My boy has recently become interested in 'urban exploration.' He wants to go wander around old abandoned buildings. He hasn't actually done it yet, he's just been surfing the 'net at work, reading articles by people who think it's cool. I guess he found a link and just followed it for hours yesterday. Today he was lamenting the fact that he doesn't live back East- where there are more abandoned buildings.
Personally, the thought of traipsing around abandoned warehouses, hospitals, hotels, and prisons scares me. Especially prisons, ugggh. *shiver* It just seems unnecessarily dangerous. There's a reason buildings are condemned, and it's not just because the city wants to build a parking lot there. They're in decay, they're falling apart. There's exposed wiring, sharp concrete, rusted nails, open elevator shafts, nasty furry (and not so furry) creatures, things that could kill you.
Although, I must admit, I do see the allure, and I actually like the fact that my boy wants to do something like this. He's getting really excited about it, and has already picked out potential sites. I can see how the danger can be exciting, the exploration, surprise, and inherent creepiness can be an adrenaline rush.
Besides, at least he'd rather walk around an abandoned school than, for example, ski down Mt. Everest or attend Burning Man. Snooping around in the dark is something I can handle.