Take any significant part of life and paint it a color. It鈥檚 gray. It鈥檚 gray because anything meaningful is complicated, and any other shade will paint a different picture. There鈥檚 no effort in labeling something clear-cut because we don鈥檛 have to figure out what it really is. But the world doesn鈥檛 revolve around one attitude, and while some things are black or white, most are shades of gray.

But gray has become the danger zone because contemporary culture rewards simplification. And it鈥檚 ruining us.

Our compulsion to condense life happens every day. Your job. Do you love it? If the answer鈥檚 a definite 鈥淵ES,鈥� congratulations, you鈥檙e part of an elite group that nobody likes. If it鈥檚 鈥測es, but I鈥檓 knackered鈥� or 鈥渘o, but I can鈥檛 leave,鈥� then it鈥檚 gray. Anyone saying otherwise is ignorant or can鈥檛 be bothered to hash out your issues.

The makeover of major cities is another gray zone, particularly those with rich history and diverse architectural heritage. Some argue that a revamp diminishes charm and forces people from their homes, while others think it provides a contemporary environment and a better standard of living for locals.

For me, the most offensive contraction is the black and white, us versus them, flip a coin and pick a side mentality about the West and China. Headlines aside, I鈥檝e heard it from Twitter trolls and members of my own family. You鈥檙e homesick; leave. Lockdown was painful; you must hate Shanghai. You enjoy life here; you鈥檙e brainwashed. I was called a China hater and a shill on the same day. You can鈥檛 be both, and the fact is I鈥檓 neither.

Changes to the travel policy this week threw us another curveball. Shanghai and those planning to visit learned anyone arriving in the city within five days from another province is banned from some public venues. Shane and I are on business trips, and neither of us is due home until Christmas week. We鈥檇 planned to reunite in Shanghai with enough time to get prepped and merry on mulled wine. So, what do we do? Cut short work that we believe in or forsake some traditions of our culture鈥檚 most sacred holiday?

We鈥檝e all wrestled in gray places during the COVID years. Like you, I know people who鈥檝e left China and are happily living elsewhere, and I know others who are heartbroken having gone. I know way more that are a cocktail of both. To pretend something or someone can鈥檛 be multifaceted is ridiculous and damn right dangerous. It鈥檚 not just situations we squash; it鈥檚 people. Just because some knuckle-dragging Neanderthal can鈥檛 hold two thoughts at once doesn鈥檛 mean the rest of us will go down with them. That鈥檚 why gray is my favorite color. And that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 camping.

I鈥檝e pitched a tent in the gray area. Technically I didn鈥檛 pitch it 鈥� somebody else did because I paid them to 鈥� but herein lies my point. Glamping is a label to describe outdoor escapes that don鈥檛 adhere to the traditional methods of 鈥渞oughing it.鈥� The term is polarizing, and many consider it an insult, particularly camping purists. The Oxford definition of glamping is 鈥渁 form of camping that involves accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.鈥�

According to the dictionary, glamping is a type of camping. Not that helpful because there are different definitions wherever you look. One reads: 鈥淭he activity of spending a vacation in a camp, tent or camper.鈥� Here, you only need to spend evenings on a campground to be camping. The tent could be as luxurious as you like, or not a tent at all.

Back to the Oxford definition. If the keywords are 鈥渕ore luxurious than those associated with traditional camping,鈥� then glamping is in the eye of the beholder. Whatever is more luxurious than your benchmark is glamping. In other words, camping (or glamping) is gray.

Black and white mentality is necessary. Certain things 鈥� genocide, racism, rape 鈥� are wrong no matter how you cut them. But can we agree that most of life is gray? Gray is where we live, where we love, and where we learn. If you鈥檙e afraid of gray or unwilling to go there, you鈥檒l never really know anything. You鈥檒l never be mystified or surprised, and you鈥檒l never truly love anyone. Because how could you?

I like gray, and I really like gray people. Don鈥檛 mistake them for fence-sitters. Gray people are big thinkers, careful listeners and courageous leaders. The gray among us are progressive; they move society forward because they aren鈥檛 set on being right or afraid to be wrong. They鈥檙e also the best lovers. Gray is commanding. Gray is curious. Gray is sexy. Who wants to read, watch or re-enact 鈥�50 Shades of Monochrome?鈥�

I don鈥檛 just like gray; I aim for it. I want to live there, roll around and get covered with the intricacies of life.

Am I glamping? I don鈥檛 know. And frankly, I don鈥檛 care. While the conformists argue over what constitutes camping, I鈥檓 busy tending to the gray. I鈥檒l hang some fairy lights, fix a fire and crack open a bottle. It鈥檚 nice out here. Gray isn鈥檛 dull, murky or sad. Gray is human. And if you鈥檙e human, too, you鈥檙e welcome to join me. I鈥檒l toast the marshmallows while I wait.

Anji County 瀹夊悏

Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province, is on many travelers鈥� bucket lists. This handsome city is an obvious highlight, boasting picture-perfect landscapes at an arm鈥檚 length from Shanghai. When looking to head for the hills, many visit the bamboo groves and tea fields of Moganshan to stay at one of its stylish (and pricy) resorts. To the northwest of Zhejiang is Anji, otherwise known as 鈥淐hina鈥檚 bamboo village.鈥� Famed for its scenes in the film 鈥淐rouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,鈥� the county is also where the Huangpu River originates. Anji is a natural pick for basking in the authentic luxury of the outdoors.

Getting there (from Shanghai)

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station 鈥� Hangzhou East Railway Station 鈥� Anji Railway Station

Approximately 2 hours

Approximately 2.5-3 hours

Where I stayed

51Camp Anji (Hanjiang Lonely Shadow Camp)

Chiwu Village, Xiaofeng Town, Anji County, Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province