They say smell is the sense most closely tied to memory. The right scent sends you hurtling back like an olfactory time-machine. But I think there is something about sound as well. Not just the memory-making music of youth — but noises.
During our recent camping trip I could tell the time of day by the light and by the sounds around me. I had no watch, no phone but I had the time within the half-hour.
We are a family who camps over Easter. I’m looking forward to camp fires, quiet days, beautiful surrounds, no internet, starry skies, the chance to put on a jumper and watching the kids get back to being kids. I embrace camping. On a certain level. You see, I prefer my camping on the glamping side.
Not so long ago I spent nine days camping by the beach. I didn’t write. I checked social media sporadically. I posted a few photos of the beach and the cute take-away coffee cups that I drove 40 minutes each morning to acquire. Mostly I just hung out with my family and friends.
And as I took a break from writing there were stories all around me. Holiday places are like that. Hotels and airports and camp-grounds, full of people and possibility. All travel is fertile ground for guessing at stories and making your own. Read more
I should be packing right now. Nine days of camping lie ahead. Nine days of nothing but surf, sand, friends, family and (hopefully) a non-leaking air-bed. It will be the longest stretch of time we have ever camped. Now, just to be clear we are a camping family but we are a convenience camping family. We go were the amenities are. No digging holes for me. I know a lot of people who prefer using a caravan to camping though, and I can completely understand why there are like that. You could easily check out something like this Camp Smart to show you how much more convenient a caravan could be.
