Flashback Friday

Oops - nearly forgot. Mum and Dad are back from their travels so I was able to get my hands on an album.


Here is a photo that brings back memories of camping trips taken every Easter at Tocumwal on the Murray River.

Every Easter we would load into the car at some ungodly hour of the morning, preferably while it was still dark, and head up to the Murray. I remember Mick and I would go straight back to sleep in the nest Mum and Dad had made on the back seat. No need for seat belts in the 70's obviously. Why Dad felt it necessary to leave so early I have no idea - must ask him.

We would then spend a glorious Easter with a couple of other families doing what kids do best... swimming, digging, swinging out over the river on a tyre, eating jaffles, hunting for wildlife, making fires, (you could do that in the 70's too!) and generally running amok and having a ball.

There would be a massive communal fire going day and night, trench toilets that you filled in as you went, 3 of the mums were teachers so there were always activities going for anyone who was interested. One year we dyed every tea towel with natural dyes we made over the camp-fire and bark paintings that eventually became part of a gallery exhibition we put on for the grown-ups. Every night there were poetry recitals, charades, camp-fire songs, and more jaffles and sticks sprouting hot runny marshmallows.

The tents were triangular and orange and there were very few mod-cons but what splendid times they were.

Note - left to right, Jenny Pearson, Sally Waring, Georgie Gamble, Jason Gamble (up top), Cindy Gamble, Mick Pearson (on pole)