Glamping For the First Time (camping but for girls ;p)

I’ve never been camping before (well other than science camp in 5th grade, but I bet that barely counts). To me, that always seemed like the full American experience. Getting raw and dirty with no cell service and building campfires to fend off bears, ah what a dream. OH and s’mores! They’re always so glamorized in American TV shows or movies. Is it really as good as they make it out to be?

I went out with Club President and Coffee, the same girls that threw me my surprise birthday party (although sans Gretchen since she was busy). We camped next to a river for 3 days and 2 nights. The first day was warm and sunny. The campsite was a bit more up north and being close to water meant the temperature was a bit chillier than what we were used to, but I didn’t mind at all since I get easily sweaty. All of us were energetic with high spirits for our getaway weekend. Eating, then resting, then exploring the camping grounds, then swimming, then showering, and then having midnight story times (check in time was around 4pm so we started our first day kinda late hehe). They’re both such nice people. It makes me sad that I’ll be moving away. I want to say that I wish I met them sooner in life, but I feel that back then I’d be too immature to know how to treat them like a true friend. We cooked with nice music playing in the background on my speaker. Even did cheesy stuff like feeding each other bites of food. When we were at the pool, we all hugged and splashed water at each others’ faces like kids. When it was finally nighttime, we opened up to more adult talks; what made us sad recently, relationship advice, our fears… After talking out our feelings (and maybe a bit of tears), we got snack-ish and made the legendary aforementioned s’mores, stargazing at the night sky together on the outside balcony.

Our first day was on a Thursday. The Labor Day weekend isn’t until next week, so to the rest of the world, this was just a random Thursday. This meant that for the entire camping grounds, we were pretty much alone. In the row of 12 tent cabins and 24 tents, there was maybe only 2 other groups (we booked our campsite through a service that pre-set up tents and provides sleeping mats and cots). So, at night, it was completely dark…and quiet. In the middle of our midnight talk, I had the urge to go take a shit, so I went to the bathrooms by myself. The girls did offer to walk with me, but I warned them of the smelly dangers ahead. The walk to the restrooms was frightening. No lights, no human sounds, just crickets and the flowing river water in the background. I was scared out of my head. Was that a ghost? Is that a figure of a man with an axe? Did I just hear a coyote howl? My anxiety was over the roof. ~“EACH DAY GOES BY AND EACH NIGHT I CRY. SOMEBODY SAW YOU WITH HER LAST NIGHT”~ I belted out every song I could remember. The louder I sang, the less I could fixate on my worries. And hopefully, any ghost, animal, or man out there might think I’m too crazy to attack. Luckily, I made it there okay.

On the way back, my worries lessened, and it gave me an opportunity to fixate on the night sky. It was so pretty. A camera can’t do it any justice, nor a painting, nor a poem, nor anything. It’s so glisteningly delicate. Although there were no lights, the moon’s beams were more than adequate. Funnily enough, it seemed that having a flashlight on made the surroundings seem darker. If all the lights were off, our eyes could adjust to the darkness just right enough to walk without tripping.

The three of us talked until 2 at night until we finally all slept. That morning, the piercing sun woke all of us up with its stupid light at 6am. The other two thought it was so aesthetic/romantic/picturesque, but all I could think of was wanting to fall back asleep (to no avail). We had our instant ramen breakfast and started taking out our drawing/painting supplies to capture the beautiful sunrise. Rather than a normal camping trip filled with hikes, river rafting, or fishing, the other girls just needed a relaxing trip away from the city. They’ve been having stressful days with their significant others and their internships. I will 100% not complain, because as a fat fuck, I’m more than happy to just sit around. I’m also not artistically gifted, so while the others were busy on the balcony with their masterpieces, I laid inside on my cot acting as a DJ for our morning mix through my speakers. I napped a little here and there, and when everyone’s pieces were done, it was Club President’s turn to get sleepy. Although the sun was shining in the early morning, by noon, the day start getting cloudy. To fill our empty time, Coffee and I left to the swimming pool so I can splash around, and for Coffee to have a private place to workout without waking up Club President.

