Dunedin Woman enjoyed camping ground for about 40 years
Sheila Simonsen, a Dunedin woman is enjoying her holiday summer camping season at Clyde’s camping ground for about 40 years. Mrs Simonsen, 80 year old, first camped at Clyde with Vic her late husband and two daughters 42 years ago. Since then, she returned at Christmas Easter and Labor Day each year.
Mrs Simonsen said “Mother of Vic lived at Clyde and knew the woman in-charge of the camping ground so she found us a good site and we have it ever since. The skies are so clear when you are in Central Otago and looking at the hills. You can see the Milky Way and beautiful moon. I love Central Otago so much.”
Whether to buy a house at Clyde, Mr and Mrs Simonsen decided against it because they loved camping with other families nearby and fellowship experienced.
Mr Simonsen died in 1989, she continued to make a journey with their daughter Kirsten and Andrea, who have followed tradition and stayed at the camping ground with Mrs Simonsen’s two grandchildren.
She’s celebrating Christmas until her Birthday at the camp each year last December 27, Mrs Simonsen enjoyed a few luxuries while away from home. She said “One year, the caretaker got a bee in his bonnet about Vic, so he knocked our whole tent down and threw it down the river bank. All our friends marched over then picked it up and put it back on the camp site.”
With the help of family and friends, the incident prompted the purchase of a caravan, which is transported from Dunedin at Clyde and returned home by Mrs Simonsen each visit.
