Give me a plastic tarp, small axe, lighter and zip ties.
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Give me a sleeping bag, a tin of tomatoes and some snags, mix it with balmy weather and l was ready to connect directly with nature.
Camping out with the bugs, Australian marsupials and the strangest noises sitting around the campfire during the night was so much fun.
Childhood camping with family was so different and it changed as l got older to carefree camping.
During my young childhood camping with family the summer sounds came from my mother: "Paul, have you got sunblock on?".
It was different camping with mates along the Shoalhaven river, the summer sounds came from goannas or possums fighting or kangaroos bouncing through the bush hitting our trailers or vehicles.
Camping along the Shoalhaven river became an annual event during summer and there were no campsites, you just found somewhere level and set-up camp.
Camping when l was young with family at designated campgrounds l would wander around with my cousins and we would see the most elegant set-ups, some had pop-up kitchens including a fridge, we only had an esky and replaced the ice every day. Some even had televisions, we had a torch and comic books to read at night.
The best luxury we had family camping at campgrounds was the amenities block.
If it was a shower time we would all wonder down as a group with towel in hand hearing scary tinea stories so we all showered with thongs on our feet.
Carefree camping meant when you started to smell, it was time to take a dip in the river.
When it came to the daily dump, grabbing the communal shovel with toilet roll in hand you had to be a little more strategic, adding caution to the wind you still had to be careful where previous holes had been dug.
The only camp rule was: not too close to camp.
If there is ever a time to let go of gourmet cooking, camping it is. I call it relaxed cooking.
We would have two billies, one for cuppa teas and the other one was for cooking food.
Our two go-to meals were baked beans and sausages or tinned tomatoes and sausages - hmmm, always tasty.
Quite often getting back late from a day's adventure hiking or canoeing we would have to cook with the camp lantern off because it attracted every insect in the neighbourhood.
Then we had to eat without light to keep the insects away. It wasn't a problem as you were so hungry you didn't want to notice the bugs swimming in your meal.
It was always sad leaving whether it was a campground or campsite, but once you reached home is was so nice knowing you were sleeping in your own bed that night and eating a meal - minus the insects.
Campfire damper recipe
Try this tried and trusted simple campfire damper we would always look forward to making:
Ingredients :
- 450g self-raising flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 180mL milk (if too dry, add a bit more)
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 80g chilled butter
Method:
Mix flour salt and sugar together in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your finger tips until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Add milk slowly and mix to form a soft dough.
Knead lightly. Shape into a round loaf, brush with milk, cut a cross in the top surface of the dough.
Grease with butter the tin foil and dust with flour. Add bread dough and wrap. Place in the coals of the fire and let it bake for about 30 minutes. Tap the loaf and it should sound hollow and it is ready.
