Article by Alexandra Sutcliffe
It all started two years ago, when my partner, a rugged outdoorsy type, requested a camping trip for his birthday. He dusted down the trusty old tent with which he’d toured New Zealand many years ago, gathered together some mats and an old sleeping bag, and picked the spot, near a picturesque lake about two hours away from our home in France.
Now, for my birthday trips we’ve visited the likes of Istanbul and Barcelona, so this was something way off my radar, but I was open to the idea. The welcome we received at the campsite was warm and friendly, the breakfasts looked tempting and I entered into the spirit of adventure.
What followed was undoubtedly the worst night’s sleep of my life,...