h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just come back from the camping holiday. It was a bit like the curate's egg. I got the timing wrong, so on the Friday, which I'd taken off to pack, I looked at the joining instructions and found it started that very day. I rang to say I'd be late and was asked if I could make it for the specified time, or later that evening. I said, no, I couldn't as the top box and roof rack were still in the cellar and I hadn't started packing at all. I promised to arrive before morning meeting the next day, by 9am if possible.

I found packing difficult - almost as if I didn't really want to go and I still had a few things to pack the following morning. Nevertheless, we arrived on camp by 9.10am, well in time for the morning meeting. It was raining. After morning meeting, everyone trotted off to the morning activities and I was left on my own to try to put the tent up. The ground was rock hard and I couldn't find where I'd put the mallet so every time I got one side of the tent up, when I tried to put the other side up, the pegs from the first side came out. I got very discouraged and decided the best thing would be to go home, so I went to find little , who was understandably upset, as he'd been looking forward to the week. One of the organisers overheard me and took me to the main organiser, who got me a cup of tea and organised some help. We had to wait for quite a while for the heavy rain to stop and in the end I had a couple of people to help put it up, with a borrowed mallet.

The rain continued off and on for a couple of days and I took the time to do some reading. Not little , though. He enjoyed himself whatever the weather.

In the end, when it came to the closing circle, he said that he was thankful for the weather both the bits of sunshine that we had and for the rain, which I thought was lovely.

I didn't do some of the things which I would normally have done. I would have liked to have done the archery and fire-making, but there were too many people wanting to do them and I didn't want to compete to get a bow or a bow-drill. I've never been planted like a tree, which I'm told is a wonderful experience and I didn't feel like the sweat lodge. Another time!

I was asked to do some story-telling while people were going in the sweat lodge to keep the children amused, and I told three Baba Yaga stories and my new Lakota one, 'No Moccasins' plus a couple of other Lakota stories. Very appropriate for a camp based on the teachings of Tom Brown. Some of the children also told stories and I got some very good feedback.

I did manage to go the whole week wheat-free and dairy-free, which was a real achievement and the cook was brilliant at sorting out wheat-free alternatives, eg rice instead of pasta. I'd forgotten my pans, so I had to give most of the food I brought with me to the kitchen, but I did keep the eggs and someone lent me a small frying pan so I had fried eggs in the morning. Delicious.

You still sound tired. I hope you managed to get some rest once you got the tent up etc. I HATE tents, so I know how you feel. Even when you know what you are doing it goes wrong. Being tired too, never helps.

I am glad you stayed after all for little .

We have had thunder, lightning and torrential rain over the last couple of days, bot nice but the gardens, birds and badgers are grateful even if we are not!!


Websailor

Hi Websailor

Oh I did a lot of sleeping on Camp, Websailor. Even though I didn't really feel up to it in the beginning, I realised that I didn't have to join in the sessions and that reading and sleeping instead was an option.

This is the tent I have http://www.relumcamping.co.uk/pages/details/sahara.htm - well - the older version. It comes in four parts and is a bit big and cumbersome, but once it's up it's really great - spacious and airy. If it gets really hot, I can life the skirts as it comes with a separate groundsheet.

I got the departure date wrong too - I thought we stayed a day later. Little was really sad about coming back home. He's been a bit off colour - and so have I. Not quite sure why.

Glad you got a rest. I said I hated Tents, but I loved camping

I find a change of water can upset me, but perhaps it is the weather too, it is so changeable.

Getting your dates wrong suggests you are a bit stressed. Take it easy. I hope you can enjoy the rest of the shcool holidays. Are you off work for the duration, or do you have little looked after?

Off for some shortly myself. Feeling very sneezy!



Websailor

Always good to get back to the home comforts you take for granted after living in a tent.



Trout

Welcome back to solid walls and not so bumpy floors.

You're a good mom to endure that for little FISH


AV

Very dear ZSF and little

You are totally devoted. I doubt whether I could stick to camping - my father loved it and when we were small we used to go camping in the back of beyond in Africa. And I have had a healthy dislike of it ever since!!

Do hope you are feeling better. Lovely stories you told the children. I know I have copies of the stories when you first wrote them. Hope I can find them!!.
Still problems with the computer but am getting used to having no news from the family.

Much affection to you both .

Christiane

Hi Websailor

'Getting your dates wrong suggests you are a bit stressed.' Mmm, yes - I think it's fair to say that I was frazzled. At the end of the camp, one of the chaps told me that I looked quite different from the beginning of the camp. I suspect that by that time I had relaxed and was feeling quite chilled. How can you hate tents and love camping (ah, maybe you like caravans?)?

Am I off during the school holidays? A but of both - little is at play school this week and I'm off with him the following week as play school provision ends and school doesn't start until 6 September (the day after his birthday).

Is the sneeziness hay fever or something else? You sound as if you need looking after yourself!

Hi DMT!

Yes, the thing I appreciated best was my nice warm bed, that I didn't fall out of as it's not on a slope!

Hi AV!

Oh, the beginning was a bit of an endurance test, but by the end, I felt as thought I'd just arrived and I would have been quite happy to have stayed a few more days, so it wasn't all trials and tribulations. I suspect that the difficulties at the beginning were more due to my state of mind than the other factors.

Oh dear, AR1 - so you have a healthy dislike of camping. Whatever did your dad subject you to?

As well as the Baba Yaga stories, I told this one: http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/excerpts/exc_20021127.shtml which is brilliant, as it has a female hero who shows exceptional courage, and who also has the quality of humility - the one strength that gives meaning to the others. It also shows the value of older people and I love the idea that 'Every old person is a collection of stories'. Isn't that lovely - and so true.

I'm sorry to hear that you're still having challenges with your computer. I do hope you get them sorted out soon. Is it just e-mails that you can't receive?