Life can change things in an unexpected way.
A few years ago, I would have never thought I would try camping for six nights even. But with the right gear and help from my travel buddy Sam (a very experienced camper), a change happened! I like camping now!
Before the trip, nervous …
I’ve never done camping for this long. In the past, only one night for a few times, but most of the times, unpleasant. I remember once I was in Kangaroo Island, it was July. The weather was chilly, windy, and rainy. More importantly, the ground was uncomfortable to sleep on. The whole night I was worried that the tent might be blown away by the wind and rain at any point. So, yes, no sleep at all.
However, two months ago, the Wirrina Bluegrass Festival changed my mind. One of the organisers’ friends lent me a magic item, a self-inflating mattress! It felt like sleeping on my own bed, which made me wonder, maybe camping can be comfortable? That led me to give camping one more try in Tasmania (to a deep end).
You might wonder:
'Have you ever worried about what if you waste money in buying the basic camping equipment which you may never use again? '
Of course, I did. But some part of me believed, life is about exploring and embracing new experiences as well. That uncertainty makes it interesting to live. And this has been proved to be true again 😊 .
What Did I Enjoy the Most About Camping?
The feeling of immersing myself in nature completely
Sound
Instead of having human beings as neighbors, this time my neighbors changed to nature, which is special and healing. I like to be in the tent and hear the sound of water flowing in the river in Mount Field National Park and the ocean waves gently playing around in Bruny Island. Sometimes when I woke up at midnight, hearing those soothing sounds made my heart feel so peaceful that I could fall asleep again quickly.
Unexpected visitors (They are all adorable)
Kangaroos
Surprisingly, not many.
Pademelons, a lot.
They look like a smaller size of kangaroos. I’ve never seen them before, as they only reside in Tasmania. Whenever they saw us, they would hop closer, stopped, and started to observe us curiously, especially when we were cooking or eating.
Echidnas
Another special animal is only found in Australia and New Guinea. They look similar to hedgehogs, but they are not related. Echidnas do not have good eyesight, but they have a very lovely trait. When I walked nearer to them, they wouldn’t run away. Instead, they kept focusing on hunting, moving their nose to search for delicious ants. I think I need to learn more from them, living in the moment 😉
Mornings
Chirping birds, bright sunlight, and cool air made waking up not hard at all. I felt refreshed and in tune with nature straight away. I liked opening up the tent zipper and saying hi to the first ray of sunshine landing on me.
Camp TV
Possum fight
Have you seen that at 11.30pm? It was like watching a live show. I didn’t know possums can be so violent.
Campfire
Just watching the fire and seeing the water gets boiled made me feel the time has slowed down. The whole process reminded me of being relaxed and letting things happen naturally instead of pushing them to happen.
An easier and healthier way to step into nature and start adventures
It took us 40min to the penguin-watching spot and 10min to the glow worms' home in the rainforest on foot.
Less internet signal
That forced me to really notice the animals and plants around me.
A sense of freedom
Connecting with nature made me care less (hygiene). I started to sit or lie down anywhere anytime, no matter it was on a beach or grassland.
‘I can only wash my clothes until I get home anyway.’
I told myself to stress less about being clean all the time. Allowing myself to be freer is cool.
What Did I Learn From This Experience?
To appreciate basic things more, especially water, toilet, and shower facilities that I usually take for granted. At the campsites, all the toilets didn’t have hand washing liquid or soap, and some didn’t even have a tap.
In terms of a shower facility, it became even more luxurious. When I was told that no campsite in Bruny Island has showers, I was shocked. Luckily, I used my research skill and managed to take a quick shower at a cyclist’s shower room at Tasmania University (thanks, my first time). So you can imagine how nice I felt when I finally was able to take a shower after two nights (luckily the weather was not too hot)!
We really do not need many things to live well and be happy. Sam made me realise just having gas and a saucepan (thanks to Chrystal and Henry for lending us this) can make yummy meals. With a sprinkle of creativity, some could taste even more delicious than usual (Sam, you do have the talent). So, a takeaway message: camping food can be warm and tasty too!
Anything I Disliked?
I couldn’t wash vegetables thoroughly before cooking them.
There was no soap/hand wash liquid inside or outside toilets.
Having big flies around at some campsites was annoying, especially during dinner time.
There were no shower facilities at some places.
You can notice some of these are really small details with personal habits. How powerful our habits can be without we even noticing them.
Cultural Comparison Time
1. Warm warm warm
In the Chinese diet, we like to cook food and drink warm water, because we think doing this is more hygienic, better for digestion as well as the taste of food. Therefore, Sam had to cook warm lunch and supply hot water for me (thanks).
2. Wash wash wash
In China, I was taught to wash everything before eating them. But here, that's not the case. I know there is much less chemistry spraying on vegetables and fruits in Australia. Therefore, many people eat fruit (in particular) straight from the package. But still, I had difficulty doing that (habits).
3. Is a hairdryer a luxury item to bring to the camp?
For Asians, it’s common to do that. I saw some Chinese girls using it in a campsite. However, when randomly surveying a few westerners, none of them brought a hairdryer along. Why? I was told because of our different hair types, not blow drying can make our hair more frizz and static.
Tips for A Beginner
1. Go to a camping store to choose your camping equipment in person, especially if you are a beginner like me (thanks Neva for your tip), that makes things much easier. I went to Snowys (in mile end) and Kathmandu (in tea tree plaza) store, very good service. A quality self-inflating mattress (I bought one from Oztrail) can really work some magic. Highly recommend you get one.
2. Check the campsite beforehand so you know what to expect (it may not have showers) and plan better.
3. Bring some coins with you to pay for your campsite fees, because you will put the money in an envelope.
4. Some simple food ingredients options: packaged curry, couscous, cans of fish, eggs, and wraps. Don’t forget to bring some salt and a lighter. We forgot, so we used soy sauce and I borrowed someone’s match. There’s always a solution.
5. What if you have tried camping before and feel you did not enjoy it? Find out the reason. Then try to talk to some camp enthusiasts to see if they have any solutions for you. A lot of times, things can be easier than you've ever thought of until communication starts.
Hope you will give camping a go and enjoy it as I do.
