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We may speak the same language, but they certainly do things differently across the pond. Case in point: British gossip rags are atwitter with the news that singer-guitarist Jamie Cook of British art-rockers The Arctic Monkeys chose to take his model girlfriend Katie Downes camping for her birthday. Of course, what the English call camping isn’t necessarily the same as our version:
Armed with wellies, macs and a slab of Kendal mint cake, the gang piled their cars up with booze and went back to nature.
OK, the booze I can relate to, but wellies and macs? Is that some kind of ultralight gear I haven’t heard about?
A pal said: “Jamie and Katie don’t like living their relationship in the limelight, so he wanted to do something fun for her birthday some place they wouldn’t get recognised.” And let’s face it, the last thing you’d expect to see if you were yomping through the wilds would be a rock star and his glamour girl struggling to pitch a tent.
I don’t know exactly what it is, but the next time I go camping I’m going to make damn sure I do some “yomping.” Glacier, Arches, Rainier — it doesn’t matter. There will be yomping.
“That was the whole point,” continued our source. “It was a really romantic gesture and Katie thought it was a right laugh. The pair of them are like lovesick puppies, it’s so cute.
They went for drinks in the pubs around Keswick and ended up partying until all hours in the field.
Park-side pubs? I can see the benefits, but that doesn’t mean I necessarily want a sports bar right next to the Glacier Basin campground in RMNP. Still, it sounds like fun — one day, I’ll have to go camping in this England place. Eh, guv’nuh?
— Ted Alvarez
Millionaire Arctic Monkeys star takes girlfriend camping (Mirror)