For Easter this year we went camping with some friends who have a rural property. It was absolutely fantastic!
I'm not a camper - we used to go camping when I was younger, but I haven't done it in 20 years. My husband and I bought a tent and some sleeping bags a year or so ago. He told me he loves camping and fishing and all that outdoor stuff - yet in the 4 years we've been together, he hasn't tried to go once. I was super sceptical when our friends suggested we accompany them for the weekend, but my husband seemed keen so we went along.
A couple of conversations with our friends to sort out who was bringing what made me a little more excited, but also brought attention to the fact that I had NO IDEA HOW TO CAMP.
Fast forward to the day of departure and we got a phone call that our friend's baby daughter was sick and they needed to take her to the doctor, so we would be delayed by a couple of hours. After that small hiccup, we were off!
The weekend was filled with a lot of marshmallows, building and poking fires, walking, and generally just sitting around talking nonsense. I learned how to cook all sorts of things on a fire, in coals, and on a barbecue. I learned how to watch someone else put up a tent, how to use a long-drop (that's a bush toilet for those who don't know!), and how to avoid doing the dishes by volunteering to cook.
It was an awesome weekend. It was a lot of work to get there, and quite a bit once we got home with all the washing and cleaning and unpacking.... but I was super relaxed and it was so nice to get away from all the hustle and bustle. We didn't have phone reception or internet access so we were truly cut off from the outside world.
We'll be doing it again once the weather warms up again - I may not be a princess when it comes to not having a shower or power.... but I hate being cold!!
