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Tuesday, May 23, 2006

The Perfect Campsite ...

I found this story in a back issue of a travel magazine. It was written by a gentleman … let’s call him Fred. I just had to share it with you ... when you read it, you'll see why !!

As I sat next to a smoky campfire listening to a fellow camper describing his ideal camp site, I was reminded of the time Wilma and I were looking for a place to camp way up in the Snowy Mountains.

It was getting late in the afternoon and we were getting desperate, then, just as we rounded a bend in the road, there it was, the perfect camp site. It was a lovely grassy area with shade provided by an enormous old black wattle and only metres from a small sandy beach leading to a beautiful rock pool on the very edge of the Snowy River. We couldn’t believe our luck. Wilma prepared dinner while I set up camp, and during dinner we watched the sun set over the hills and listened to a lonely deer calling from somewhere over the river.

Naturally, it was early to bed, but during the night we heard something going plop-plop on the roof of the tent. I didn’t expect rain but we were warm and cosy so we soon went back to sleep.

Next morning I am ashamed to say that the sun got up way before we did. But, as we lay on our backs in bed looking up at the roof of the tent, we could see that the shaded part of the roof was almost completely covered in rather large black spots. As I struggled out of my sleeping bag for a closer look a cold shiver ran down my back; the spots had legs. Yes, the roof was almost completely covered in huntsmen spiders … they had made the plop-plop noises we heard during the night as they dropped one by one on to our tent.

Next I discovered dozens of spiders hiding behind the front flap of the tent, and when I disturbed them why did they have to run into the tent ??? Well, that was it … I knew Wilma could move quickly but she got out of her sleeping bag, dressed and into the car in way less than 60 seconds !! And that is where she stayed, no matter what I said or did, she would not budge from the car.

So, I packed up camp on my own and, alas, that was the end of our perfect camp. I don’t think we will ever find another site quite like the Snowy River, and Wilma definitely recommends that if you find a site with a big black wattle, don’t even think of stopping !!


Now, wasn't that a fun read ? I can not imagine something so horrible. I usually don't mind spiders too much, but this just sounds like something out of a horror movie !! Eeeewwwww !!

Take care,

MEOW

23 comments:

Michelle said...

Which is specifically why "Michelle" lives for 5 stars!!

Greeneyes said...

HI MEOW:
This one should have had a diclaimer , for the NIGHTMARES I am going to have !!!! seeings I am off to bed {shivvvvvvvver}spiders OMG,,,,Thanks for the bedtime story LOL no more tents for ME! EVER!LOL
Greeneyes

Bar L. said...

LOL on Michelle's comment. I am glad this didn't happen to you!!!

Patty said...

ewwww. I love camping and we always sleep in a tent..but after reading that I think I am bring bug spray the next time we go.

Greeneyes said...

Hey Friend
thanks so much for the ecard , it is soooooo cute I love it , sweet like you big HUG
greeneyes

Peter said...

I've done a fair bit of camping over the years Meow, but never had anything like that happen, fortunately.

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Michelle ... on this occasion, I agree with you !!!

Greeneyes ... I'm sorry, hope you didn't have nightmares. Nothing like this has ever happened to me, thank goodness !!

Barbara ... you and me both !!!

Autumn ... bug spray, and a huge fly-swat (well, spider swat !)

Greeneyes ... you are most welcome.

Peter ... I couldn't believe it when I read it. It was in Readers Letters in the May 2004 issue of On The Road. It is a great mag, only $5.95, and out monthly. Don't think I'm gonna be camping under any of those black wattle trees !!!

Take care, watch out for creepy crawlies ... Meow :-)

Merle said...

Hi Meow ~~ A good story, but not one to induce campimg. Must have been the wattle tree. Yuk, don't like any spiders. Thanks for your comments at my place. Take care, Merle.

Viamarie said...

Boy! I don't think I will ever sleep in a tent after reading that story.

Cheers!

megz_mum said...

Agreed - ewwwwww!!!!!

