Camping in the Snow

This week I learned that Segway and Segue are different words. I've been mentally segwaying between my conversation topics for some years now. It's quite an internal culture shock adjusting to the change.

Always wanted a Segway, or one of those awesome things that's like a Segway but with no holding on*. 

Hello! It's Tuesday, and here I am. I am not dead. I did not wind up with frostbite, or burn down a tent with the candles. I'm a bit sleepy and a bit of a snot machine, but not the full snot factory that I was yesterday. All is well.

This week's post will take the form of a "What I Did at the Weekend" story. Did you have that at school? In Primary School, there was that Monday morning bit where someone would tell the rest of you what happened at the weekend. Where all the other kids would have stories that included eating at McDonalds and going to Flamingoland with all their friends, and my story would include being a bit crap at ballet, going to Church and sitting in my room re-reading Little Women because I didn't have any friends? Anyone? Nope.

This blog post is an attempt to right that wrong, and to stick it to my Primary School classmates. Because my weekend was awesome!

This weekend was the first ever AUSDS Camping Trip!

13 people, 3 tents, 2 nights in Ballater. Plan.

Then a week ago, this was the forecast.



Then it got worse. Sleet, Snow. That kind of thing.

We went anyway. Because we are brave and stupid

So this is how it went.

Wednesday evening. Start packing the car.

Ok, so I was a bit keen, but this was the first outing of both of our funky bell tents, under the auspices of Rowan Tree Tents.

Thursday evening. Go dancing, keep packing the car. Thursday may have been a late night.

Good job we don't have any friends. 

Friday lunchtime. Freedom! Escape, add petrol (to the car), point the car in a westward direction and drive for a while. Contemplate roof boxes.

This is Ballater, it's all Victorian and quiet and lovely. It has a very good chip shop.

One day, there will be a train station somewhere, in which there will be a loo that only I am allowed to use. 

Here follows a whole bunch of photos, because that's much more interesting. Also because it's nearly 8 already and I have too much else to do. We had an awesome time.

Not pictured: The entire suitcase full of alcohol, the snow, the rain, the puddle the little tent wound up in after someone pitched it with the ground sheet sticking out from underneath the fly, the cosy evening socialising with everyone in one tent, L sleeping in 2 sleeping bags, 2 layers of thermals and a poncho, the rush to strike the tents in the dry, the group hugs, the bloody snow!

We survived it. In 48 hours I only took my woolly hat off to shower. All the spare blankets L and I own got used. I've only really just got the feeling back in my fingertips. So here's the promise, you guys. Tell me when you finish exams and when you have to leave Aberdeen. We'll find the sweet spot when most of you are free but still here, and we'll take you camping again somewhere else, when it might even be warm.



* Seriously, check this out