The kids had a blast. You know that law where pedophiles and dangerous people evaporate upon entering a provincial park, so you can let your kids run freely between campsites and bathrooms without fear? (shut up, it is so a law). They played tag and ran around waving sticks and collected bugs. Which was good, because it left us free to play bananagrams for hours at a time (I couldn't stop playing even though I sucked at it -- I was really good at telling other people whether their words were spelled correctly or not, which then helped them hand me my ass -- I'm just nice that way).
The beach the second day was scorching. Searing. Sizzling, torrid, tropical. There was actual damage of burning your feet walking across the sand to the water. Some obnoxious older people set up their chairs actually blocking the path from the parking lot to the beach because that was the only place left with shade, and I was kind of jealous that I wasn't obnoxious enough to do it first. It was the kind of day where you feel you have well and truly Been to the Beach.
The nostalgia level was high. From when I was about five until when I left home, my sister and I spent many summers in provincial parks with my parents. Sleeping in the trailer with rain pounding on the metal roof. My little sister eating cold baked potatoes in her bunk bed in the morning. My Dad playing the banjo around the campfire. Drifting off to sleep hearing my parents' muffled voices outside. The oh-so-ironically named 'comfort station'. At one point last week-end I was walking from one campsite to another (they were all a little ways apart), in the afternoon, and the air was the ideal temperature, and the light falling through the trees onto the road was so beautiful; it was the perfect distillation of all the best of those memories, with the bonus that I didn't have to stress about how I was going to sneak out and meet my junior ranger boyfriend later that night.
13 comments:
We have done this before. My in-laws love to do this camping-as-family-reunion thing. My husband and I get a room at a local motel, and hang out during the day.
Let me tell you, that one time they all had to flee during a horrible storm in the middle of the night, confirmed for me how Genius this really is.
It sounds lovely! Camping and then staying in a hotel, genius! I have a shy bowel and need an actual single bathroom with walls, not stalls. So now you know.
I like how you stole camping. Excellent. I'm thinking hotel rooms in Mattawa next year. Thanks for the inspiring post.
Oh, how I do so hate camping. Your solution is something I *might* try, someday, but frankly, having spent all day outside and eating outside (EW EW EW) and getting dirt everywhere is close enough to actual camping for me to run away screaming.
But good for you! You did it! I admire you :).
I used to love camping. But I put a stop to it when I turned thirty and began using my body to grow people in. Now I'm all for daytrips that involve nitrate-laden food but I will never ever ever inflate another thermarest as long as I live.
"Does that mean I stole camping? I like to think so..."
I'm still snorfling over that one.
So funny!! We used to camp all the time when I was a kid... in a pop up trailer, but still. Now, I share your exact sentiments on camping.
You are hilarious. And yes, genius for sneaking away to a hotel at night. What luxury actually, that sounds like a perfect combo of "camping/not camping".
Hey Alli! I love your new blog design. Mucho, mucho.
Many pros and cons to actually camping out all night long and day, especially on a sandy beach. "Does this mean we stole camping? I like to think it does." - Love it! Glad it was a fun time and brought back wonderful memories. Think of the memories you were making for Eve!
Looks like a fun time, you camping stealer, you!
This actually reminds me of a funny part in the book I'm reading, The Slippery Year. You might enjoy it :)
Stealing Camping, that is brilliant! I have to try that sometime.
Looks like a lot of fun! My kids love camping and were supposed to go this weekend, but plans fell through. Notably absent from camping? Me. I stay home and use up 3x the electricity I normally would (just bc I can)!
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