Camping, not "glam ping"

My first experience with bush camping has been great. There is a style of travel in Africa called overland exploring. It's inexpensive and requires that you help out with the basic cooking, cleaning and maintenance. When we get to the camp site, everyone gets out of the truck, grabs their tent and sets it up. Then you get your stuff out of your locker, set it up in your tent - sleeping mat and bedding, clothing etc. it's best to do this when it's light as it is often remote and there is little light once it goes dark. A headlamp is absolutely essential, as are extra batteries. There is a rota of duties and you are part of a team of four. Duties range from food prep, cleaning out the truck, dishes, and pots and pans, and "flapping", a technique for drying dishes in the most sanitary way, this is actually quite brilliant. There are three basins, one to do the initial rinse, the next with hot soapy water, then a first rinse with a little Dettol in it, and the last simply a hot rinse. Everyone takes a dish in each hand and flaps around until they are dry. The same goes for washing hands. One basin with soap and a scrub brush, one rinse with dettol and the last one a clear rinse. No one got sick in the whole time we were away. It's amazing to me how quickly we became efficient at set-up and take-down each day. There is lots of laughter and everyone is willing to help out with anything needing doing.
the truck was a beast but we got used to it and spent many hours going over bumpy, dusty roads. Getting stuck in the mud was quite an adventure, but again, teamwork prevailed and we survived.