Okay, so this past weekend (Saturday through today, Tuesday) Blaise and I went camping with my parents in Brown County. Because of the time my trip to Sudan will take place, this may be the only camping trip I will take until this late summer/fall.
Day 1 of camping, I flopped down in the tent onto our deflated air mattress and took a nap. My dad and Blaise both tried to get me to go into the air conditioned horse trailer to sleep, but I protested, saying that I won’t be able to escape the heat or sleep on a real mattress next month in Africa. I decided that in some ways, I was going to “rough it” this weekend to prepare myself for my trip.
Ha.
I had no idea just how rough this weekend would turn out to be! It rained every single day (I will be going to Sudan during the rainy season) that we were camping, and even stormed so badly last night that trees were falling down around us. Our tent, air mattress, and blankets were soaked each day and it was so damp that sleep was difficult. It was also hot. The temperatures were nowhere near 100 degrees, yet temps of 88 were miserable, and the humidity was stifling. The topper was that when I went to take my shower yesterday, there was absolutely no hot water. At first, I hovered near the edge of the water and thought about just giving up. Then I remembered that my Aid Sudan training manual states that many showers, even in Uganda where there is running water and electricity, are cold. So, I hopped in and froze…but I got clean!
I say all of this not to complain, but to remind myself that though the conditions this weekend were less than ideal, we still had a lot of fun and it was very enjoyable. Also, I know that in Sudan I will encounter the most extreme conditions I have ever experienced, but I also know that I will survive. I will also have a lot of fun. I will also earn bragging rights that I “roughed it” through the African bush!