Joy is…campfires, swags and surprises!

I kid you not, about a month ago I enthusiastically agreed - back when the weather forecast was favourable - to accompany Sharni and Johnny on a weekend camping trip up the coast.

As a comfort zone dweller, this was not normal behaviour.

Sure, I’ve slept in tents before, but these days I’m quite fond of four walls, an actual roof and a decent mattress.

But their excitement was contagious. Soon even I was looking forward to it.

Unfortunately, as the date rolled around so did the rain clouds. And they were rumoured to contain hail.

I found some good excuses to stay home and be warm, dry and comfy watching Netflix. But Sharni and Johnny would hear none of it.  “That’s camping!” they would chirp  every time I pointed out a possible catastrophe.

They seemed confident in their set up too, even a little proud. We would be sleeping in waterproof swags under a gazebo (something we would soon be very grateful for), complete with  a camping stove for cooking and an esky to keep the food cold. Johnny even packed head torches.

On Friday, Sharni and Johnny headed off early with all the gear — because some of us still had to work — and enjoyed perfect driving conditions and a warm, holiday-style welcome at the campground. They set up camp and even snuck in a trip to the beach

 I, meanwhile, drove up later that afternoon through a torrential downpour and winds strong enough to impress a storm chaser.

Miraculously, the rain eased and the wind dropped just in time for dinner by the campfire.  Though the storm would return for bedtime, we had plenty of time to enjoy an evening under the stars — with Johnny’s animated yarns and Sharni’s sweet songs.

The next morning dawned bright and beautiful, revealing blue skies and stunning scenery. The beans were full of beans and keen to find as much joy as possible hidden around the campground. 

And they did. And so did I. There was joy in the camp-side meals, the shared nature walks, the quiet moments alone with a book, and in simply watching the beans revel in it all.

There was only one incident involving native wildlife and a swag left unzipped. There was squealing. There was chaos. But as Sharni and Johnny would say… “That’s camping!”

- Sam