No golfing

Free camping takes a lot of getting used to.

In small towns or out in the bush its no problem. We camp, we buy things from the local shops, and no one seems to mind.

Cities on the other hand are another matter entirely.

Technically there should not be anything illegal about sleeping in your car (and plenty of people have to). But it is something that has so much stigma and fear attached to it. Or at least, I feel like it does.

There are fears for your own safety, fear of the police or council inspectors (which for me is more a fear about screaming when they wake us up followed by the embarrassment of having to pack up our stuff in my pyjamas) and fear of people seeing you when they walk their dogs in the morning and then calling the aforementioned police or council inspectors.

Adelaide was our first urban free camping experience. And it was both nerve wracking and relationship testing. Wikicamps had done the hard work for us by recommending a good place to hole up for the night - a large park with a hedged parking area. We arrived late and were relieved to find a camper van and several cars already in residence. But then, where to park?

Cultural differences come out at the oddest times. It would seem to me completely obvious that when trying to camp surreptitiously in a park, one would park one's car in the darkest, most hidden corner possible - in this case tucked away next to the hedge. Equally, it seemed completely obvious to Luis that when sleeping in one's car, the logical place to park is in a nice open location where (quote) 'you can see what is coming from all sides'.  Luis was driving. I was navigating.

Some time later we were finally installed in the Jazz listening to the periodic sounds of cars approaching, pausing and then driving off rather fast. Perhaps, we thought, they were locals accustomed to fewer neighbours in this particular spot.

In the morning, terrified of the dog walkers and their judgement, I made us get up very early.

It's was beautiful park and uniquely South Australian, with ancient twisted gums spread across the lawns. We sipped our instant coffee and smiled at grandparents walking with their grandkids. I even smiled at the dogs (through was still wary of the owners).

On the second night at this park we slept soundly. Firstly because when I went to clean up after breakfast at the public toilets I noticed that they sported a sign reading 'golf prohibited'. I reasoned that if this was the major concern in the vicinity of the toilets then we were fine.

Secondly, after our leisurely breakfast we returned to our packed up and innocent looking car only to find that the camper van in fact had a tent pitched next to it and the hippy's within were only just emerging, blinking, into the light of day. IN THEIR UNDIES! (Luis' emphasis).