I have returned from camping on Moreton Island. I’ve never been camping besides the annual school camp. I always hated it because you’d always be partnered with someone you might not have really wanted, the food was always horrid and it normally always rained. You’d spend the week doing stupid bonding activities and if you were me you’d end up constipated and with a splitting headache.

HOWEVER! This camping trip was very different. I really wanted to push myself and to try and make some new friends so when a few people from my studio class started to plan a camping trip I thought I should ask to come too. I was super nervous because spending five nights away from my private life with the safety of the internet and my family, the gym – all those crutches – it would be hard. And more so when I’m really not a seasoned camper.

We knew we would be roughing it. We didn’t have a four wheel drive so it meant that we were walk ons to the barge – having to carry everything that we would need to last the whole trip. There were five of us. A 17 year old tattooed pot smoker (Emmalie), a 20 year-old fisherman’s daughter lesbian (Sherri), a 17 year-old sexually confused over educated girl (Grace), a 19 year-old quite type who could drink anyone under the table (Shannon). And then me (Zilla). The night before we all stayed at Sherri’s house who leaves near the Port of Brisbane and spent a sleepless night before getting an 8.30 barge to Moreton. We managed somehow to carry the amazing amounts of stuff from the boat on the sand to our camping ground.

We found the perfect spot that was between the barge and the toilets, it was nice and big as well as being secluded. We set up tents and unpacked, put our food in the esky and then sort of didn’t know what to do. So we made lunch! So pretty much the whole trip was amazing. I’m not going to go through a ‘we did this then that’ sort of explanation because I can neither be bothered to write it all, nor do I think that any body would read it all.

The first night involved some crazy rice as Grace lost the battle of the winter light and Sherri and I were yet to master the fire. So then out came the Absinthe. After taking a couple of shots, we all ran down the beach and climbed the huge sand dunes and looked at the lights of Brisbane and the stars. The funny thing is that we were all in bed by about 9pm.

It was a bit overcast on the second day but we were up at around 6.30 so we tried to go fishing although we didn’t catch a thing. I did a couple of walks to Tangalooma to get drinking water and some more chips – which is an hour per trip, walking in the sand with the wind – it was kind of a challenge. As the fire skills got better, so did our cooking. We created the Wall of Cans, where all our soups and tinned this and that sat. We also had many a washing lines in the tress as it rained on the second night and things got a little damp. Sherri brought this game called “What’s Your Story” which sounds a little lame but was a really good way to get to know everyone really well. It ended up becoming a bit of a therapy session – talking about sex, uni, school, depression, heath, stress, drugs, family, religion and politics (etc) and I really felt quite comfortable opening up.

There were some funny moments with naming kookaburras and hiding from the ranger as we gathered sticks to start our fire. We also had some awesome nicknames for one and another as well as some awesome sing-a-longs.

Sherri’s parents came over and brought some more fishing stuff and we managed to catch three whiting and a dart. I went to do the daily water run and in the hour that I’d been gone, three of them had managed to finish the second bottle of 70% Absinthe between the three of them. It made for a pretty crazy night. I cooked up the fish for dinner and we slept under the stars.

I really had an amazing time. I was really proud of myself for going. I got some pretty funny photos. My whole body is bruised, and I only had one shower in five days (which was so freezing) and I had mozzie bights all over me. I have friend and I’m just so happy with everything at the moment. I got a good boost too by getting three 6s and a 5 for uni marks. I feel this is a good start and with my health on the mend, things will only get better. So yes. That is my camping trip. It was amazing. Amazing. AMAZING! There are a lot of photos on Facebook and I will post a few when my Internet rolls over.

More awesomeness to come.

1. The Plague
2. Picnic at Hanging Rock
3. An Accommodating Spouse
4. Eat Pray Love
5. The Elephant Vanishes (Murakami)
6. Sputnik Sweetheart (Murakami)
7. Blind Willows, Sleeping Woman (Murakami)

These are some of the small drawings I’ve done so far.
Teacher paiting on the wall during (no blackboard here) to explan fabrication.
Installation workshop
My ironing board: half finished. Going to be done with an iron, underwear and if time a dress shirt for the sculpture part of Studio.

I thought this was cute.

HAPPY EASTER!

I wish I had:

a. The chance to wear cothes like that

b. Money to wear clothes like that

What are you doing to make you’re day a fashion gem?

Kind of crazy to think this is school work.

I do love it so.

I’m ready for the weekend.

I’m ready to get out of here.