Camping!

With a late spring holiday weekend approaching, we decided to flee the demands of a bleating pet lamb and an unfinished vege garden (oh the STRESS of this country-living thing!) and rough it for a few days.

Generally, we take the rotisserie camping, and have a flat, mowed and very tidy powered site situated in an endless line-up of identical 3-roomed tents owned by the rest of the fair folk we share our city with and cursed while overtaking on the 6 hour journey to our destination. There are hot showers and even kitchens for the poor souls who didn't bring their own.

This time though, we were REALLY camping. There were kitchens and hot showers, but the water had to be boiled before drinking, and the sites had trees and pinecones. And lots of noisy birds at dawn. And though we bought the 2 burner gas stove, we left the rotisserie at home.

I was feeling all rustic and earthy about the whole thing, until the incredulous reaction to our spacious tent by our Irish friends (who were bunking up under a handkerchief next door) made me wonder if Kiwis over-do this camping thing a tad. Personally, however, not having a freshly brewed coffee in the morning smacks of a slum, not a holiday!

All silliness aside, we had a great time. The kids waded about in the estuary, poking at all manner of sea life with sticks and learning a huge amount about our rocky shore creatures in the process. There was a fabulous playground, a bike track, and even a wee surf break - funny that! All of this was within a stone's throw from our tent.

Caleb did his best to escape to the beach whenever the opportunity arose, but aside from a brief 2am tantrum (such timing, that child) he was far too busy having fun to get into too much mischief. Sophie was a darling, and also had a blast, though by the haste at which she tore inside and festooned herself in 2 tutus, a pair of fairy wings, a pink fascinator and some plastic high heels when we got home, the endless gumboot-wearing and adventuring had taken its toll and she was in dire need of some glam.

Next time we'll pack a tiara with the rotisserie.