“What the hell am I doing here?” I thought as I bedded down for the night in my swag in the middle of the Australian outback.
Camping in a Swag
I zipped the sleeping bag over my head and tried to banish the overwhelming fear engulfing me. I was convinced I’d be eaten, bitten or stung to death by all sorts of poisonous snakes, spiders or scorpions.
If I survived, it was going to be a long night.
Visiting Ayers Rock had long been high on my bucket list and I’d been persuaded to camp in the outback in a swag to truly experience the magic of Australia’s red centre.
I was scared. By God was I scared, but thousands had done it before me and thousands would do it after me.
So, with the campfire burning, and surrounded by the new friends I had met that morning, I closed my eyes and hoped for the best.
It didn’t take long for me to unzip the swag from over my head. The thought of suffocating in the sweltering heat of the Northern Territory desert outweighed my fear of creepy crawlies. And after a long day of travel, I fell asleep reasonably quickly and easily.
I was relieved and yet slightly disappointed that the only drama that night happened when the heavens opened and the rain poured down on me. I didn’t even wake with the rain. Thankfully my new friends and fellow happy campers woke me and helped drag my swag under some shelter.
Uluru
Uluru is magnificent! It changed colour so many times from our vantage point during sunset and again at sunrise. Up close the enormity of Uluru is breathtaking. The significance of this sacred rock to Aboriginal Australians is fascinating, and whilst I can’t pretend to truly understand its significance, I could certainly appreciate its beauty.
As for camping in a swag, I doubt I’ll do it again but I’m so glad I was lucky enough to experience it. I would thoroughly recommend it.