Building a camp fire is not allowed in most of the camping spots we’ve visited in the last couple of years, both in Holland and in Germany. But this one was different.

Freizeitpark Mammut is huge, with lovely grassy fields, ginormous trees and slopes to match, with forest areas, marsh lands and open savanah-type areas. It’s an off-roader’s dream!

But I digress … I was harping on about the campfires. Because that’s the way we used to camp as kids - rugged, full of adventure and a mesmerising fire to capture your memories.

And then there was the mud.

Mud, mud, glorious mud. Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood.

So follow me, follow me, down to the hollow … where we can wallow … in glorious mud!

It attacked our faces, decorated our legs, tightened the skin on our arms and squelched into our shoes. It even gobbled up Marcel’s sandals too!

In my excitement one afternoon, I forgot the factor 30 at the tent, and the sun was vicious. But no fear! I’m from Africa!

I did what Africans do … covered myself in the earthy stuff from head to toe (animals do it, and some tribal folk too).

It was like being 8 years old again.

Only this time, I got to drive an uber-cool Landy around the park, through narrow tree-laned paths, over bumpy gravel bits, up a 50 deg incline (I swear it was!!) and over the other side. Yee-hah.

Yes, yes, yes, I admit I started off a little slowly – check out Offroading for Dummies – but with Rob’s expert help and everyone’s encouragement, we all got better and braver.

The comradreship was amazing! Considering most of us hadn’t met before … it was mind-boggling how the group just clicked. Especially late at night, gazing into the crackling logs and mulling over our new found adventure.