1st Thursday Thirteen! (DF001)

I have decided, after much deliberation, to join the Thursday Thirteeners! I am a little nervous as I don’t like committing to things unless I can complete them. I had a regular post called the weekly six which involved a weekly posting about 6 items of my choice that I wished to share or rant about and I have struggled to maintain that. To do it properly with all links and pictures takes a day and like most bloggers, I regretfully do not have a day every week to spare for this pursuit.

I am hoping that the TT posts will enable me to post about items of importance to me while maintaining the original concept.

So here goes! For my first Thursday Thirteen I would like to share my love of camping and what it means to me!(Was that the sound of several bloggers hitting next blog?)

I love being outside and would camp all year round if given the chance. With suitable under bed mats and a fire to sit round in the evening the UK is a perfect place to camp no mater what the season; in fact, if I could I would live outside, with a hut or shelter for rest and to escape the wilder weather. I tend to camp in the most extreme environments this country has to offer. Here are 13 things I love about camping:

1. Fresh Air – I go camping for two consecutive weeks every year and during that time seldom set foot inside a building. I feel great benefit from constant fresh air and the elements and after a few days become totally acclimatised to the weather. There is always air movement around you rather than the still and sterile atmosphere of the built environment and associated heating systems, to which I become accustomed to for most of the year.

2. Observing Nature – The great outdoors provides a constant source of activity to be observed. Camping allows you to access the countryside in a unique way and provides constant entertainment and sensory stimulus.

3. Restful Sleep – I sleep better than at any other time when I am camping, probably related to the fresh air, but even if disturbed through the night I find comfort in the noises I hear, be they the wind, the adjacent stream, or cows and sheep eating grass outside!

4. Body Clock – When I am camping my internal body clock resets itself and I tend to go to sleep earlier in the evenings (lack of good light being a contributory factor) and wake earlier in the mornings. I love mornings and it’s great to be up and about at what I think is the most beautiful part of the day.

5. Appetite – Another factor of camping that I partially attribute to the fresh air is my ravenous appetite. I think that the increased activity of hill walking and cycling also helps but when I am away I can eat three cooked meals a day and thoroughly enjoy every one of them.

6. No TV – I am actually quite a big fan of the TV and have over the years clocked up many hours watching films and science fiction shows but I never miss the TV when I am camping and I enjoy it being absent from my life. I have considered getting rid of my TV; my partner spent some years without one happily and only got one again as his dog started spending most of the time in his house mates room watching one man and his dog and animal hospital! (I kid you not!) Anyway, we no longer have dogs and have discussed getting rid of our TV however the prospect of no football, and no viewing my Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVDs was enough to make us hesitate! (I know it’s a kids show but I like it!)

7. Homing Skills – I find that camping brings out certain skills that much of the western world no longer utilises as a necessity and I enjoy using and perfecting them. Whether it’s developing my sense of direction and map reading, picking a good camping spot taking into consideration all available resources or producing a meal to satisfy both a herbivore and omnivore with camping catering equipment! (It’s the cooked breakfast that’s the trickiest!)

8. Simplicity – I enjoy the simplicity of camping trips. The day starts and your only considerations are to feed and clothe yourself appropriately, and then to achieve your chosen activity for the day while being prepared for anything nature may throw at you.

9. Climbing Mountains – There is a wonderful sense of achievement and calm that comes from completing a hill or mountain walk. It is a paced journey requiring mental and physical discipline and a respect of your environment and the forces of nature. (Ok not necessarily a component of camping trips but definitely a component of my camping trips!)

10. Erecting the Tent – The tents available now are very simple to put up requiring little skill or time however it is still an integral part of the camping experience from the selection of the spot to achieving a balanced shelter capable of withstanding strong winds and rain, without blowing away or flooding, in the middle of the night…..which is always when the worst weather occurs!

11. Time – I always feel like I have loads of time when I am camping. I think our lives become cluttered by the clutter we accumulate in our houses. The more things we buy to do, the more there is to be done but the time available to us does not increase. When I go camping personal effects are kept to a minimum to allow easy transportation and minimise distraction. I always have a book, a pen and paper and occasionally my guitar. My mind is very still and restful.

12. Seclusion – I have found other campers to be predominantly friendly but similarly to me protective of their time in the great outdoors and therefore not overly sociable. This suits me well.

13. Peace – I think the last item encompasses all of the other 12 in one way or another. Camping gives me peace.

Ok, well there it is! I would enjoy hearing your thoughts or experiences on camping, I know it is not for everyone but for me it’s the best activity and if given the choice I would pack up my tent today and go and find a nice spot. For now I am off to find some more 13'ers! Bye for now!

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