The first thing I noticed in our first born when we met her bus after camp was her pure delight upon catching a glimpse of our faces. As she sprinted toward my open arms, I honestly couldn't remember a time when she had been more happy to see me. It was a good feeling, I must say. I soon discovered one possible reason for her elation over being back home again. It turns out she had eaten next to nothing over the past four days and was very much looking forward to a home cooked meal. She was sure she had lost several pounds.
Having finished her complaint about the lack of food, or at least of food she felt was fit for consumption, Katie moved quickly on to the second mini-disaster. About fifteen minutes before before boarding the bus for the return journey, she was bitten by a venomous ant, known variously as the jumping jack, jack jumper, or hopper ant. All I can say is that I am extremely thankful that (1) Katie was not allergic to it and (2) I was not aware of the existence of these lethal insects before she left for camp.
Here is what I learned, after the incident, from wikipedia:
Jack jumper ants are carnivores and scavengers. They sting their victims with venom that is similar to stings of wasps, bees, and fire ants. Their venom is one of the most powerful in the insect world.
The symptoms of the stings of the ants are similar to stings of the fire ants. The reaction is local swelling and reddening, and fever, followed by formation of a blister. The heart rate increases, and blood pressure falls rapidly. In individuals allergic to the venom (about 3% of cases), a sting sometimes causes anaphylactic shock. Although 3% may seem small, jack jumper ants cause more deaths in Tasmania than spiders, snakes, wasps, and sharks combined.
Ouch, ouch, and ouch. Here is a picture of the leg where she was bitten. Katie reports that she experienced a stabbing pain for one hour that lessened to an ache for the next twenty-four. After that point it felt like a normal mozzie bite. She should know, as she has always been the child in our family afflicted by bites of all kinds, especially from mosquitos.
Apart from the lack of palatable food and the jumping jack, Katie had a wonderful time at camp. On her first night, her group loaded up backpacks with lots of gear and headed out into the bush to camp overnight. They climbed straight up something very steep (neither a hill nor a mountain, she says) that required a rope for rappelling. They then set up camp, and made dinner with what supplies they had. In the haste to be off, half of their food had been inadvertantly left behind. What they did have were rice noodles, chili sauce, pine nuts, and enough vegetables for one sixth of the girls. Breakfast the next morning was milk and Wheet-bix (think shredded wheat) with no sugar.
After breakfast, the girls broke camp and loaded up all of their gear including tents, sleeping mats, cooking gear, clothes, and sleeping bags, into large backpacks. These they carried on their backs for three to four kilometers with only a moderate level of complaining, where they were met by a bus and driven back to camp.
Their next task was to build a raft using wooden planks, plastic barrels, and rope. According to Katie this required a great deal of cooperation. The girls then climbed on for testing in a nearby lake. They managed to make it nearly 50 meters before it fell apart, soaking nearly all of the girls.
On the second night, the girls again set up their tents on the camp's oval. Fortunately for them, the weather remained dry. When I spoke to Katie's form teacher a few days later, she had been one of the unlucky ones to be camping outdoors during a later night of pouring rain. As I sympathized with her, she affirmed with a laugh that the school could not possibly pay her enough for this ordeal.
Part of the camp experience included learning about indigenous culture. The name Jungai means meeting place in the Taungurung language, and according to the camp's official website, it was established in 1972 "in order to promote race reconciliation, teach indigenous culture and offer a meeting and teaching place for indigenous and non-indigenous groups." Katie had assumed this bit would be rather boring, but she was pleasantly surprised to find it interesting. They first learned how to blow on a didgeridoo, next how to throw a boomerang, and then about various edible and healing plants found in the bush.
On their last full day before returning home, Katie went white water rafting with her group. This she found to be "hard work but fun." Her favorite meal was called a "bucket lunch." This included tortilla chips, kidney bean, tomatoes, and numerous other vegetables that were placed in a wrap and rolled up. For morning tea they were given granola bars or apples, and for supper (to be distinguished from dinner, the evening meal), dessert. The last two nights were spent in proper cabins, and although Katie had assumed the cabins would be preferable to the tents, she slept much better in the tents due to the availability of fresh air.
I sent one of my older cameras with Katie with instructions to take lots of photos, but it returned with an empty card. I have had no choice but to be content with her verbal descriptions. While she has been fairly enthusiastic about all the she experienced, Katie is not at all upset that she will not be going on camp again for another twelve (now eleven) months.
"She slept better in the tents due to the availability of fresh air." :)
Great post, Christie. Katie had quite the adventure!
Posted by: Shanda | 04/06/2011 at 08:12 AM