Glamping anyone?

As you can see, I am a sucker for made-up words.

The latest word I've spotted in the lexicon of the hip and green is glamping, as in glamorous camping, where you can have your cake _ enjoy nature _ and eat it too _ have the creature comforts of civilization.

Imagine sleeping in a spacious and well-appointed tent, pitched for you, that comes with a real bed and 250-thread count sheets.

Only marketers can dream up a concept as ridiculous as glamping and call the resulting product green vacations. Glamping is for the suckers who are willing to pay resort prices for a novelty experience.

Glamping doesn't come cheap. For example, one Santa Barbara resort, which features both safari tents and cedar cabins, charges $145 per night for tents from April through November. Off season, the price is $125.

Glampers miss the whole point of nature, the joy of experiencing it in its pure form, with all of its rough edges.