Camp A Low Hum 2012

This year, CALH was back in Wainuiomata, so it was a whole new Camp experience for me, having only been for the first time last year when it was in Bulls.

There was a lagoon, which was freezing but nice to look at. I did actually get in on Sunday morning and while it gave me something else to think about other than my self-induced illness, it wasn't the magical cure I had hoped for.

There was a bit of rain and there were a lot of cicadas. I have never seen cicadas so big and so willing to sit on people!

There were a wide variety of topics suggested for Megalex's freestyle rapping.

There was impressive baking by Sarah - this is her pistachio shortbread, she also made peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and a really yum slice with a crumbly base, a jammy centre, and nuts on top. We also managed to draw envy with our 'gourmet' meals prepared using only a pot and two frying pans, although I can't really take credit for any of the culinary skills; I just did a lot of dishes.

There was a swing bridge made from rubber and chains, along with a wooden bridge, and a few confidence courses.

There was a lot of native bush and forest. It was pretty amazing to be watching a band play and then look beyond them to big, green hills covered in ferns and trees.

Last year, my favourite stage was the pool. This year, it was definitely the forest. Here we were sitting on the fringe of the forest to make the most of the sun, but the stage was actually facing into the trees and it was pretty awesome to be dancing and then look up through branches to the sky. At night lights throughout the trees created shadows and colours and more awesomeness.

There was a lot of bunting, made by Alice. It stretched across the goal posts we were camped by and around almost all of the tents in our not-so-little group. There was a little bit of Camp art but there didn't seem to be as much as last year - some 'interesting' performance art happened on a wood chip pile...

There were glow sticks. Still faintly glowing in the morning when the sun turned the tent into an oven and we had to throw ourselves out the door and onto the grass, simultaneously removing the six layers (okay, only I was cold blooded enough to need six layers plus my sleeping bag and a woollen blanket) we had gone to bed in.

Of course, there were bands. Lots of them. Some familiar ones from last year, lots I'd never heard of before. Above is Orchestra of Spheres. My favourite was Terrible Truths, from Adelaide. There was such an eclectic mix which is the beauty of it really, from a guy with a violin and a loop pedal, to two guys in denim cut offs showering the crowd with glitter and confetti, to a six piece band with lots of polish, there was pretty much everything.

At the end of the four nights and three days, there were lots of tired (and in need of a shower) but very happy campers.