Fall season is almost here! For our family, it means lots of hikes and as many camping trips as we can fit into our schedule. We love the outdoors so much, we actually went camping for our four year anniversary. However, vacations don't always go as planned.
When we arrived at the site, there was no cell service. It's probably the longest that I have gone without texting my sister. The other surprise was around running water. It was only accessible through a well. Unexpectedly, this worked in our favor. We were able to completely unplug and even connect with our campsite neighbors.
The first night we played Codenames: Harry Potter. This game was perfect for a night around the camp fire after setting up for the evening. I felt this game really got Wes and me into the team mindset. The basis of the game is around working together and gearing one word clues to your partner. Setup and playtime is around 20 minutes. Even as a huge Harry Potter fan, I found this game challenging. Playing the game while camping, brought some of the Harry Potter magic to life. I felt like we were in the Forest of Dean (Deathly Hallows).
The next morning we had a campfire breakfast and checked in with our neighbors. Outside of discussing board games we mostly talked about the best place to find the good sticks for firewood. Our afternoon consistent of a long hike and a swim. If you have never seen a chihuahua who thinks he is a golden retriever, check out the short video of our dog Oliver.
We celebrated our anniversary with our favorite bottle of wine and Wine IQ. Wine IQ is great for a pair or group. The facts are really interesting and many I have never come across before. It's also one of the few games I can consistently beat Wes.
The next day we started our morning with Japanese Sencha . I'm new to Japanese Sencha and found it had the perfect amount of pick me up to start the day. Wes and I had planned a few hikes for this trip, so we headed out to a different location than the previous day. We packed a few of our sparkling botanical teas. Around lunch we stoped for a break and enjoyed the view.
While we were enjoying our lunch we also played Mille Bournes. Mille Bourne comes in a fun case and is only $14.99. It's an exciting throw back to a vintage card game, yet extremely fast paced. We played in about 20 minutes including setup.
Mille Bourne is set in the French Countryside. The goal is to get to a 1000 mile markers while preventing your opponent from moving forward. It is easy to become fully engrossed in this game. The simple setup makes for a quick start making it easy to transition into how you are going to roadblock your opponent. We carry a Paris Tea by Harney & Sons. We carried it on our hike and it was worth it! We recommend pairing Paris Tea with Mille Bournes.
Our last afternoon camping, we enjoyed a pot of darjeeling tea and Jaipur. Harney & Sons carries the best darjeeling tea that I have come across. It has great character and body. So far, it's Wes's favorite tea.
Jaipur is a resource gathering game with colorful cards. Your goal is to bet your opponent. The reward being and invitation to the Maharaja's court. The camel cards are the best part. On your turn, you have the option to either take cards or sell them. If you choose to sell, you can only sell cards of a kind. If you choose to take the camel card, you have to take all of them.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact wanderingwhistlercafe@gmail.com
Location to be announced October 1.