I went camping for the first time in years over the weekend, I used to absolutely love 'roughing it' for a few days and the lack of home comforts never seemed to be a problem. I used to get away with just one sleeping mat and thought that this time would be no different... how wrong I was!!! I had virtually no sleep on the first night as I could not get comfortable in any position, and being on the hard ground set off major spasms in my hips and back, despite me taking my night time dose of baclofen.
I got up in the morning intent on going home and in a terrible mood - luckily my friends are used to me 'not being a morning person' , but this was much worse.
I went for a shower (after several cups of tea) thinking that would help, and tripped over a tree root on the way to the showers - unceremoniously landing in the mud!, then when I got in the shower (which was the most underpowered shower ever) I struggled to change without getting my stuff wet which tipped me over the edge!! I returned to the tent and began packing my things, intent on going home grumbling that camping was for savages! I got myself so worked up because I felt it was yet another activity I used to love, but could no longer do. It felt so much like the day I had to sell my mountain bike, because I could no longer ride it safely - which absolutetly broke my heart and made me feel like I have lost some of my independence.
Luckily my friend managed to talk me round - as only she can when I'm in one of those moods, and we went into town to buy something to make me more comfortable. I ended up buying a self inflating sleeping mat, that is more padded and sucks in air to make it softer. What a difference it made!! that night I had the best nights sleep I've had in a long time!! and I fell in love with camping again.
