scrawni

Well, if anyone read a previous post of mine then they knew that I was not looking forward to our camping trip up at Dantree for the new year.

One the morning of our departure the heavens opened and I very nearly had a tantrum and told hubbie that I was not going! It wasn't much better when we got there but we put up the tent on the driest bit we found, right next to the pool

We did go down to the beach about 10 minutes before midnight BUT our 10 year old threw a wobbly because he thought we were all going to be eaten by a huge croc that would creep up on us in the dark! :scared: So, we returned to camp for the actual new year celebrations. We were actually about 1 minute early and heard everyone else shouting after we had finished.

Anyway, it still continued to rain off and on and this was heaven for the mozzies who decided that we were breakfast, lunch and dinner with a few snacks thrown in. I have been scratching since we came back (I know, I know, its the worst thing you can do). Bites everywhere, it driving me nutty!

After our new years on the beach wash-out we decided to try again new years day evening and it was great! What a way to spend the first evening of 2005, sitting next to a roaring fire, hearing the waves crash onto the beach with a beer in your hand, lovely.

Oh and by the way, didn't see a spider, or a snake, or a croc, just lots of beetles, a mud crab, and bandicoots who came up to our tent every night! Our son had fun with a load of kids he met going round the camp site with torches playing a hide and seek sort of game.

So, all in all, not bad, I have survived to tell the tale but not sure if I want to repeat it for a while (a bit like having a baby, takes a while to forget the pain but you know that you will no doubt do it all again). We are actually more knackered now than before we left but hey, life is for living, isn't it?

Mandy , Happy New Year

steandleigh

Glad to hear that you 'went through with it' and made the "aussie camping trip"!!!!

We are STILL (yawn) waiting for our things to arrive ( our tent being part of our consignment ) and can't wait to get out there and get bitten!!! Ha-ha!!!!

Know what you mean about the 'baby' thing - doesn't stop ya doin' it a second time tho' eh?

Maybe not a third tho'!!!!

Well done for givin' it a go!!!

Larissa

Hi Scrawni
Loved reading your post! We haven't yet got round to camping in Aus; we were suposed to go to a "campout" for New Year but I chickened out and we got thoroughly bored at home! I'm glad your lad enjoyed his torch game, there's something about kids, camping and torches!
Take care
Larissa

glittababe

Ah Mandy can definately sympathise with you as we did it too! 5 of us crammed into a 4 man tent ($20 from Crazy Clarkes), we shoved everything into our little Hyundai Getz, the 3 boys ended up sitting on the duvets and pillows (we had no sleeping bags)! We drove from Brisbane all the way up, stopping off at campsites at Gladstone, Airlie Beach, Ingham and Cape Trib. The Bruce Highway was dessrted at one point, just us and a cop (hidden in the bushes) with his speed camera! The kids loved it and we had a great time, even tho it was humid as hell, mozzies everywhere and bloody sandflies - our skin was on fire by the time we got back! A tip I got from other campers was to take a double dose of Vit B tablets a week before going up north, then one a day and apparently the mozzies leave you alone!

While we were 'going troppo' we went out to the reef, did some sailing around the Whitsunday Islands, played cricket on desserted beaches and camped next to croc infested river (ok we really didn't see the signs in the dark)! We also survived a tropical storm, where we found out there are two types of tent in oz, ones that leak and ones that don't! We got the leaky one and by 4am had to abandon tent and sleep in the car! We were completely soaked and had to drain half and inch of water out of our tent! We watched the video footage back the other day and my sisters were in hysterics, it was just like carry on camping!

Would I do it all again..................definately, but this time I'd fly up to Cairns and hire a very plush camper van!!!

Chris Mitchell

Enjoyed reading your experience with camping in Oz have never liked camping here although enjoy having a touring caravan. after reading this more determined to take my caravan or definitely get one there.

Personally I would sooner have a baby than go camping and thats being drastic I know, but does make it easier to convince hubby re caravan.
good luck for your next outing.
Chris

tonyk38

Great stuff Scrawni!

Glad you survived the experience and that it hasn't put you off doing it again....

scrawni

It was an experience that's for sure! The thing with sleeping in a tent is that as soon as i settle down, i always want to go to the loo. I then spend a restless night debating with myself, shall i go or not. Because of the bugs and stuff i decided against it but then ended up getting up really early cause i couldn't wait no longer

But with out a doubt, the best bit was spending the night on the beach, with a camp fire without a mozzie in site. That was until we headed back to camp and then they were everywhere.

On the way back we visited Mossman Gorge which was lovely, lots of people swimming in there even though it was pouring down with rain.

Now, I must find sometime to do all that washing!


Mandy