeing with Joe Brown that it’s “a dull slog”) you rise, as if on wings, up the much harder K2, swimming through avalanches, surviving on hearts-glow in sub-zero temperatures, effortlessly unpicking nylon rope to give yourself more security, and finding a huge and unexpected pack of raisins in an anorak pocket. Emerging in tranquil and windless sunshine at the top with all day to effect your descent.
Imaginary? Of course it’s imaginary! But it’s based on hard-won knowledge of techniques learned and experiences passed through. It’s a dream, yes, but not a dream available to the uninitiated. OK it doesn’t have to be K2 it could be in the Peak District. It’s a dream only the elite can enjoy. A dream that’s been earned. Proof you can control your sleeping as well as your waking moments.
Otherwise the very old have no fun at all.
I am definitely liking this Type Four Fun Robbie. The informed dream, I shall now look forwards to joining the ranks of the ‘very old’!