Val said...

I had thought it was going to be a story about possum poo dropping on the tent, not as scary but definitely smelly. Still, I don't think your story has put me off camping. I love tents - my idea of happy browsing is to go to a Ray's Outdoors store and look at all the tents that are on display. It takes all kinds, I guess!

Alice said...

I don't mind a spider or two, certainly., but LOTS? No.

I wouldn't go anyway, so thankfully shall not be having nightmares rearding my next 'trip'. I've been camping only twice in my life and both times were a disaster. Alice Collison and camping are a match made in Hell; I dislike it, and it dislikes me, and we avoid one another at all costs.

We're both happy with that arrangement. Suits us just fine.

Cute story, though. Bet that lady CURSED the guy for a long while after that.

;-) xxx

Christie's Corner said...

Hi Meow,
just got ur site from a comment u made from my friend's site, well I think ur site is really really cool. I live in Africa u know so no campimg I guess, or expect what, definitely not spiders, roaches or even snakes! Enjoyed the story shaa.

JM said...

Hello,
I'm back in West Virginia, so I'll be sending some postcards from here sometime soon!!!

Jean-Luc Picard said...

A great camping story, Meow.

Just sent a postcard from Chester, where I spent last 2 days.

Diane@Diane's Place said...

I don't mind spiders or any bugs, snakes, any critters, but those huntsmen spiders are very poisonous, aren't they? I know the funnel web spiders are for sure. We have some poisonous ones here, but most of them kill by infection from the bite, when the flesh starts rotting. Ewww, I have been bitten by a brown recluse a couple of times, and that was bad enough. I love camping when I get the opportunity, so I'll just my chances with the creepy crawlies and the critters. :-)

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Merle ... I agree. It's not going to stop me camping, though !!!

Viamarie ... I've never, ever heard of this happening before. I doubt I will ever hear of it again !!

Megz Mum ... tee hee !!

Val ... when I started reading it I straight away thought of bat poo !! I so agree about Rays, although Anaconda is way cool, too !!

Connie ... camping is great fun, and this is really not the norm. But that many spiders ... yucky !!

Alice ... but camping is soooo much fun. I guess it takes all types !!

Christabelle ... hi and thanks for visiting. I guess camping in Africa isn't the done thing ???

Angel ... glad you're back home.

Jean Luc ... thank you, will look out for it !!

Tab ... I agree, nothing nicer than tenting out in the wild, with nothing between you and nature but a piece of fabric !!! It is wonderful, I want to go now !! I agree with the outhouses, though !!

Diane ... I don't think huntsmen are hugely poisonous ... no more than a bee or mozzie, really, I think. I know they hurt, though ... they have pretty big fangs !! As with any critter, I guess you either have a bad reaction, or no reaction, to a bite.

Thanks everyone. Hope your week is going well. Take care, Meow

Unknown said...

“Perfect” campsites like that one I can do without!

Cathy said...

I once had a hanging plant in my bathroom that was infested with a spiders nest; I discovered it while having a bath one night. And I have a slight case of arachnophobia, to....makes my skin crawl just thinking about it.

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Maddy ... I hate them in large numbers, one or two are OK.

Nick ... yeah, me too !!

Cathy ... baby spiders, in huge numbers, freak me out more than large spiders ... don't know why !!

Nicole ... I agreee, funny, but scary. Don't think I would like to be in that situation !!

Take care everyone, have a wonderful day, Meow

LZ Blogger said...

Spiders & snakes, both scare the heck out of me! But I have survived both (and I'm still afraid of them!) ~ jb///

Dick said...

I think that shows that if you are late getting to a campsite, most are full and yet you find what looks like a great site, look carefully for what is wrong with it. There may be a reason no one else wanted that site!

Meow (aka Connie) said...

LZ Blogger ... wow, wouldn't have picture you as being afraid of spiders and snakes !! Obviously it doesn't stop you travelling !!

Dick ... I agree. That was obviously the reason why it was vacant !!

Take care, Meow