A Magical Night in the Desert

Day 129 –I will not be able to post this entry today, since we are in an no internet tonight, so it will be posted tomorrow upon my return and here is the story:   my hiking group had the idea to travel this Friday (today )to the desert, few hours away from where I live, and have an whole night event of campout with songs and dances as part of a big happening that takes place there once a year. The location of that event is like an hour away from where my parents live so I figured that on Saturday morning when the event is over, I’ll drive to my parents and stay there for a few hours before heading back north. My daughter was to come with me and she invited one of her friends to join us. And then I started thinking – maybe instead of going to the event we will go and spend the night in a tent of nomads that we visited several times before only for lunch and we always thought is can be so cool to spend the night there. And this is what we did. We drove this afternoon all the way to the desert. It was a long drive, but the girls where in very good spirit and it was much fun.  One more of my daughter friends and his father, who came here for a short visit, decided to joined us and we met them half way there and we drove all the way to the campsite. By the time we arrived there it was 7:30pm and we were hungry, so we took a short hike just to see a little of the desert before it got too dark and we headed back to camp. Then set in the tent on carpets and cushions next to very low tables and ate, and drank a lot of tea as is customary there and just talked and laughed. Later we went out for some stargazing. It is so beautiful – very dark night with no moon and almost no light contamination and we could see so many stars, so many we can’t recognize. But it so great to do that, just look at the dark sky and recognize how little we are how huge is the universe around us, and how beautiful it all is. It always amazes me, every time I go camping, how little we actually need in order to be happy. How much we burden ourselves and our lives with things we don’t need. I love the simple way of living. Not as basic as a tent and a mattress, but I love simplicity, it brings such a relaxation and calm.  

I am thankful for a great idea to campout in this beautiful and so relaxing place. I am thankful for my daughter and her friends who joined this adventure and made it so much better, for friendship and companionship. I am thankful for being here in this wonderful country and for the opportunities it offers. I am thankful for a magical night in the desert.