camping_(6)

I grew up is a fairly well off family, I went to private school and my family and I only ever spent vacations at 5 star resorts.

This all changed for me when I started high school and met Barney. Barney was unique in my circle of friends as he did not come from money. He had earned a scholarship and his family didn’t have to pay for him to go to our school. Despite our different backgrounds we became great mates.

The first summer after I met Barney he invited me to go camping with his family for 3 weeks. His family owned a small plot of land about a 2 hour drive from the city. Apart from a small shack his dad Brian had built there was nothing there but bushland. There was no electricity or plumbing or any luxuries. His family had dirt bikes which they rode around on tracks Brian had made through the bush. There was also a good surf beach about ½ an hour away. As a keen surfer I thought it sounded awesome.

Barney’s family consisted of 2 younger brothers (Mitch & Joey) and his dad (Brian) and his mum (Sam). Brian and Sam were unlike any parents I had ever met; they insisted I call them by their first names which I had never done with any adult, and they spoke to me like I was an adult. Again something I was not used to. I also started to develop a crush on Sam. She was cute rather than beautiful. She stood about 5 feet tall and had a great body but I think I was just attracted to her personality and they way she seemed so confident in being herself. Unlike the women in my family who were always stressing how they looked and what clothes they were wearing.

The first week camping was terrific; I didn’t miss the 5 star luxury my family seemed to depend on when we went away. There was good surf and I had learnt to ride a dirt bike pretty well.The end of the first week however was not so good. I woke up in the middle of the night feeling sick and was soon out in the bushes throwing my guts up. Barney got Sam who stayed with me most of the night and made sure I drank in between my trips to the bushes.