So do you camp? Camping Escapades - Part 1

The song lyrics say “people never change, they just remain the same” however I have a confession to make. I am now a camper…almost.

Okay so I am not totally on board with the camping. I would say about ¾’s of me or even 80 % of my  Aquarian nature is totally down with camping. And well let’s just say the remaining 20 % is clinging with tooth and nail to the mod cons and luxuries of home or resort holidaying. Anyone who knew me growing up will remember me declaring I would never holiday where you can't plug in your hairdryer. Aah the things you do for love.

I was spared from camping as a child by our family holidaying in the family holiday house in the same spot each year. My husband on the other hand camped several times with his family and recalls playing a card game where the cards were made from bush leaves. Can you see we were approaching the holiday style from differing ends of the spectrum?

Basically I had no warm and fuzzy childhood memories attached to camping. Going prawning, another thing altogether. But back to camping.

I really only had  my Year 12 camping expedition for experience. Total and absolute hell. We had to pitched our tent in the dark and of course we pitched ours over a wombat hole, it rained and we had our tampons and toilet paper rationed to us by the male hiking instructor. Let’s just say that Outward Bound adventures and I are cut from a different cloth.

Yet when we were OS we camped in Greece and I loved it. Sure I would have loved a Leading Hotel of the World more but by choosing camping we spent 8, that’s right 8 glorious weeks chilling out in the Greek Islands. Pure backpacking bliss. We spent 12 nights in Santorini while most people spend 2-4 nights.

Milos Camping

In Europe I discovered camping is not a poor persons alternative to a hotel room, camping is a serious addiction and some of the resorts were five star with infinity pools and fridges to store your food. The downside was that everything is so bare in Greece you were pitching your tent in the dirt.

But the camping experience in the Meditteranean won me over. It was so relaxing, filled with sunshine and one million stars which lit up the Northern Hemisphere sky. I can still vividly recall camping under olive trees in Crete.

Fastforward, and then rewind slightly, to a few weeks ago. Hubby and I camped for the first time since back in Oz. We finally made a decision about a car and having purchased our Volvo station wagon with LOADS of boot space {and gorgeous leather interior} we were keen to fill it up with equipment and get away. Nick’ s birthday seemed the perfect occasion.

Now when Nick said “I’d  love to go camping for my birthday” I thought that sounded great.  A cheap, getaway that might help the travel itch. With great enthusiasm we went to Anaconda and purchased new thermorests, a billy, water bottles, PDF and other bits and pieces.


Only problem was Nick and I held totally different images in our mind of what that camping experience would be like. I thought warm, sunny destination in a kid friendly camping area close to somewhere to kayak. I was thinking Myall Lakes National Park was looking good. Hubby on the other hand was thinking free bush camping or as close as he could get with no toilets, no showers and no BBQ facilities. 

So we compromised and chose a camping spot inland in line with Mittagong. Can you hear the banjo playing twang. The campsite was owned by some serious hillbillies (Nick's comment not mine so you know they were hardcore for him to comment). It was tucked down in the bottom of a valley and the campers next to us had been camping here for years.

The site itself was grassed and right on the river bank for easy swimming and kayaking. There was not a shower in sight. There was a toilet but the smell, oh my lord!

It was a shame the kayaking was dreadful. The river was brown with silt and at one stage my paddle almost got wedged between two rocks mid stroke. The river itself was interrupted by rapids which would have been wonderful had they been flowing in the opposite direction.

It didn’t take us long to get unpacked and soon we were chilling out in the shade while Raya ran around in her knickers knowing she was happily going to escape  a shower that night and practicing her throwing and catching with daddy.

In an attempt to embrace this camping trip I had packed more marshmellows than we could  have possibly eaten although Raya gave it her best effort. All Raya talked about was those marshmellows. I also pre-made damper which we wrapped around sticks, toasted and then filled with golden syrup.

As we sat around the campfire I felt so relaxed. There is something really special about a campfire and the sky was filled with stars, unlike the city night sky.


So what is your problem with camping you ask? What the toilet situation is not enough


Yes till this point in the trip things were going smoothly, compost toilet and all.  Until I went to wash up and get changed.


"Nick where's my black pants and underwear". Unidentifiable grunt offered as a reply.


"NICK" I yelled from within the tent as if my husband had genie skills and could make a change  of underwear appear.


I had no change of underwear. I had swam in silty water, sweated like a maniac in the humidity, had no shower and now no change of clean underwear. You have got to be joking.


As I was packing my bag to leave I had got interrupted by my daughter. I had changes of clothes and underwear in a pile on the bed RIGHT next to the black bag - and then nick had yelled out 'Can I take the bag". Thinking he would have thrown in the piles of clothes I said "Yep".


On further questioning Nick explained that he believed the piles were things I had taken out of my bag because I wanted to pack light. Yeah right like that is ever going to happen.I am the queen of the orange label heavy sticker on your suitcase.


All of a sudden the back to nature feel good vibe we had happening was feeling sweatier, stickier and dirtier. Nick thought it was hilarious and like any wife can tell you, humour at a time like this definetely improves the situation.


Day two was going to be interesting!