>>2050212Yeah, not for as long as I wanted to. Also spent some time in squats/camps.
I was a NEET and got sick of it, so off I went. To be honest I enjoyed the freedom but I wouldn't choose it over a job and stability. What the larpers don't seem to understand is that when you're living in the woods (even if you're in a makeshift shack) you're almost constantly sore, hungry, cold, and hygiene is a constant battle. Even the wilderness here in the UK is regulated, so you have to be wary of police coming to bother you, or even worse, fag hikers.
Setting up camp alone is pretty much the same as an /out/ trip, but staying at camps was one thing that I think most people haven't experienced. It's a mixed bag. I remember one time I decided to stay in this weird hippie guy's squat camp- he was the only permanent resident but there were others drifting through. Sitting round a fire, chatting with interesting people who have insane stories to tell, I really did meet some unforgettable people. Sadly most of them are seriously mentally ill, and you do have to be careful of how you act around them to avoid setting them off. There's also a danger of being roped into certain activities. At the hippie guy's squat, a lot of the vagrants there turned out to actually be "eco protestors", a bit more extreme than the XR type. You don't want to get drawn into that shit, I got out of there pretty quick.
So yeah, it's a balance. Safer to keep to yourself alone and properly /out/, but you have to venture out for food and company or you'll starve and go mad.
It's not a sustainable lifestyle, and eventually I came home and got myself a degree.
