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Use it or lose it?
We started out some sixty odd years ago trying our best to camp once a month during summer. I had a Peugeot 404 and we towed a Jurgens that still had gas lamps fitted inside. Wow, it was great fun, and we couldn't wait for the next outing. We had camping friends with the same sentiments.
Today we have a gravel roader with a 4X4 SUV towing it, and we really have to force ourselves camping once towards the end of the year, and once towards the beginning.
So I asked myself why so few camps, when we could not get enough of it in those days. To date we have camped at more than 130 different facilities all over Southern Africa, not counting those we visited more than once. What has changed?
Well, I cannot blame the fuel price, because there are many lovely camping facilities within an hour from home.
My conclusion is that during the first 30 years we had camping mates as well as children adding to the fun. When the kids left home, we still had our camping mates. Twenty years ago the first death reduced our numbers to three couples. Ten years ago the second death left us with two couples. Then our remaining friend found that age caught up with his towing skills resulting in expensive caravan repairs, thus they decided to sell their van. Now, being the eldest of the couples, we are on our own for the first time in 60 years.
When camping we do much the same we do at home, except for the dish washer etc. I don't feel like fishing on my own, so the equipment stays at home.
This brings me to the question - use it or lose it. By losing it I mean losing the desire to hitch the caravan, I am a World War two baby. Perhaps one just simple reach a stage where you feel different about that which once tickled your fancy.
Is this an unnatural progression or are there others who can identify with us?
It is not how old one is that matters, it is how one is old that matters. One do not stop playing because one is old, one is old because one stopped playing.
Kanneman, here I am the total opposite of where you find yourself.
I only started serious camping recently at the age of 60. We camp alone as we never built the camping buddy connections that you were blessed to have.
My wife is my fishing buddy, and the rods and tackle have a permanent place with the camping gear.Â
We now try to go camping for a week every month but tend to avoid weekends and holidays. Our next trip is however over a weekend in February and I can't wait to get out there.
We do things that we don't do at home, like fishing, swimming, watching people and especially children laughing and enjoying themselves. We try new things on the fire that we do not try at home.
It may be that I would have been all camped out had I started several years ago, but at this stage I am hoping to camp at least for the next 10 years before I need to take stock of my situation and decide whether I can carry on or not.
But I honestly understand how you feel. I have given up a few of my hobbies as they have simply run their time.
Our camping friends from when we started some 46 years ago have passed on as well however when we retired and toured the country for two and half years (caravan was home) we made many new camping friends as well as family whom after seeing what we were doing they two have now been camping with us and continue to do so especially on our long stay camps.
I‘m sure the time will come when we all will have to make a decision that we will have to sell the van and stop for what ever reason. I don‘t see this happening anytime soon though and there are just too many places I want to discover. God willing as long as I‘m capable of towing I want to continue on our journey.
For the last 8 mths life has got in the way, however we are now about to start our next long journey of about 8–10 myths and part of it with family and partially alone. I‘m sure we will meet new friends along the way. Looking forward to the next chapter.
Ons kampgeskiedenis strek amper so ver as joune Pieter, eers met n tent en van sowat 40 jaar gelede met n karavaan. Ons geniet dit steeds en sal aanhou kamp tot fisiese beperkings dit nie meer moontlik maak nie, wat ek hoop darem eers oor n paar sal wees. Behalwe saammet die kinders toe hulle nog in die huis was en so nou en dan nog saammet hulle en hulle gesinne, het ons nie saammet vriende gekamp nie. Ons was wel op n kol lid van SAWA en het die naweekkampe terdeë geniet. Vriende het mettertyd langs die pad agter gebly maar hulle was nie kampvriende nie so dit het geen invloed op ons kamplewe nie.
Ons het nooit lank op een plek gekamp nie, dit klink vervelig. Ons het wel so elke tweede Desember die land vol gereis en amper elke Aprilvakansiee vir twee weke aan die Natalse Suidkus gekamp.
Deesdae is ons kamppatroon om vir do 7 tot 10 dae net ons neuse te volg sonder n agenda en dan gewoonlik by so 3 of 4 plekke te staan.
Maar elkeen maak maar soos dit vir hom goed is.
Het is beter rijk te leven dan rijk te sterven
Ek wil graag noem dat ek al 77 jr. oud en die kamplewe nog steeds geniet.Ek en my vrou het op 30 jarige ouderdom op ons eie met die karavaan beginere kamp en toer. Op hierdie stadium was ons 2 kinders deel van die prentjie. Ons het meestal by Stilbaai en Hartenbos gedurende Desember gekamp. Sedert die.twee uit die huis is, toer ons eerder as om lank op n plek te kamp. Omdat ons by die see bly verkies ons eerder om die binneland te verken. Ons gaan gedurende Mei en Junie weer noordwaarts. 31 dae in die Kruger en sommer verder rondtoer. Solank die bene en kop hou moet ons beweeg. Maurits
Sadly as you get older you do more and more things for the last time and fewer and fewer things for the first time
Never too old to have a happy childhood
Here (Dwarswegstrand), where we are presently camping, is a group of motorhome owners for the week-end (Garden Route Region). On the back of one of the motorhomes is the following done in neat sign-writing: Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway.

My wife and I have been boating, fishing and camping since we met. In the beginning I got some Tjopper tents from the army stores and we enjoyed weekends away. Then the children came and we had to make provisions to accommodate them. Memories were made every time we had the opportunity to go camping. Most of the times to dams so we can do some fishing, boating and skiing. In later years we had the chance to go and spent holidays at Dolphin Holiday resort. Apart from the long holidays at the sea we tried to go away over short weekends and look for opportunities where we can make a weekend a long weekend. Even had the blessing a few times to go to Mozambique. Then the kids moved out of the house, but me and my wife kept on going away for a weekend in a month sometimes even twice in a month.
Then we had the downfall of the miss management of SOC Denel and we took a dip where by we could not go anywhere for about 4 years. But with the blessing of the LORD we are up and camping again. It Is in our blood. GOD willing we would like to travel SA as well and spent our retirement days permanently camping.
2 years to go. Currently working very hard to get all in place......................... but until then we must still go camping.
Hopefully this camp feeling will never go away! ! ! !
GOD IS ALTYD TEENWOORDIG
Sonder Jesus is ek niks! ! ! !

Kanneman, when I told my Aunt then 92 that I was worried that in the future I would lose the ability to fly and no longer be able to pass my flight medical she said. “There will come a time that you no longer have the desire to fly your aeroplane”.
Ones likes and dislikes and passions change over the years as you get older. I have stopped flying now as it does not fit in with my Nomadic camping life….which I now seem to prefer?
Groete,
Paul
