Camping and back to basics.
We have been campers for many years now. Our first camping trip together was in the tail end of a hurricane that hit north west Scotland the day before we arrived. Trying to pitch our 6 man tent in gale force winds was a baptism of fire but we succeeded with very little arguing........amazingly. Our little person loved it and even slept through the night whilst we spent the whole time waiting for the tent to take off like Dorothy's house from Kansas!!
We have had many adventures since then both in the UK and France in our 6 man tent. All have been fun and simple- flying kites, playing catch games, board games or simply just watching the world go by. On of our favourite past times is people watching, especially as seasoned campers. There is nothing more fun than watching couples and families fall out as they try to put up a tent and then the satisfaction and calm as success is achieved and a glass of something rewarding poured. We have shelter and food- the basics for survival. Then it's time to find your own fun, entertainment and exploration.
At home, my kitchen, which I love to be in does stress me out at times. It was designed by people who clearly did not cook or spend much time in it. There is very little usable work top space and I have to walk around obstacles to get to the fridge! When I'm camping however, none of that seems to matter. My kitchen is the picnic table- about 6ft long which is occupied by my cutlery tray, tomato box, condiment box and fruit bowl, leaving minimal prep space. My cooker is a 2 ring camping stove and my other half likes to BBQ- it's the caveman in him!! We only have the camper, Betty, and an awning these days; the tent is too big for 2 and Pippy-dog. We have a fridge powered by a battery which can be charged on the mains or by solar power. An old wicker picnic basket (fitting for a yogi!) given to us many years ago as a Christmas hamper by a dear friend is our kitchen cupboard- storing crockery, glasses, mugs and pans. That's pretty much it, simple but all the essentials.
We still eat well even when camping; no super noodles or tins of baked beans. A little bit of forward planning and some really good food. In the summer usually BBQd meat or fish and some sort of salad or a variety of BBQd veg. In the spring or autumn maybe a camping stew- cooked over the BBQ still (Caveman as I said!).
Our most back to basics trip came when we went to France to stay on our land. No water, no electricity, no facilities at all. Wild wees in the garden alongside the grasshoppers and crickets, anything else was a walk up to the village to use the public loo- immaculate in France might I add (at least until my two boys had been in!!). This was a fabulous time, up with the sun and on the go all day. My kitchen was 2 pallets and a piece of plywood and the 'oven' was a ring of stone and an old oven shelf; a campfire at night to cook on and provide light past sundown. The bathroom was an old tree stump and a big bowl of water with natural soap- minimal harm to the land. We had to shop every day as we had no fridge, we went late in the day and passed just a handful of cars in rush hour. It was utter bliss, very calm and tranquil.
We truly need very little 'stuff' in life. Many of us think buying things will make us happy and fill a gap. Sadly it doesn't and just causes clutter which adds to the burden we feel in life. I love Jack Dawson's line in Titanic (guilty pleasure movie). "I have the air in my lungs and a few sheets of paper." Can life really be so simple? I think it can certainly be more simple than it often is. Try paring back over the next few weeks and see how much lighter you feel. Keep it simple.
