Things I’m grateful for when glamping:

I recently spent four nights glamping (glamorous camping) in the Northern Territory while participating in the 45^th Anniversary of the Wave Hill Walk-Off. There were many things to be grateful for during my time ‘getting one with nature’, but here’s my top five:

1. A motorised tent: That’s right. Why pitch a tent and sleep on the ground when you can get a tent on wheels with a microwave, air-conditioning, a shower, somewhere to plug your GHD in AND a doona! Seriously, get in first and choose your bed and if you’re fast enough you can get the ‘loft’ as I called it; that’s the bed above the driving cabin. You mightn’t have 1000 thread sheets but it’s the nearest thing to your own mattress as you’re going to get. Just don’t sit up too fast in the middle of the night or you might just knock yourself out! All's I can say is I am grateful for whomever invented the tent on wheels. Pic above with sista glamper, Cathy.

2. Communal cooking: The best thing about camping or glamping is the community spirit that exists around all meal times. It was new to me as I live by myself and when I’m not on the road or out with friends, I usually microwave an egg or throw some Skippy in the wok. So, I was MOST grateful for the pot-luck meal where everyone bought something. We had three different curries, salads (which I helped to chop!) and a lot of laughs. Pic above of me with Steve from Cairns and all the fabulous dishes...and below more of our group, and yes, that is a half of Dan Sultan to the left of the photo!

3. Communal baby:  I’m not a mother, and not overly maternal, but what I did find a calming presence at the ‘glampsite’ was a baby. Young Delilah (daughter of Jared and Ruth) had so much personality, batted her tiny little eye-lashes and smiled constantly bringing so much peace and joy our place. I’m grateful she was packed into the motorised tent pitched next to mine.  That’s me with the fabulous bub below.

4.  Humour: There's  simply no point in even attempting to glamp if you haven't got a sense of humour.  If you can’t laugh when you share the toilet with a frog, or you walk into the wrong tent after a midnight pee then you should probably stay home! I’m grateful all those I travelled with knew how to laugh and didn’t take themselves too seriously. Pic below with the gorgeous Craig who has a fab sense of humour, and I was grateful we got to have a laugh together.

 5. Shared human experiences: Don’t even bother glamping in close proximity to other people if you haven’t already come to accept that everyone farts - that's right, even this Princess here has the urge on occasion. It's a relief when someone in your campsite does it first, then you can all relax. I’m grateful to all those I glamped with had healthy bodies also and that no-one was expected to wake up with a full-face of make-up either (of course that only happens on the daytime soaps, right?).