Carry On Camping Or Not As The Case May Now Be!!!!!!!!!! (Camping)

Member Name: ickleannie

Product:	Camping
Date:	06/04/09 (164 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Some Good Memories

Disadvantages: Miserable

Oh my goodness why oh why was the tent ever invented. There are several things in life that I try to avoid like the plague and camping is most certainly one of them. I just don't get the whole camping thing never have and never will. I have miserable memories of my poor overly-enthusiastic father trying to gee me up and tell me that our annual trip would be a fun experience for the whole family to enjoy. Don't get me wrong we were all into walking and I must admit that I loved this part of the trip and looked forward to exploring new places and taking in some of the finest scenery that the British Isles has to offer. I have experienced some wonderful hidden gems unseen by many of the countries residents however I suppose if you want to explore unchartered territory then as my dad kept telling me the only way to see it was by camping. The joys.

In those days we had one of those hideous old canvas tents which had the ground sheet, top sheet and the so called waterproof cover over the top. The silver tent pegs too which attached to about a metre of string each to hold the whole thing up!! As sure as eggs are eggs one of the party would go outside to get something and forgetting about the ropes or the pegs would either cause them injury by scraping a leg off the peg or take a head-dive over the rope. Our tent apparently although I don't see how was a luxury version. It actually makes me smile now when I remember the thing. A four man tent well I never understood where they got that figure from unless they had employed Willie Wonkas Oompaloompas to try it out for size first. My memories are of my mum, dad, sister and I crammed into this horrendous potato sack of a thing. We did have two compartments so one for us and one for them. Thank god at twelve years old the last thing you really want to be doing is sleeping right next to your parents.

Another thing I could never understand was although we used the same tent for years there was always a problem with its assembly. Either the groundsheet was put down the wrong way or it was inside out, and why was there always a shortage of pegs. We girls would sit in the car waiting for my dad to erect this thing. Hoping and praying that this would be the year that there would be such a significant problem with it that we would be able to go back to civilisation and stay in a warm and comfy hotel room or B&B, even the car held more appeal. Anyway getting back to poor old dad the rain had started and the groundsheet was the only thing completed correctly. Mum would then tell us to go and help him. Let the fun begin, my sister and I holding this enormous piece of canvas in a force 10 gale trying to remain upright with dad frantically running round trying to bang in tent pegs. It always went up in the end.

Then the off loading from the car to the tent as a human chain began sleeping bags... stoves....... camping mats...... never quite understood why we actually bothered with these anyway. They were about as useful as a chocolate teapot and I firmly believe that a slice of bread would have done the job just as well. Food if you can call it that....rucksacks....walking boots...........waterproof clothing...........were crammed in and filled up our four man tent. The thought always crossed my mind at this point where actually where we going to fit in. We would not have the car for the next few days either so we had to get used to the idea that we would be carrying all this stuff between the four of us!!!! And the hits just keep on coming!!!

Mum always did the cooking well the pouring boiling water on some strange powdered thing in a foil packet and stirring it, handing it to us and stating with Marco Pierre Whites enthusiasm 'dinner is served' she would say. Yum yum can hardly wait. They eat this in the army and in space for survival my dad would say every year without fail. My sister and I just rolled our eyes. Followed by tea without milk and sugar and a piece of Kendal mint cake to compensate for this. At this point it is almost pitch black and realising that there was nothing else to do we decided to retire to our tent for the night at half past seven.

Sleeping in my clothes has never been something I have relished and easing myself into my sleeping bag I realised that I would have the same clothes on for at least another day too depressed me even further. I had just got myself as comfortable as you can possibly be under the circumstances when I realised that I actually needed the loo. I wriggled my way out of the bag again and struggled to find the tent zip to get myself out. I slithered on my belly elbowing my sister on my way much to her annoyance and managed to get myself out. I stood up and deciding which way I would go I had actually forgot about the tent pegs and ropes and I needless to say tripped over one. Several sweary words later I had to go back inside the tent to get a torch as I realised that I could not see my hand in front of my face never mind trying to find a suitable bush to squat behind. Peeing outdoors is for animals not humans and I could never ever get used to this.

Why is it that there is always a leak in a tent, and why is it that people who don't really snore very often wait until they have an audience before they can actually do it. The nights were oh so long, strange eerie noises heard outside, the constant howling of the wind, the rain and that irritating drip next to my ear, dad had put the small stove pan under it so actually the noise was possibly twice as loud. Combined with snoring and grunts these camping nights were among some of the longest in my life. Just as well I didn't suffer from claustrophobia in addition.

You wake up the next morning and you must have had some sleep because you feel as rough as you have ever done in your life. It is actually extremely hard to move any limbs for about the first ten minutes. Not only due to the restrictions of the sleeping bag but also because you are in so much pain from effectively sleeping on the ground all night long and are as stiff as an ironing board. It is also absolutely freezing. You feel grotty and smelly from having slept in your clothes too. As if it couldn't possibly get any worse you then notice the critters that have managed to join your party during the night. Slugs, spiders, insects god only knows how they managed to get in. Once you have managed to get outside it isn't much more pleasant, the dewy ground and the early morning mist, again having to stumble through the undergrowth trying to find somewhere to pee and washing yourself in not just cold but icy cold water. Then the realisation suddenly hits you that it is only half-past five in the morning!!!!!!!

Then after brekkie you pack up say goodbye to the car knowing that you have three more nights left like this. At this point despair sets in it may as well be the rest of your life. The thought of walking fifteen to twenty miles and then having to sleep in the tent and eat that food again and again and again. AAAAAAgggghhhhhh.

Camping it really does make you appreciate the comforts of home. As you will see I have never been a fan however what made it all worthwhile was experiencing the beautiful scenery and the sense of achievement in walking, exploring and of course the quality time spent with family. Trust me it wasn't all that bad. I still love hill-walking to this day however it is B&BS all the way now. I have very fond memories of this time and I would not have changed it for the world.

Summary: Great Scenery