Camping Trip to Wollondilly River Station - Day 1 - Sunday 20 January

Today we went to Wollondilly River Station (WRS) between Mittagong and the Wombeyan Caves on a camping trip with the Addisons (Steven, Janet, Kate and Georgia), the Laurences (Sharon and Holly), Ian, Robbie, Ishbel, Heidi and Ben.
We were up early (relatively anyway; this holidays the children have turned into vampires, going to bed late and rising late also) and starting to pack. We borrowed a trailer from our neighbour, Bev, and loaded up tent, tables, chairs, clothing, food, etc.
At around 10am Karen came over with Ben and had a cuppa with me while Ian did fiddly things to the car and trailer like check tyre pressure. At 11ish we headed over to rendez-vous at Steven and Janet's but it was about 11:30-11:45 before we got on the road.
WRS allows pets to camp too so, while Karen was organised to come and feed the cat, we were able to take Bella with us. I wasn't very confident about how well she would travel, she winges the whole 1 1/2 km from Springwood home and I wasn't disappointed - she must've vomited about 10 times between home and WRS.
Ben also has a history of travel sickness, especially on bumpy, winding dirt tracks such as could be expected between Mittagong and WRS. When we stopped at Mittagong for lunch I got some travel sickness tablets and made him take one, by then Bella had chucked six times and I really wouldn't have coped with anyone else chucking up in the car. I gave Bella 1/4 tablet too but it didn't seem to make much difference.
Camping with the Addisons is quite an experience! We had a HUGE tarpaulin kitchen/dining area complete with kitchen sink and massive chest esky. We had 6 tents between us - Robbie is in his new cocoon tent (gives me claustrophobia just to look at), Kate and Holly are sharing, Sharon has her own tent as does Ben, Ian, Ish and I are in our big tent and Janet, Steven and Georgia are in their tent.
Now it is dark. We have a flashing collar on the Addison's dog, Mindy, a lovely fire going, citronella torches going and we are just waiting for Sharon to have her shower before we tuck in to marshmallows. Steven is distributing sparklers to the children.
But before that, during the HOURS it took us to set all this gear and tents up - someone likened it to playing cubby houses, quite aptly I think - the kids got themselves organised for a swim in the river. It is flowing well after the rains and is a smooth, 20m approx. band of brown.
There is a horse that wanders about the paddock we are camped in, much to Ishbel's delight, although she is worried it is too skinny. Bella and Mindy are able to roam freely - an absolute delight for our Bella who is usually either confined within the house or in a small pound in the garden. Mindy on the other hand isn't the back-to-nature type and has spent the afternoon firstly in the Addison's boot, then in Sharon's driver's seat and finally in the back of our station wagon!
A couple of ducks have also visited us this evening - almost had roast duck for dinner.