Most recently, though, we packed the car, the kids and the dog and ventured out to connect, explore and sleep under the stars.

We had two options in mind. One was a place we hadn’t prepared for at all, and we took a huge chance that we would find somewhere to chuck our bedrolls and hang out. We were wrong. What we found were beautiful valleys, places untouched by others in years and perfect hiking routes for cooler days, but nowhere that seemed
like a good overnight spot. The temperature when we were ready to settle down for the day was still a sizzling 39 degrees, and eventually we decided to rather go to our ‘Plan B’ campsite.

Kids, dog and adults all sighed with relief at some extra time in an air-conditioned vehicle.

The vastness of the spaces we live in is often forgotten in the hustle of our busy daily lives. While we have less and less time, we still have much more land to protect, visit and learn about. There are different natural nuances here, more spaces that are tucked away from sight and more rocks to lean against. Protecting this is a mammoth task and immersing ourselves in it is the most solid way of remembering who we are and why we do it.

We chose the day well. The weather was perfect – hot in the afternoon and lovely and cool in the evening. One of my favourite moments in the day is that moment when the air cools noticeably from one moment to the next. When the heat of the day makes space for the cool, gentle calm of the evening. As evening arrived and we sat together, talking and laughing, I could feel my shoulders relax, the tension in my body melting away and I already loved my family better than I had just a few hours before. The kids have a collection of awfully hilarious (or hilariously awful) jokes which they pull out at any given time, and camping is always one of those times!

There is joy in the conversations, but there is also a special contentment in the calm quiet when we all sit in silence, looking at the skies sparkling with stars and listening out for the barking geckos, howling owls and other nocturnals roaming about.

I love an early night (I am known to be showered and in my pyjamas by 18:00 on a Sunday), so camping bedtime
is my favourite time, especially because as we all pile into the Christmas bed there are murmurs that become
conversations of the type that we only have in the quiet of night, hugged by nature as we settle down. A burst of belly laughter from a small body breaks the quiet, its joy seeping into us all as we fall asleep.

As we wake to whispers, giggles and wriggling from the kids, sunrise is upon us. Daylight has suddenly burst across the mountains, crept along the plains below us and heralded a whole new day.

The connection to each other, to our purpose and to ourselves is restored and balanced. The signs are all there – we speak more gently, more calmly. We are less frantic packing up the car than we were the day before. We are grounded and rooted together in the land of sand and freedom. TNN