The things we do for our kids...

....like camping.

Jacks year group decided to go camping last weekend and we decided to go too.

When I say decided, it was decided because we both work and we dont get a chance to meet many other parents and so Jack could have fun with his friends and all that kind of stuff.

So considering our idea of camping is usually a 5 star hotel we had to go out and buy everything - a tent (went for a three person, three very small people who like to be snug and cosy, I might add), then mats and sleeping bags and torches and the list went on.

But we arrived on Saturday early afternoon, some had been there from the night before with their large tents as big as a small house with all the mod cons however we got a good spot, Jim did an excellant job of following the bad instuctions and the tent was put up without one swear word.

Jack was feeling a bit unsure at first, keeping us within sight but it didnt take too long once we convinced the kids that they didnt really come camping to play DS and leapsters and other electronic equipment to go play. So they climbed up trails and trees and ran around like kids should and got covered in dust and dirt - it was great.

At dusk it was time for the kids to gather around the camp fire to "boil" marshmallows- Jacks words. He didnt want to but once he tried them he was eager to boil as many as possible - considering there were 14 families and each had a packet of marshmallows each and none were left by the end of the 30 minutes there were lots of sugared up kids. So before bed they went with torches in hand up the trail with a story teller up front telling them to beware of the stumps - so lots of mock and some real screams and ooohhh and ahhs so when they returned for the most part they were content to go to bed - it had been a busy day.

So the grown ups were at last allowed to toast there own marshmallows, eat chocolate, drink more alcohol and chat and listen to the guitar - one of the dads loves playing but his wife has other ideas so I think he was pleased to have the opportunity to be let loose so a few hours later he was still going and it was good.

The next day it was a choice of horse riding or mining - Jack hunted for Thunder-eggs - with our picks we dugs for egg shaped rocks hoping for a beautiful crystal inside - we got two bucket loads of rocks and the experts sorted them for us - we had about 7 possibly good ones but we didnt get them cut - instead we are going to clean them up and decide which one to bring back next time and get it cut then. At $4-$10 dollars on top of the entrance for each one cut - eventually something has to give.

It was lovely on Mount Tambourine and we did have a good time, and we have the tent now so we might do it again but I must admit it was lovely to sleep in a bed again.......