It had been ages (really!) since we last went camping, so it felt somewhat like an adventure as we loaded up Jon and Anna's van and headed south along sunny HWY 1. The camping we had in mind was of the luxory kind, complete with pillows, air mattress, loads of food and snacks... However, planning was not our strong point. When we arrived at Big Sur we drove by many campgrounds with a big "Full" sign, until we were forced in land and found the Ponderosa site, which looked pleasant enough, sitting by a little creek. Then we realized the place was infested with flys. We abandoned camp and drove back down to the coast, where we hiked a little, first on "Java code beach" (you can count on some geeks to re-interpret the sign "Jade Cove Beach"), then on the lush trail to Lime Kiln Falls. Luckily this later hike also led to the discovery of an un-occupied campsite right by Lime Kiln creek, tucked into the redwoods. We enjoyed a feast (of space food, instant noodles, grilled ribs, all sorts of desserts) by the fire, a stroll to the beach lit by a million stars, followed by a night of comfortable sleep under the canopy of the redwood trees, where no flys bothered us. ...Go to the next day...