Random thoughts about our latest camping trip

I feel like I'm paddling through mud today. Not getting very far. Chiefly to do with our mission changing email addresses across the board . . .

Perhaps if I divert my attention with a blog post I'll get motivated to do something about something else!

So I have some random thoughts about our camping trip.

Remember those baggy pants I made my son? Well, they proved to be perfect for layering over jeans to ward off the cold. Unfortunately, though, my 6 y.o. slept in his jeans and, curled up tightly against the cold he caused his "knee pit" (as he calls it) to become sore. It's all fixed up now that he's not sleeping in his jeans any more! But I was happy to see my handiwork put to good use.

We enjoyed the autojo. Parking our car right beside our tent proved to be a time saver. It was much easier to set-up and pack up. At our last campsite we had to unload into a pallet, send it down the hill, hike down there ourselves, unload the pallet, transport it to our tent-site and then, set up the campsite. The reverse on the way home (including hiking UP the mountain). Tiring and time consuming. 

We appreciated the powered campsite. It is the first time we've camped on a powered campsite and though we didn't have much that needed powering, we appreciated the fluro (translation=flourescent light) for cooking after dark and the heater that helped a just a little in the tent (specially when someone's waterbottle fell over and wet my bag and sheets).

The lack of mozzies (translation=mosquitoes) and other insects helped too. Not slathering ourselves in chemicals before leaving the tent was a small compensation for wearing many layers of clothes. Our 12 y.o. has mentioned the irony more than once. Now that there is little danger of being bitten, we have hardly any skin available for biting!

We're very grateful for no rain or even clouds. We struck a very sunny couple of days, and during the daytime it was quite pleasant. I cannot imagine how miserable it would have been to have been stuck inside the cold tent with cold drizzle outside.

This campsite also had excellent kitchen facilities. These huts had hot and cold running water (!!!) and gas on-tap. More than once we went down there to use their gas to hurry some meal preparation along; like when the milk, which had been out all night, hadn't yet defrosted. David and I took it in turns to do the pleasurable job of washing up in hot water (don't tell the boys how good that was).

The toilet seats were heated! Only in Japan! But there was barely room to sit down in the Ladies, the cubicles were so tiny.

Okay, now I'm feeling better. Nothing like a bit of writing to clear the mind. Time to head away from the computer and make some snacks to feed those hungry boys!