At the end of November, Hue Tam and her husband went to Drenthe, a province in the northeast of the land of tulips, to camp. The train ride from the city of Hilversum, in the north of the Netherlands, to Drenthe lasted 2 hours. After arriving at the last station, Tam and her husband walked for about 30 minutes to the campsite in the forest.
Hue Tam called this trip a journey into the forest to find the scent of autumn, to inhale the characteristic smells of tree bark, branches, dried fruits, the smell of damp soil and mushrooms. She believes that the forest is the destination to enjoy the most distinct differences in the scent of autumn. “People say, images and sounds tell the story, but the scent is what creates the experience,” she said.
The couple rented a Mongolian-style tent (yurt) for 300 euros for a 3-day, 2-night camping trip. The tent was equipped with many layers of insulation, warm blankets and pillows.
This time, Tam’s experience in the forest is called glamping (glamorous camping), a type of camping to blend in with nature without having to carry too many things. Everything is rented out, and Tam only needs to bring personal items and food. The tent is fully equipped with cooking utensils, tables, and chairs to cook outdoors.
Under the shimmering lights, Viet Anh, Tam’s husband, strummed the guitar and sang his wife the song Autumn Leaves by Joseph Kosma. Tam said that cases of the Omicron variant have appeared in the Netherlands, so the government of this country has increased disease prevention measures such as closing shops early from 8 p.m., and people going out must wear masks. Tam is currently staying at home and waiting for further updates from the government to decide where to go for Christmas. If the epidemic situation is too complicated, she will stay home.
