I popped into Cotswold Camping today, just off the M20, near Maidstone. I was looking at rucksacks when a young woman and her mum also started to look at rucksacks.
We started chatting, the daughter had just finished her degree at Exeter. I asked her what she had 'read', I didn't ask what she had 'studied!' I knew I had said the right word because Mum then warmed to me! I remember being caught out by this small matter when my son was at Edinburgh Uni. On the first night, the students and their parents attended a small soiree and one parent asked me what my son was reading! I later chatted to a lecturer and he told me that's an old trick, a bit of oneupmanship of how some people try to find out if a parent, or a student. is from a lower background, or if they are they 'one of us?'
Anyway Mum was concerned because her daughter was planning to travel the world before she settled down into a job. We ended up having over an hours conversation, about rucksacks, gear, boots, clothing, safety, how to keep warm, the possibility of hostel bedbugs, etc, etc. The young woman was totally naive but had a lovely personality and Mum was just worried sick!
Mum even started to take notes! I felt that I had offered something useful to them, Mum especially was so grateful. She even asked me if I would join them in the adjacent garden centre for coffee. I was tempted but said no because I wanted to be ahead of the rush hour out of London.
Our conversation ended with me giving them tips about how to hitchhike safely! I really enjoyed it.