We drove out to Capertee and into ….. THE RAIN!

But it wasn’t a really big problem for us luckily because we had a great team of adults who just got stuck into setting up camp. Raincoats gave up on them, they were drenched and soaked… but they pushed on to make dry and happy tents and a camp kitchen for us all! Such a great little example to the children!

The children were either running about in the rain undeterred, having a pretty wonderful time as far as I could tell. Or were having an equally lovely time on the bus busying themselves with delicious stuff that kids do when they’re stuck in the rain, companionable little games and creative little imaginings. They were full of descriptions about misty clouds eating the mountains and how ghost like the escarpment was, fuel for their poetic souls.

At 5pm it eased and we wandered up to the creek and of course… having tried all day to keep some clothes a little bit dry… there was a bit of falling into the creek! We went back and set up our beds and changed into dry gear and ate our dinner of NACHOS ( such a favourite) under tarps and by the fire. The fire as toasty and the weather held off for a bit. Delicious dessert, some songs around the fire, walk with torches and we all retired to bed.

The next day, the dawn chorus was so special! A thousand birds sang us awake! The sun was shining! It was glorious!

We had THE BEST PORRIDGE EVER… sprinkled with blueberries and golden dust! Some children argued that the porridge was the best thing about camp. After the golden dust porridge we set off on a walk following the creek in the opposite direction. After a gargantuan morning tea we set off in the bus to find the haunted houses the children had spotted on our way in. We climbed to get a great view of the ruins of the oils shale factory set against, seriously the most spectacular backdrop of the Capertee valley. The children had a million ideas about what had happened to the ruins. It was all curiousity, finding, exploring and speculating. Such happiness to hear their musings and reflections about what they were observing.

Mailyn shared her culture of asking the tree for a branch to help the tree sing. She cut the wood and sliced the bark off and the children sanded them into THE MOST SPECIAL CLAPSTICKS ever. Jimmie showed the children how to whittle and smooth off the clapsticks. Super exciting for the children.

The afternoon was spent at the swimming hole. Frolicking and lazing in the sunshine like lizards. Building dams and floating away on pink donuts.

Night time walk but with the naked eye this time. Songs by the fire and bed… very tired children.

Last morning! More delicious porridge! Pack up clothes and sleeping bags. A walk along the Capertee River trail and munching on more delicious food.

Then it was time to leave. We shared in expressing our gratitude to mother earth and each other for the time we spent. It was fabulous.

Erica