I went away over the weekend. It is an annual get-together with a bunch of girlfriends and this year was our 9th year. It’s a two-nighter but not everybody goes for the two nights so Friday night was fairly quiet with only eight of us. Saturday night was somewhat busier with ten new arrivals to make a total of 18.
I find these weekends to be really good for the soul as there are no men and no children to contend with. We’ve all known each other for a reasonable amount of time and there’s a huge level of trust amongst us that the Park Ranger noticed and mentioned when he and his colleague came to check us out.
We camped, hence the appearance of the Park Ranger, and there are camping fees involved which I guess was his excuse for intruding.
During our nine years doing this we encounter people – usually men – who don’t quite understand the concept of a largish group of women away without their menfolk and children. They always want to know how we met and why we are there.
We’re usually polite but don’t encourage them to hang around because our circle of women is broken by these intruders.
Normally we go to the same camping ground and it’s a beautiful, sheltered spot where as soon as you arrive you just forget about the life you’ve momentarily left behind.
For the last two years we’ve our getaway has managed to coincide with buck’s weekends (or men’s weekend trips). Last year’s group didn’t really intrude but this year the ‘buck’ came over more than once to find out what we were up to. I think his party must have been a bit boring, or he was looking for some female action (or cougars as my mum nicely mentioned) before he gets married.
I wish the two nights was longer as I’m just settling in by the second day and have to pack up to go home, but it’s a really fun weekend full of chatting to good friends and laughing. So much laughing.
As I said, good for the soul.
And then, back to reality.
