Camping trip offers several key lessons - Fosters

Camping trip offers several key lessons - Fosters

Well I'm back from my first camping trip and I'm sure readers are curious to know whether or not I survived four days in the wilderness with no shopping malls or electricity. I must say that I did have a nice time, though there were a few instances when I wasn't sure if I would last in the tent for the entire vacation — especially when it started to rain the moment we arrived at the campsite. I forgot my hair dryer so I was forced to wear my Boston Red Sox hat for essentially the entire trip and I must say I wasn't impressed having to fork over nearly $2 every morning for a shower (it was six minutes for each quarter, but six minutes — who can shower in six minutes?!)

But despite my reservations, we were able to relax, do some sightseeing around the White Mountain National Forest, and just enjoy being away from a majority of civilization for most of the week. During the trip, I kept a journal and made note of some key things I must remember for the next time we go camping. Here is a list of the top 10 things I learned on my first camping trip in a tent with my husband and dog:

10. Bug spray is the only kind of perfume that should be worn while camping in a heavily wooded area.

9. No matter how many rolls of paper towels you pack, always bring one more — because you never know.

8. Rain drops only add to my husband's anxiety level when he's trying to put up the tent.

7. When it does start raining, that is NOT the best time to sit down and grab a snack from the cooler — especially when the tent has yet to be assembled.

6. Never put a box of Devil Dogs on the bottom of the cooler — the box gets soggy very fast, your hand gets cold from all the ice when your trying to dig down for it and, well, you can't grab them as fast when they're on the bottom.

5. A brookside campsite is very relaxing and picturesque during the day. At night, however, the sound of the water splashing over the rocks only serves to remind me of how much I have to pee and that the washrooms are on the complete other side of the campground.

4. A tent that says it sleeps 4-5 people on the package can really only handle two adults and one dog.

3. Our dog, Sammy, is so cute when he's been swimming in the river and rolling around in the dirt as he dries off. But this is also the same dog that will be sharing your air mattress and smelling like a wet dog inside the tent later in the evening when it's time to sleep.

2. Wet wood and the slightest breeze are NOT the two best ingredients for trying to light a camp fire.

But the main thing I learned on my camping trip is that spending your anniversary in the middle of nowhere with no cellphones, television, or shopping malls is a great way to enjoy your spouse and to serve as a reminder of all the reasons you fell in love in the first place.

But trust me, any future camping trips will certainly include electricity!