Later on today, my friends Lisa and Kevin, along with Diane and I, are heading to Cranberry Run Campground in Pennsylvania for a five day camping trip – and my first vacation of 2005.

With two cars full of some serious camping gear, we will head to the Delaware Water Gap to “rough it” for close to a week. While there, we plan to build campfires, go rafting, barbecue, chop down a few trees, go hiking – and escape from our lives for a little while – and I can hardly wait.

I love to go camping. I have only done it a few times in my life, but when I do – the experience is unforgettable. I love to live in the outdoors and sleep under a blanket of stars listening to a chorus of sounds from the creatures who live in the forest. I also love to sit by a roaring fire that I made and smell the wood burning while hearing it crackle under the flame. And thanks to this trip – I get to do it for five days and four nights.

I am so happy that I am finally going on vacation. Usually by now, I have three vacations under my belt. But since this has not exactly been a successful financial year so far – I have unfortunately had to remain grounded. So the fact that I am going to hit the road and head to a camping site with three of my closest friends is very much needed right now.

From what I have seen on line about Cranberry Run Campground, the place seems pretty cool. It has electricity at the campsite, free firewood, showers, a fire pit, boating, hiking and fishing – and even a laundry room. In addition, during the five days that we will be there, there will be a Luau at the campsite, which all of us are really looking forward to. So between the camping itself, everything the campsite has to offer – and the great camaraderie that the four of us have – I know that this is going to be a fantastic vacation.

As soon as we get there, the first thing I want to do, after we pitch our tents and set up the campsite, is build a fire. I love to take firewood and create a roaring fire that I keep adding to that keeps everyone warm – and truly gives everyone the feeling of the great outdoors. I also look forward to eating some good barbecue that we will cook on Kevin’s gas grill. I love barbecue as much as I love campfires. So to actually combine all of my favorite things for five exciting days is surely going to make for a great time.

It’s now 2:00am, and I should head to bed to prepare for our big day – but I am too excited to sleep – because later on tonight – I will be sleeping under the stars.