What do you say about an experience that leaves you the same way you felt before you experienced it? I have to admit, although there were moments of hilarious laughter and fun, camping for me is not a good thing. We had shelter that was very palatial, although we chose to stick with the initial trailer that is, in all ways, groovy and retro. The palatial accommodations were available, generously due to my friends who own the amazing camper... and we did use some of its amenities... but we bedded down in their 'shaggin' wagon' which was much older, quite quaint, and overall just fine for the time we spent camping.
Now, camping may be very different with just adults - I don't know, because I've never been camping with adults only. Children make things interesting. They're full of ambition and anticipation... and I was not. My partner in crime for the two day experience was just as full of ambition and anticipation as I, but she didn't show it. She is THE most thorough camper ever - bringing basically her entire kitchen in huge coolers in order to make sure everyone ate well, and all the comforts of home were available (in regard to eating, that is). I give her credit - she and I both bucked this experience, but she was a trooper, and came out being a heaven sent asset to what I anticipated as being 36 hours of pure hell.
Camping primarily consists of eating, sleeping, and eating... did I say eating? Yeah... it was full of that. The men of our group were all about cooking out over a fire and eating heartily. It's different when you're a vegetarian... you don't have the same things available to you, nor do you want your food to mingle directly with things such as bacon, bacon grease, ham, ham grease, or the like. It was a challenge to the cooks to make sure I ate well, and I think they succeeded. My new found 'vegan marshmallows' were a fun experience, as I haven't had a smore in 16 years. Thanks to my friend Lisa, we had farm fresh brown eggs for both mornings, although the second morning all of them went into the before said bacon grease, and I had to pass.
I did a few 'firsts' while on this trip... we all did. There were those 'giant plastic death balls' available, and we all got in, one at a time, to see how well we could navigate over water in a hamster ball... it was funny. I think it's video taped, which scares me, but I laughed a lot trying to stand up in that thing, and falling down repeatedly like some sort of drunken sailor... very interesting, and amusing. The air in those balls does get quite hot and thick, making you feel like you're breathing CO2, so each of our experiences were barely 5 minutes long, if that. I think I was out of that thing by the time 2 minutes rolled around. But, I did it - and it was fun. The peddle boats were another matter. Ben and I couldn't for the life of us steer that thing to save our souls. It became an ugly moment, but after being so frustrated that our cohorts ended up tying us to their 4-seater and dragging us to our destination, we finally got a handle on things on the way back to the docks. I guess, after hearing from others, that they are definitely difficult to navigate. It wasn't just us... There was also a slide into the 'pool' at this campsite, which most of us took turns going down. I haven't been down a pool slide in probably 25+ years, so it was nerve wracking to say the least. I screamed like a girl each time I went down... but I ended up going down it several times anyway. The weeds were thick, which freaked me right out. I was sure the Swamp Thing was going to grab me up and sink me... Everyone was a little freaked by the weeds, but it's a river, so what are you going to do? There happened to be a very entertaining 'it bike' available for use at the 'pool', which was nothing short of the most amusing part of this campsite. The it bike is a watercraft, made up of a wide floating base with a 'bike' on top, which you peddle and steer around on top of the water. The seat was broken, and my first attempt on it was in the dark, in an altered state, and was completely hilarious for the onlookers. We each had our fun with it, and suggested they have them for rent, but their limited ability to navigate the thick weeds in the river posed a problem, so they decided to forfeit that idea, and just allow the campers to use the one at the pool. If there were more of them I'm sure we would have had races and scooted around the river as a group... but the one we did have was quite fun as it was...
No spiders made homes in my hair at night, thank GOD, because I forgot my crunchy plastic shower cap at home. I can say that I was covered in mosquito bites one night after laying down and having one insist that I was going to be his meal for the day. That was annoying... to say the least. Having to shower yourself with OFF spray before bed is not an enjoyable way to lay down for the night. Overall the bugs weren't a problem... just that one bastard. And, I didn't encounter any skunks on this trip... I heard a few things, and saw what I believe was either a beaver or a large muskrat swimming near our campsite, but for the most part it was only loudly honking geese who take residence across the inlet from where we were. Both wild and domesticated geese were there... and kept staring across the way, as if to indicate their interest in the possibility of a morsel or two. The children fed the geese in the early morning, but only for a brief bit... they didn't want any part of the adults who came along to watch.
I can say that, after 24 hours, I'd had my fill. The morning of day 2 and I was spent. I didn't sleep well, I was grumpy, hot, and tired... ready for home. I think I made that obvious enough... which is a weakness of mine. I don't hold back when I have a mood. Coming home, we crashed into a nap immediately. Didn't even unpack the car first. It was just so exhausting to me overall. I can't say that I'll ever 'want' to go camping again. I didn't this time, and I probably won't next time either. I did it because the others wanted to, and it was an experience worth having, but on a very minimal basis.
I'm sorry this post isn't as amusing as the last one - but overall, this experience wasn't amusing. We did have a few moments of hilarity - one being a trip to TOPS in which we discovered we weren't as prepared to drive and shop as we initially thought. I wouldn't recommend it - because paranoia sets in, and you end up either freaking yourself out, or freaking other people out in the process of trying to gain control of your mental faculties... "How did we get here?!" and "They're onto us!" were frequent comments made during that trip. There were other quotable moments during the time spent... but my mind fails me. Maybe my partner in crime Nikki will add a comment and share some. I know her husband Joe had a couple of good ones.
We've been offered a schooling on camping by some pros I know... it may be a good idea, but not for a long time... a LONG time.
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