Inflation

They have increased all of the monetary values in this version of the game. To buy a house costs anywhere between £500k and £2m so that sounds “about right” in todays climate, if you can get a mortgage, but that’s a different blog for a different day!
Passing “Go” credits the user with £2m, I just wish I had that sort of regular income ! Mind you if I has the initial capital of £15m would I care?

“Bank” Card

The plastic card that each use is given is branded as “Visa”. I have not checked the booklet to see if they use the term “credit” or “debit”, but Connor immediately used the term “credit card”. This is strange as the credit card is something that we very rarely use so he is obviously just picking this up from TV.
I must admit that I did get a shiver down my spine when he kept saying “I’ll just buy that with my Credit Card!”

Visibility

Just yesterday I was listening to a radio article which highlighted that the majority of people in debt do not know how much debt they have. This game just propogates that concept. Connor would periodically ask me to check how much money was on his card, but when we play the traditional game he has a huge wedge of cash in front of him and is is easy for him to see how much he is beating my by !

I know that this is just a game. The reason that this was one of my favourites was two fold.
1) It taught you the value of items, you have to save for them if you can’t afford then right now.
2) It got kids used to handling cash and reinforced the fact that it is a transaction, they are giving something to get something in return.

I feel that this is a step to far and simply waving a credit card to buy things until you run out of money is not something that I particularly want to encourage.

Where did I put the “old” version?

We started off the day with a discussion on what “Backwoods” actually means and how it’s as much about preparing your mind as it is your body and your kit. Patrick was able to describe just about every plant, weed, shrub and tree that we passed and gave us the chance to sample all of the edible morsels that we could find as we walked through the woods. We also discussed the materials that could be obtained and what could be made from them, this included everything from cordage to fish traps to which wood was the hottest and brightest to burn.

We then had a long talk on knife safety as much for my benefit as for Sarah (12) and Connor (8). It was then time to put these skills to the test. Connor had chosen to make a bow and arrow whilst Sarah and I would be making a fire bow. Again plenty of time was spent showing us the steps required. One of Patrick’s principles is to learn by doing. He may well show you how to do something, but you don’t take what he starts and finish it, you have to reproduce the steps he has shown you. This obviously takes a little longer but is MUCH more rewarding.

The only complaint that I could possibly have is that; as I had to pay so much attention to completing my own task, I completely missed the finer details of how to make arrows. I’ll need to see what Connor remembers. The only bit I picked up on was using dried dogfish skin to sand the shaft.

Our creations complete, it was time for a well earned (I thought) cup of tea. Patrick demonstrated fire starting using a fire bow and also using flint and steel in conjunction with some fungus.

After the tea it was time to put my firebow and my stamina to the test. I did manage to get it burned in. I did manage to produce smoke. I even managed to burn my finger, by poking it in to “see how hot it was”. The main thing I was struggling with was bowing level, so i was a bit stop and start. I will be practicing this over the next few weeks.

Next it was time to “hunt” for our “dinner”. Patcick had brought along one of his hand made blowpipes and we took it in turns to pop a handily placed balloon. Despite my previous reputation as a blowhard it was Sarah who had the best combinatio of puff and aim.

It was then time to head back to the car, sampling some more nibbles on the way and also giving Connor a chance to try out his bow and arrow in an open field.

All in all a fantastic day, proof of the pudding, the kids want to go back again. I am going back, I have booked to go on the next available Backwoodsman course which lasts a whole weekend.

It has been a fairly uneventful holiday so far. Did some decorating:

• Connor’s bedroom ceiling (he has not chosen main colours yet)
• Main bathroom
• Upstairs Hall
• Stairs
• Downstairs Hall
• Downstairs Bathroom.

All painted.

Time for a day off now.

Tomorrow, myself Connor and Sarah are off to meet Patrick McGlinchey he is the main instructor at the Backwoods Survival School.

I’ll update here with all of the things we cover.

Ross