Stress free camping – Enjoying the simple things

Posted on by Miriam

You don’t need to travel far to have a good break. Just one night of camping does wonders in lowering stress levels and getting back to basics.

This weekend we drove less than two hours from Melbourne to reach Majors Creek, near Seymour.  A tranquil river side setting surrounded by majestic gum trees and plenty of bird life.  A last minute getaway with friends which reminded me yet again why I love camping so much and how good it is for us.  Just doing these simple things:

Watching the sun rise

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I’m always the first one up. I love watching the colors change in the sky and reflecting on the water as the sun peeks through and listening to early morning birdsong as the water hens and birds welcome in a new day.

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There are no excuses not to relax

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There’s no chores to be done.  No hard decisions to be made. Camping is the perfect excuse to put your feet up and relax. For me to write.  Contemplate life.  Meditate. It’s easy in the great outdoors. Listen to the buzz of insects, the song of a bird, the crackle of the fire.

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Or ramp up the action

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If you prefer you can hike, cycle, walk, kayak, jet boat, whatever you fancy to get the adrenalin pumping.  With all that exercise you’re almost guaranteed a good night sleep.

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Savor the moment and every meal

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Cooking is infinitely more social in the great outdoors.  And it’s one time when hubbs is head chef riverside.  Good food, good company, fresh air. Life doesn’t get much better.

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Whether it’s a chargrilled steak, a simple salad roll or a hearty breakfast of baked beans, eggs and bacon cooked over the coals, there’s little doubt that food tastes better outside.

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Unless the wind picks up to such an extent that the dust threatens to become part of your meal. Answer: seek cover.  Luckily we had a nice van to retreat into.

Be an Adventurer and go exploring

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Exploring is part of the adventure of camping. Just up the road was this historical Major Mitchell sign as well as Mitchelton Winery, in case we ran out of wine!

Watch the sun set and be mesmorised by a camp fire

As the day draws to a close the best feeling is being outside in nature, saying goodbye to the daylight and welcoming in a moonlit sky.

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When we all sit in front of a camp fire at night meditation, normally so hard for me, is  incredibly easy. The camp fire becomes our entire world.

May we all get a chance to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.

I wish you all a happy and mindful day, full of peace and joy.

 

92 thoughts on “Stress free camping – Enjoying the simple things”

        6. Just open the can a little, set in the fire for 5 minutes, and a couple hot dogs on a stick and dinner is served! Desert for me is a good brandy!

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  5. Beautiful, Miriam! In the summer vacation I plan with my father to go in a trip like you did. Somewhere up in the mountains with a 4 wheels Jeep. There are beautiful 3 days trips on an untouched land with a guy who knows all the tricks and who give us all the necessary, car, driver, tent and so on.

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  6. A beautiful post! I love your pictures. They are simply stunning. Camping is really not my thing; I much prefer a simple walk with nature, but this is what I love the most about your writing – “You don’t need to travel far…” I’m not going far today, just to the local art museum with friends, but I hope it is meditative and restorative. Thanks for the reminder to take time to be present.

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      1. It was wonderful! We saw an exhibit of artwork by “Grandma” Moses, a self-taught American artist. I was so impressed by how prolific she was. She painted because she loved to create, and didn’t worry about technique or criticism. In an interview, she said, “Anyone who wants to paint can paint. You just – paint!” What a great perspective.

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  10. Miriam, this is a fantastic post! Just my kind of relaxation, enjoying the sun and in the evening simply meditating away by a beautiful fire. Loved it! If you have more posts like this, my life just became better 🙂

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    1. It really does get better! My two are 5 & 7, and when they were younger, camping felt like just too much work. Now, though, they love our trips. I love watching them interact with nature and leave the technology behind. Hang in there!

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  15. Looks great. My wife and I used to camp a lot when we lived in Upstate NY. Yes, there were bears to worry about, but they were pretty docile being used to people. Now that we live in Florida and there are things that can crawl in your tent and kill you in your sleep, we don’t camp much anymore.

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  20. Ah that looks lovely. Nothing nicer than being out in the bush, watching the flames of the campfire 🙂 I think we need more of this in every day life.

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  27. Another awesome post about enjoying the simple things life offers us. This reminds me of a status I posted years ago (when I had Facebook). I posted that I was just back from a two day vacation in the Bay (rural Newfoundland). A friend commented that I was the only one who called two days away a vacation but it was. No traffic, no street lights, the quiet solace and solitude of clean air, starry moonlit skies and tech free.

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    1. I’m so glad you could relate, Thomas. It really isn’t about going away for a long time, but how we choose to spend it. Sounds like you had a great time in the Bay. Have you been camping more recently?

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      1. Yes, it is! I don’t camp any more because where I live there are only about 70 people and I am near the salt water. It’s like I am permanently camping 🙂

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        10. Those are the best ones, slow 🙂 May it continue to unfold at a pace that leaves you content and may it be filled with all things good 🙂

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