When It Rains.. It PAWS
I set my countdown on my iphone at least 2 months till I go camping.
I check my Camping Checklist everyday day to see what items I need and what
items I could order off eBay to get here in time before I leave. Google the
long range forecast a month out and big smiles when I see nothing but sunshine
for the 7 nights I'm away.
A week to go and I slowly bring all my camping items down
the stairs. A few more days to go and the food shopping is in full swing. Two
nights before and the meal prep happens. The brand new cryovac gets a good
workout with a kilo of bacon sucked into its little bags for breakfast every
day. Portioned precooked pasta, potatoes and sausages all meal planned out. Can’t
forget the yummies – chocolates, chocolate biccies and all the treats I wouldn’t
normally have when at home.
The new 50L 3way fridge has been plugged in for a few days
now and its down to 4’c. However it’s starting to cause some serious headaches.
In the past I have a 70L esky which all my goodies would fit in. WOW you don't know
what it is like to lose 20L until you need to put in drinks. This is called Food
Tetris. Everything in, everything out, almost everything back in and working out
what items I don't really need to take. Bacon stays.
The day before has arrived and I’m playing Car Tetris.
Everything has its spot and everything fits. I’ve now done this over 8 times on
my own with the cat – so I got this.
However I still have the HUGE problem with not having a
smaller esky for my drinks. I really don't want to take the 70L and leave the
new fridge at home – that’s why I bought it.. To use!
7am and my alarm goes off.. ITS CAMPING TIME Tia! And I have
to use the esky. I am guttered. There is nothing I can do about it now. So off
to the servo to get ice.
On the road for 2.5hrs crossing the New South Wales border and
arrive with the sun shining and the grass is green.
The next 24hrs are HELL.
As I'm setting up, I unpack my items. Set up the tent and
need to move my car into a better position. In doing this I reverse over my
brand new double gas cooker. Hitting that I go forward and drive into a firepit
box, damaging my front bumper with a large dent and lots of scratches.
Brilliant.
Finally I have a full set up. And it looks great. Cat is all
settled in and sleeping on my blow up bed and fluffy doona. I need a coffee. Lucky I bought a spare cooker
with me. Kettles on.
All the stars are out. It’s so peaceful. I feel a million
miles away from everyone. Life is good.
2am and HOLY SHIT!! When
It Rains.. Its pours and it didn’t stop for the next 6 nights.
My tent is 13 years old and has been great until now. Yes I’ve
have had a few leaks, but gaffa tape really does fix everything. However this
rain was relentless and seeped through the walls, stitching and flooring like a
water main had burst INSIDE my tent.
I was drenched, the cat was wet and I was laying on a soaked
lilo and my pillows were a sponge. I went outside and there were about 2 inches
of water flooding the camp-ground. I'm not getting any sleep tonight. Towels laid
out trying to mop up the water and extra tent poles where propping up the roof making
a higher pitch for the rain runoff.
7am Queensland time and I can’t handle this anymore. I’m cold
wet and really grumpy. Tia isn’t impressed at all.
I open my suitcase and I just want to cry. All my clothes
have acted like a highly absorbent sponge. All I have dry, are my damp pjs
which I am wearing. At this stage I just want to pack the car and go home.
But no. I can do this. Get in the car, not looking at my new
dents, I drive to the nearest big town
which is about an hour away. Arrive at the green shed and I grab a massive
7mx4m tarp, I don't have my staff card as I'm on holidays so I have to pay full
price. The next issue is to find somewhere to buy a fan heater.. However it’s
not winter so this is going to be a mission
as everyone still has their fans out for sale.
Google maps a shopping centre. I feel completely lost.
Everyone seems to be shopping day.. I can’t seem to find a carpark. First stop Big W... nope and now I'm stressing.
Walking around and the stress level is getting out of control, I feel like I'm going
to throw up. I then see a Target. Fingers crossed. The first lady I asked was
clearly the right one and I could of hugged her. Heaters not on show yet but
she went out of her way to find me one. Carol you are a life saver and I couldn’t
thank her enough. The best $10 I have ever spent.
I need caffeine. Hello maccas. Shit coffee, I asked for 3
sugars.. Pretty sure there was none. Don't care.
I just want to go home, well back to my tent site and turn
the heater on for Tia.
The drive back wasn’t as long and I head straight to the
dryers. Best $3 spent getting pillows, towels and ALL of my clothes warm, dry
and fluffy.
Ok.. Now placing the massive tarp over my tent was a small mission,
however the wind had picked up and helped me fly the tarp over the tent. I'm peggin’
this bitch down. No water is ever getting in here again!!
It’s now 11.30am and I’ve had the worst 24hrs I’ve ever had
while camping.
I stand outside and I say out loud.. “Can I enjoy my camping
now?” I flop back into my reclining camp chair and watch the rain come down
again.
Its rains all night and not a single drop of water comes
into my tent. I had the best sleep knowing I was warm and dry.
Day 4 of 7. The rain has stopped during the day. Now I have
cyclonic wind gusts. You have to be kidding me.
The wind is so strong the tent is being bent so much that its
almost flat. My outdoor area keeps blowing down no matter how tight my ropes
are. The pegs keep popping out and my wind breaks are blowing in the blustery
weather. I move my car into a position to try and divert the gusts. Didn’t
work. I even used my now flattered gas cooker as a weight to hold down a tarp.
All I could think about is an escape plan to the car with
Tia, if shit really hit the fan. I'm outta here.
But I'm not a quitter. I’ve camped through storms and survived.
I can do this.
The days are ...ok. One really pretty sunset and the sea
wall was entertaining and a great place to sit and watch the waves crash and
spill over the walkway. But was windy as all hell and my hair had instant
dreadlocks. But some of the scenery was amazing. The ocean was super warm and
just what I needed to rid me of the stresses of the camp site.
It’s the night before home time and again it rains. I'm so
over the $@*%ing rain!! I pre pack some of the stuff away and play that game of
car tetris again.
Packing a wet tent, wet tarps and wet flooring away isn’t fun
AT ALL. I stuff all my shit in the car and grab the cat. Tia.. Lets go home.
As disheartening has this trip has been.. I’ll be doing it
all over again in 8 months time. Just in a different location so fingers
crossed for nothing but SUNSHINE.
