CAMPING TRIUMPHS

My storage area is not terribly small, so I was able to accommodate the spacious 4 man tent, even when it didn't get back in the bag. Tonight, with thunderstorms threatening, I was determined to figure out the instructions and get the tent back in the bag.

The trouble is, over time, if you forget how it went, there is no easy way to relearn it. So, like the genius required to build the pyramids, the pattern to return the tent, fly and poles conveniently in its orginal packing was lost. It seemed like history was about to repeat itself, following the written instructions to fold the tent to the WIDTH of the bag. But with that seemingly impossible, and the folds clearly never achieving that small size, I resorted to thinking outside the box, and OPENED the tent to the LENGTH of the bag, and the pole bag, as it turned out, folded the fly symmetrically and as close to lengthwise I could manage. With the fly in the centre of  the rectangle of the folded tent, I rolled the pole bag in, and was happily surprised (and shocked completely the doubting teenage Princess Pirate) to fit it back in perfectly to the bag.



How easy camping will be with the items so neatly stored! Princess Pirate singlehandedly managed the thermarest mattress with impressive finger strength and maintainance of the roll depleted of air. We are ready for camping this summer, even if it is just in the back yard!