Firstly I went to stay in a small site and the
car had to be left in a particular place and it was awkward
blowing up the air bed when I needed it round the front but I
was told to park it at the back I was unable to see it and one
night heard the door shut but I could not see it as it was
probably someone else’s. Also I had only purchased a pump to
connect in the car to the battery – what a mistake as when I
parked the car it was too awkward to pump the air bed up. Then
I thought if only I had purchased a foot pump for the air bed.
Next time I would have one as I had to blow it up by mouth and
the valve is too big so it was not blown up properly. It kept
moving lopsided and I kept falling of it but could
not pump it up as without light it was too
awkward.
Second time I chose another site but was told
it was only available at a set time. After my previous
experience I was left disillusioned at the benefits of
camping. But there all my prayers were answered.
OK it was late but I chose the perfect spot and
was awoken by quacking and enjoyed the view of young wild
rabbits hoping around and squirrels moving from tree to tree.
With a large pond with a seat for fisherman to fish and the
fee was not too
much.
Although I noticed some development going
on.
My first experience there was cooking or trying
to cook.
I had purchased a portable gas cooker so I felt
equipped but whilst there I tried to light the gas and felt it
refused to light. I looked around it thinking there was a
button to press or switch but alas there were non. I had the
faint inclination to check if it was all in correctly and
opened it up after having some trouble then noticed there was
no gas bottle.
So thinking I was safe was left one night
without hot water for a drink. But I had a cold drink with me.
Then when going to sleep I checked the forecast and they still
maintained it was going to be an Indian summer so I was not
worried about clothing. The first problem was the sleeping bag
I purchased in hast on the net had its zip on the left. When
lying down to get to sleep I thought it was the perfect
sleeping bag but when I tried to zip it up it was very hard as
I was on the left in a low small tent but when I awoke at
night it was easy to pump the bed up in the tent with the foot
pump. It had just started to get cold at night but I used a
sleeping bag I had purchased for my daughter as it had the zip
on the right. I then covered myself with the other one. If you
decide to go camping in later years be prepared as you might
not be able to make it to the wash rooms to relieve yourself
at 3.30am so in preparation I took a pot a large coffee jar
but after one night all I can say is it was not big
enough.
All these problems taken into consideration
eating is another problem please accept you are not at home
something simple like fish and chips is too large where do you
put it where is the plate and why cant I cut it with these
cheap knife and forks. Cooking was another adventure as I
found it best to use those all in one cooking bowls that you
eat out of.
Fortunately whilst there it was the Burnham
carnival and I found it stimulating being there then. I
enjoyed the walk to
town.
The third time was wrong I had arrived too late
for the key but I realised that I only needed a quarter of my
items but there were no restrictions on parking but I used the
foot pump also purchased a new sleeping bag for 3 seasons as
it was finally admitted the weather forecast was wrong and it
would be very
cold.
Better prepared you might think no probs with
gas, foot pump and although I hadn’t got the key I would
survive.
I got a sleeping bag with the zip on the right
hand side it is called a mummy sleeping bag for one reason it
resembles a mummy when zipped up I hoped it would be warmer.
When you zip it up your arms go in and the zip button is
inside and you pull a cord so as to cover your face from the
cold.
What happens when you want to relieve yourself
and it is about two thirty in the morning and the zip gets
stuck on the outside and you are alone. Well it was very hard
but when I got out I felt claustrophobic so I was forced to
sleep in my daughters sleeping bag again and cover myself with
the new one.
