My Best Camping Experience
My best camping experience took place when I was 16 years old. I went to a week-long church camp with all of my best friends here in central Florida. The week we spent there was absolutely amazing and one that I will remember the rest of my life.
For some people, camping should be primitive and really make it feel like you are ‘roughing it’. The church camp I went to was one of these camps. There were no cabins, cots or bunk beds. Only the tents and bedding you were willing to bring with you were available. Of course, having been camping in Florida during the summer before, this time I was equipped with a few extra goodies that were going to make my experience much, much better.
To help achieve the best camping experience, you must be equipped with the right gear.
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First, I brought an air mattress with me. Usually, I consider the transport and set-up of the air mattress too much work, but this year, I was pulling out all the stops. It was queen-size, brand new out of the box and ready to make me comfortable all week long. I had already arranged to be bunked up with a friend who had a tent the size of a Winnebago, so the air mattress was going to fit inside with tons of room to spare. Secondly, I had managed to secure mosquito netting to go over me at night. Of course, the tent had screened windows, but I wasn’t taking any chances against those blood-sucking vermin. I had been bitten way too many times the last time I had been camping and learned that you can never be too prepared to defend yourself against those guys. Third, I found a mini oscillating fan that was battery powered! Camping in the summer in Florida can be incredibly hot and sticky. Sometimes, you just need a breeze to make things tolerable and let you fall asleep. Finding a fan that was small and didn’t need to be plugged in was awesome! I even brought enough cheap batteries that I could run the fan until the batteries were dead when I woke up the next morning. They were worth every penny!
Once my lodging situation was secured, it was time to get down to the business of fun. There were tons of activities that were to occupy our time all week long, things like crafts, swimming, canoeing, classes and games. We were camped along a river that ran for about 15 miles north and south of us. It was a very popular location for canoeing. I was so excited that this summer I was finally going to try canoeing! I had always wanted to try it, but never had the chance. Of course, first you had to prove to the leaders that you were capable enough to go canoeing. First, you had to swim out and back in the river to show you could swim and not drown immediately, but also you had to prove that if your canoe flipped over and sank, you could flip it over and empty it again. This made me a little nervous. I was not sure I could actually flip a sinking canoe over! Me and my two friends paddled out into the water and waited for the instructor to capsize a canoe and tell us to rescue it. As soon as it was flipped over, me and my friends swam underneath it and popped our heads up into the air pockets that were trapped under the middle of the canoe. We grabbed on to the sides of the canoe, got our footing, counted to three and at the same time threw the canoe to one side. It was actually pretty light and flipping it over was not hard at all! I felt so strong after that! Actually, going canoeing was a breeze in comparison. We got to take the canoes for long afternoon trips and were able to see quite a variety of animals and plant life, including many alligators and even a wild hog. I loved canoeing! Doing something for the first time is always a great experience to have while camping.
The best camping experience includes good, yummy food…
Another thing I learned to do on my best camping experience that week was different types of cooking. We had a Coleman stove that we used each morning for breakfast – to cook scrambled eggs, bacon and even make toast. But usually, dinner was a chance for us to learn different ways to cook our food. The first night, we used a Dutch oven and made homemade peach cobbler! We had to dig a small hole in the ground and put some hot coals under and on top of the pot. It was amazing how well this technique worked. The next night, we cooked pizza in a solar oven we made out of a cardboard box and aluminum foil. I didn’t think that contraption would work at all, but it was like magic. It even melted a plastic spoon I accidentally left inside the box! Another night, we made dinners that cooked inside two pieces of foil and got placed directly on top of the coals. And yet another night, we cooked our dinner on a stick over an open flame; hot dogs wrapped in refrigerated biscuit dough! I was continually amazed at all the different ways we cooked our food. And how it consistently tasted fantastic!
Finally, the time I got to spend with my friends that week was invaluable. Some of those friends I still talk with today. We played card games late into the night, made up silly songs, performed skits together, talked about boys we liked, made crafts together, played a practical joke or two and became closer friends throughout the week we shared. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything. It’s certainly the best camping experience ever.
For some people, camping seems like a lot of work. But based on all the great memories I have of camping with my friends and family, it might be hard, but it’s worth it.