How much do we rely on our smartphones for maps or car navigators for directions? I know I never bother to get an address as I always just plug my destination into my map app and it tells me how to get there. Often I will leave to go somewhere and I have no idea how to get where I am going – that is how confident I have become that the little line on the map will show me the way.

A few months ago, a friend from work told me about a great camping ground. It sounded ideal. We could take the dog, put the kayaks in, have a fire and it wasn’t too far away from home. I got the name of the place and a brief list of directions how to get there. In truth I thought that I would just be able to look it up, so thought the instructions were less important. As it turns out this place isn’t listed on any map, it isn’t google-able and I couldn’t find it after numerous Internet searches.

The rains came and because I couldn’t find the place on any searches I forgot about it. It felt like it didn’t exist. Isn’t it funny I thought I couldn’t find it – and I hadn’t even left the house!

Early this morning we packed up the dog to go exploring. Armed with not much more than the mud-map directions that I was given many months ago, we tied the dog to the ute and took off. It took over an hour with many long and winding dirt roads. I started to doubt we were on the right track, but we didn’t want to turn around –what if it is just around the next corner? Eventually we came to a sign and I knew we had found it. How exciting! What explorers we were! The camp-ground was better than I could have imagined. It had everything promised and more, and surprisingly for a long weekend it wasn’t too busy. Instantly we started planning our next big camping trip.

Driving home I remembered that movie ‘The Beach’ and how you could only get to that haven if someone who knew the secret drew you a map.

Of course I won’t reveal the location – that would spoil it for all those lucky enough to find out about it… but maybe one day, I’ll draw you a map.