My FIRST night camping!

Not a great photo I know, but I didn't have room for my camera!

Firstly lets just have a look at the tent!! Remember I told you have much I wanted a Teepee Tent....well here it is.  Isn't it pretty??  It may look like I've got my own way (maybe I did just a little) but ACTUALLY Mr D did lots of researchy type looking at other tents and came to realise that the lovely Teepee is really quite practical and not just 'pretty'. Unfortunately I couldn't do it up with pretty buntings and fairly lights and other 'essential' glamping attire because the camp site we stayed at was only accessible by boat!!! Yep, you heard that right! We had to carry EVERYTHING onto to a little ferry to get to The Basin.  A little gem in the Pittwater just half an hour on the ferry from Palm Beach (you know, the beach where Home & Away is filmed).

No happy at being woken up from her car nap to get on a boat!

Luckily Mr D has home on some Gardening Leave so he did a great job with all the packing!! All we took in one case was an outfit to sleep in and something to wear the next day (x 5 of us) - which actually ended up being nothing as a certain little Miss L unpacked the suitcase without me realising and I gave Mr D the thumbs up to close it.  The other suitcase was full of sleeping bags and pillows (and only 2 beds!!!!!!!).  Lastly there was food and of course THE TENT!!  Thank goodness we can take the car and trailer to our next campsite as I think we'd need ALOT more luggage than this.

View from the ferry boat as we're approaching The Basin - SO beautiful it could easily pass as the Caribbean

I'd never been to The Basin before and was just blown away by how beautiful it was.  The water was crystal clear and there were lots of little white boats bobbing around.  The sky was bluer than blue and there was not a breath of wind (which was a small miracle as the forecast was BAD!) The weather gods must have known it was first trip and felt sorry for me.

The campsite was really really pretty and it didn't take us long to set up at all.  However just as the tent was going up (Mr D erecting it, me supervising) a HUGE Goanna just wondered right through the middle.  It tongue was going in and out at the rate of knots and it looked like it could eat Miss L for breakfast.  I think my feet actually came off the ground when I first saw it, much to everyone's amusement.  The kids weren't bothered by it at all (true little Aussie's) and Miss L even learnt to say "izzard!!"

See I told you it was big!!

Never go camping without wine :))  It takes the edge off everything

We only stayed one night and the kids had an absolute ball.  I can totally see why camping is one of the best types of holidays for little kids.

I had a great time too, although it was just a teeny bit too basic for me.  One night was just perfect - or maybe I could have squeezed two.  I'm not sure I could last much longer without any hot water or a proper bed (of the camping kind) or a change of clothes!!  It was a great taster trip though and I'm even more excited about our big trip at Easter.

These two little monkeys were helping with the washing up.

The kids spent hours in the water.  I couldn't resist a swim either and it was a beautiful as it looks

Miss L talking to the local wildlife "Hello hop hop wobbaly (wallabie)"

Do you love camping??  I think I might be hooked now, although I will tell you for sure after Easter.

Where is your favourite place to camp with the kids??

Have a great weekend

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