I’ve been divorced for quite some years now, and my new wife, Diane, had never camped out before. So I had to break her in gently.
First I coaxed her into spending the night with me inside a tent in our backyard one night.
She survived that experience unscathed, so a few weeks later I took her camping at a state-managed camping spot where there were public toilets, picnic tables and a safe, approved fireplace. The first few times we camped together there we used a camping tent, but the last time we went there — to the same spot — we tried camping in a swag. A swag is an Australian bedroll with a built-in foam mattress. It is bulky and heavy (because of the canvas) but it is very quick to set up and to pack away.
The park rangers had even laid on a supply of already-chainsawed wood logs for us to use on the fire.
The only thing lacking there were showers, but since this was just an overnight camp, we could live without that luxury. We’d be driving home again after breaking camp after breakfast in the morning.
The magic of that camping site was greatly enhanced by the time of year – our late spring in the southern hemisphere (Australia). In fact we two were the only campers in that part of the park at the time.
We were in a river valley surrounded by natural bushland. Across the other side of the river was a Boy Scout camp. When night fell, the pitch black sky showed the constellations of Orion and the less-obvious Southern Cross with the clear-cut detail you never see while in the city.
I cooked up a simple dinner for her on my 10-year-old Trangia alcohol-fuel stove, and I proceeded to build a log campfire at the same time. Thay way, we could both sit next to it in our folding camp chairs. We ate our hot meal from plastic bowls. I enjoyed my mug of tea (while she had coffee) while we watched the flames of the campfire flickering.
I once heard another camper describe viewing the glowing coals as “watching Caveman TV”. It’s only one channel, but it’s a great show that’s suitable for all ages. What a great way to introduce your girlfriend to camping.