Beyond The Tent

When on one beautiful late spring morning my friend Sebastian asked me if I would like to go camping next weekend I answered, “Sure, why not.” Then realizing my impulsive response, I immediately started to look for an alternate answer - an answer that would save me from going camping without making me sounding like a wimp. I was a 30-year old adult and had never gone camping before. The closest I came to anything camping was passing by a camping-gear store every morning on my way to school from my dorm. The idea of camping was fascinating though; a tent, a few cool and hip men and women sitting around fire and doing barbeque.  This was how I saw it on TV. But the practical realities of sleeping under the sky with bugs and creepers crawling and flying around me and biting me didn’t feel inviting. It was hard for me to realize how sleeping in a tent could be a better idea than sleeping on my own bed in my own cozy bedroom; a bedroom with immediate access to a clean bathroom. Spending nights in the woods far away from ‘the civilization’ would be something that I would see in my nightmare. One of my friends, who like me moved to Europe from South Asia, once told me pointing at many cyclists in the streets, “Only people who are poor and cannot afford cars ride bicycle in our countries.”  Likewise, people who cannot afford bricks and mortars houses live in thatched huts in the country where I grew up.

I came back to reality from my trance; Sebastian was still talking excitedly about camping – location to choose, renting kayaks, things to take along in camping. Wait a minute! We need to carry tent?! He went on – “… sleeping bags, water, lights, food, wood to make the fire, pots to cook, mugs, plates.” I also learned that we cannot leave our used stuff and would need to carry them back!

I could imagine the experience would not be a cup of tea (or coffee). Seeing his excitement, I decided to take the plunge. With that my venturing out into the wilderness commenced.

I was fortunate enough to go camping with a group of friends who were understanding and didn’t tease me seeing my naivety with making the fire. They were happy to share their wisdom about the wilderness. I jaded them with my stupid questions repetitively, messed up with many things. But at the end I learned how to put up a tent, how to clean the campsite of all food so that unwelcomed animals would not come in search of food. I learned to feel relaxed in an uncomfortable atmosphere. How a simple, bland warm food can bring complete satisfaction after a grueling day! That camping trip taught me to appreciate the conveniences of the modern world that we take for granted. I learned how to fall sleep listening to the crickets. It taught me to admire the beauties and pleasures of the wilderness and the life within.