There is a story of jealousy behind this picture—a story I am proud to tell.
Charlene gave me a day’s notice that she could tour our new stomping grounds, the USA. I would whip up a trip in a few hours and begin booking where we were going to stay. We discovered that tenting is much more enjoyable than hotelling and much cheaper. Plus, the dirt we get in the tent is “our” dirt and does not have the gross-out factor like finding a hair in a hotel bathtub – EWW! During my research and booking phase, I was impressed to see that one spot was available at Lake Erie State Park. It wasn’t any old spot but a prime location. It was right on the lake with a great view and plenty of room.
Setting up a new tent took an hour. We needed to replace the one we had used since it belonged to my daughter, and she needed it. I wanted a taller one to stand upright and not be uncomfortably bent over. This new tent was significantly bigger than our old one, and I could stand easily inside. With our new tent, we felt like we were in a castle compared to the tiny, confining tents others have. Oh, the joy of roominess!
Then we had a neighbour come and visit us.
He was asking lots of questions.
We were new to camping and to visiting the USA. This was the first time anyone had come over to see, and it was the first time we had someone who was a little agitated.
I was cleaning up the setup mess and was eager to explore the settings before sunset. I could walk the beach, do smaller trails, roast marshmallows, or anything else, but this man was asking me questions.
As this stranger was asking more and more questions, it became clear he did not like my answers. “I booked this site just yesterday.” ” Yeah, I know, it is a fantastic site. I am surprised that I got it.” “Really, you tried getting this site months ago? I got it, no problem yesterday.” “Again, I can see that this is probably the best site in the park. That is why I am happy.” “Well, uh, I used the website to book it. That is the only explanation I can give on how I booked it. I used the official website, and here I am.” “Maybe this site is available after I leave, and you can book it yourself.” “Yup, Canadians. I booked it fair and square.”
Never have I been questioned so much about the selection of a campsite. This jealous stranger made me uncomfortable. I changed my plans for exploring the area and would only venture out as far as I could see the tent. I realized that I had gotten lucky. It is possible that someone cancelled their plans, and I happened to be the one to snap it up. It is also possible that it was simply unavailable for the times the stranger wanted. Plus, I had more pressing things on my mind, like my wife not knowing how to read!!!
We would enjoy the sunset and roast a few marshmallows. When we de-camped in the morning, we walked the beach for a little bit before heading off to visit the sites on our list that day.
After this man made such a fuss, I looked at this campground’s website, and our site was booked solidly for the rest of the summer. I was lucky to get it when I did.
- The annoying, jealous neighbour was nothing more than curious, but in a very irritating fashion. Nothing bad happened after that encounter, and we enjoyed our stay without incidents.
- When booking a site, you might strike it lucky and get a great location. If you do, enjoy it for all its might!
- Find directions to Lake Erie State Park on All The Places We Have Been To Map.
- Camping can be considerably cheaper than a hotel. We found tenting and cooking our food to be a great cost-saving measure, allowing us to travel longer.
- Don’t let anyone ruin your time or plans.