We played around for a good hour and I must say, Coffee is toned! It’s what some might call a ’sleeper build’? Unassuming at first, but when she started doing push-ups on the tables, oh my, her muscles showed up out of no where. After kicking my feet for a while, we rinsed off and started walking back to the tent. Along the way, we got too enchanted by the sound of the river, so we made a pit stop. I tried taking off my shoes before going in the river water, but the stones made my feet hurt. I was used to the cold water in the pool, so the freezing river water didn’t surprise me, but it sure did make Coffee squeal! Along the shoreline were tons and tons of little fishies. The deeper we walked into the water, the bigger the stones beneath our foot got. Not long after, Coffee said she wanted to run back to the nearby tent to put her jacket away and go get Club President to come play too. We all did and I had plenty fun splashing water on them. Club President and I got to play as magic mermaids while Coffee recorded everything.

Coffee, then, got a text from her husband that he was making his way over to the campsite. We took that as a sign to go back in our tents and rest before his arrival. What was he coming here for? TO BE OUR SPECIAL GOURMET CHEF! He prepped everything in advance (even his secret sauce). Due to a limited grill (no wood or charcoal allowed, only gas stove burners), he treated us to a wonderful burger dinner. He even made a grocery stop, and brought us extra treats; wine, chips, and…more but I forgot. While he was outside cooking away, Club President and I were also outside, snapping photos with my Polaroid camera. Coffee was by her husband’s side, helping him prep food for us. By the time the burgers were ready, the sun was almost setting. There was a little bit of a scare since we felt some raindrops, but they quickly went away. We all got to eat and drink together with the sun setting on the horizon. And what type of music did I play for us to set this beautiful vibe? A lot of late 1990’s-early 2000’s nostalgia music. Think, ‘Soulja Boy - Kiss Me Through the Phone’ and ‘Beautiful Girl by Sean Kingston’ type vibes.

When the sun finally did set, that's when everyone brought out their spookiest stories. Sadly, I believe I failed to impress, but as long as everyone had fun, then who cares. Coffee’s husband asked everyone if we’ve ever had a paranormal experience and to my surprise, everyone DID! HAH I'M NOT CRAZY FOR BEING SCARED OF GHOSTS! We all laughed and had a lighthearted time together. When it got more and more pitch black, that was Coffee’s husband’s cue to leave. Reception is poor in the mountains, and there are no lights in the inroads before he hits the main freeway. After we cleaned up and said goodbye, all of us were twisting and turning in our beds, trying to fall asleep from our full meal, and although everyone had agreed that we were all too tired, no one could fall asleep, and we ended up chatting until the middle of the night again.

Not soon after drifting off to sleep, I was awoken by sounds of heavy rainfall hitting the tent. I could tell it woke the other girls, too, as they started rubbing their eyes. Whatever, we all were too tired and just rolled back to sleep. I don’t like the sound of rain as much as other people cherish it. Every time I hear the pitter-pattering, it brings me back to the night I got into my major car accident some years ago. I don’t have PTSD from it or anything, but I’m just not as fond of the rain anymore. The rain carried on till the early morning. I could hear Coffee getting up to go take in nature’s beauties. Compared to the other girls, I didn’t bring as many blankets and just brought a small kid-sized fuzzy cover since I thought camping was going to be hot in this recent summer heat. I was freezing and did not want to take a step outside at all.

The rain kept coming and going. Eventually, all of us were up and ready to make breakfast. Simple pancakes. So warm right off the pan and so good with the syrup. Slowly, we began to load our cars. For the rest of the time until check-out, we looked at the river. When the clouds started clearing up, we saw people beginning to river raft down the stream. Each time, I’d jump up and down to wave to them. I like doing that. It makes me happy. Sometimes they don’t see and don’t wave back, but it makes me happiest when the whole group of people enthusiastically wave back to me and shout out, “Hi!” Sometimes, I’d see a group waving, and I’d shout out, “Have fun!” Some respond, and some don’t, but I like hearing them respond.

Just like that, our trip was over. I’m moving this weekend already. Since it’s just to another family’s house, I don’t think I’ll be too scared or sad. Here’s to a happy future!