by Angel Sharum

Created on: August 25, 2009

When I was around thirteen or fourteen, I'm not sure which, my dad bought a tent and we went on a family camping adventure. It was I, my dad, brother, our cousin and his wife. Good thing it was a really big tent!

Putting the tent up was exciting because my brother and I had never done it before. With the help of my dad and cousin, it went up quickly. After the tent was set up, we had lunch. Of course, the best part about eating when camping is roasting stuff over the campfire. We had hotdogs and marshmallows.

I'll never forget the taste of my first roasted marshmallow. My dad is no longer with us, but every time we go camping or roast marshmallows, his laugh comes back to me.

He had so much fun on that camping trip! Teaching us how to do the campfire, fishing and swimming, and just sitting around talking together were enjoyable for all. Family time wasn't always high on the priority list, so this camping trip was special in more ways than one.

Another great thing about the camping area we chose was that we could ride our bikes. There were roads in all different directions and everyone watched out for kids on bikes, so we rode until dark. This wasn't all good, however, because I fell over on my bike and a bolt on the bike tire sprocket poked into my ankle. I had to hobble back to the campsite pushing my bike that evening. I'm surprised we survived according to today's medical standards. We didn't even have a first aid kit, so I washed the hole off with lake water and went on my merry way!

Another nice thing about this camping trip was that a friend of mine showed up with her family. It was fun swimming and talking with her outside of school.

There were a lot of friendly people at the camping area. We made some new friends, met people from other countries, and saw old acquaintances. I was sad when the camping trip came to an end. Although we talked about it, we never returned for another camp.

I will always remember that camping trip as a highlight of my childhood. I was old enough to understand something special was happening, but still young enough to really have fun and enjoy myself. All children should go on at least one camping trip with their parents. It really is a great way to reconnect and have memories to sustain a lifetime.

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