SLEEPING

a very expensive bivvy bag, it's waterproof and has a zip 2/3 the way down it, it has a fly net and a hoop and all in all did me very well. i can't help resent how much i paid for it though, i did already have a gortex bag and that would have done me fine. There was one night when i woke up with my face covered in catapillars when i wished i had used the flynet but i never did use it. my friend Ben an experienced camper laughed at me for how much i spent on it and i decided not to invest in any other kit until i'd spent 6 months trying out what i already had. a few years ago i bought a thermarest but i got a rip in it and had a sleepless night, so i took just a regular (i think it's swedish army) foam mat with me. The sleeping bag was a softie 6 donated by Kean who is an inspiration (more about him another time), it was perfect for the summer but after the first couple of  frosts i have stayed inside. these three items were rolled as one into a large drysack this required very little efforty as it was not tightly packed and meant setting camp took seconds. i kept my spare pair of trousers in the drysack which i rolled up and inverted into the end of one leg to create a pillow.