Thread: Went camping the other day

Went camping the other day
By the coast
Stayed by the fire, mainly
But one day
We saw the sun
Upon a slope of clean-cut land in the early afternoon light
And went
With rugs and shawls and wine and newspapers
And spread about
Sunned
And then stumbled back
Alive

The Aussie is a special breed... It is nothing to camp in the U.S or Europe.. In Aiustralia there are about 80,000 thins that will eat your face off if you sleep on the ground.... Hats off to ya'. I wouldn't camp out there unltess I had a coat or armor on,and then with my luck some creepy crawly Australianspider would srill lay eggs in my brain...

I hate that when things crawl into your ears! Always sleep with a knit cap when I'm out in the wilds. Never thought of my nose!! Now you got me worried!

I like the "stumbled back" part. That's a line that rings true with most of my camping experiences. What causes the stumble usually varies, but each plays their part well.

Originally Posted by Maxi

I like the "stumbled back" part. That's a line that rings true with most of my camping experiences. What causes the stumble usually varies, but each plays their part well.

Ta. Yes, I do generally do a fait amount of stmbling when camping, however, in this instance it speaks of those times when, after sitting in the sun for an hour or so, lazing around, you feel really relaxed and lethargic...

Originally Posted by Wintchase

The Aussie is a special breed... It is nothing to camp in the U.S or Europe.. In Aiustralia there are about 80,000 thins that will eat your face off if you sleep on the ground.... Hats off to ya'. I wouldn't camp out there unltess I had a coat or armor on,and then with my luck some creepy crawly Australianspider would srill lay eggs in my brain...

Hi Wintchase,
Actually, there's not a great deal in the Australian bush that generally hurts anyone; it's a bit of a misnomer in my opinion. We DO have a lot of poisonous snakes; and where I went camping we have the most poisonous ant in the world, but generally there's not a lot to be worried about.

I remember years ago when I was in the army working as a driver for an American Surface to Air missile detachment for a joint exercise, we were working around the Darwin (Northern Territory) area. I remember at four in the afternoon the two young privates and I (who was just a tad older) started talking about where we were going to sleep the night. They asked me, and I said, "Just down there" waving my hand in the general direction of the ground. they were horrified, and spent the next hour unloading the missile cases from the back of the landrover; one slept on the roof of the 'rover and one in the trailer. Back then, I'd normally just throw a sleeping bag on the ground, placed on top of a plastic sheet, with maybe a 'hootchie' (nylon sheet) over the top to make a tent. These days I use a sleeping mat and have a really small one man tent; it's just big enough for me and my backpack and day pack.

It seems to me there's more to be worried about in the USA, Cougars, Bears, those guys that hang around swamplands and 'make you squeal like a piggy'...

Having "camped" in both countries now, I can honestly say I feel better knowing how thick the mesh and canvas are on my aussie swag (even though we set up on the flat deck trailer we were driving) and that my hammock zips completely closed. I've been told that snakes and stuff don't usually crawl into sleep with you, but there is always that chance. Bears are just to big to sneak in beside you unnoticed! All comes down to what you grew up with I guess. the crawly stuff still freaks me out a bit.

Sounds like a fun trip. Not sure what's going on in the picture-too much wine...? Love to camp myself, but my, you guys do have some creepy-crawlies Down Under (Taipans, Sydney Funnel-Web Spiders, crocs, etc.).

Having camped where "Squeal like a pig" was filmed, I can honestly say that I have never heard more strange animal night-calls anywhere else, though that is a very wild and beautiful place. But like some others, I do like the illusion of protection afforded by even a wispy sil-nylon backpacking tent.

Actually, I used the word 'wine' poetically, it was in reality a stubbie of beer.
I just saw some nice light while I was sitting there, took the camera to my eye; and saw the yellow out of focus bit. Then I noted the blue lens flare. The blue lens flare disappeared when I actually took the photo (and viewed it), so I had to manipulate the camera a bit to maintain that blue flare (which I feel contrasted nicely with the yellow; for a 'impressionist' effect).

I normally prefer a vintage film camera; but you could never hope to get an effect like that so easily with a film camera, in my experience.

I've gottta say, when I think that these days I make sure I zip my tent up when I go to the bathroom at night (in case a snake or spider or something gets in there), I'm a bit surprised I'm still alive after using no tent at all in the army. I think we'd be amazed at what crawls near or on us when we sleep in the bush (scrub, wilderness, whatever). I read somewhere we're only ever 1 foot or something away from a spider, and I'd believe that. I hate spiders, but really, what's the first thing people complain about after they kill all the spiders around the house? Mosquitoes, little bugs. Things the spiders used to eat. Doh!

"hootchoe"! I haven't heard that name in a while! We used to love when we could train with the Aussie's, they brought the (much better than our's) durable, light weight hooch. Our's was just the rain poncho (much smaller) to use as cover. We would use bungee cords to tie it to trees for an insta-tent. But, when the Aussie's showed up we traded leatherman's for the hootchie's, and then we were set for life... It was like a right of passage.