I was backpacking in Southern California and in those days, you could camp on the beach for 50 cents a night. I was doing fine, thank you, but the den mothers thought it horrible that I, a single girl, would be out alone. Ok, so the hot chocolate was good. I did finally pry myself away, but they insisted I sleep within site of their camp.

The area we were in had some amount of light polution, but the stars were still brilliant and the sound of the waves lulled me to sleep with their soft, dreamy roar.