Dark Dark

I was watching the show Alone (where folks are left in a wilderness and have to film themselves trying to survive as long as possible) and the fellow was talking about "seeing" things in the dark (he was wondering if he was unwell or dehydrated) and it suddenly reminded me of a camping trip experience a couple of years ago.

See, when it's dark here, in town, in my bedroom, it is not very dark at all.  Especially since I've been spending the last few years with my bedroom blinds only half closed (it really helps me wake up in the mornings) and with the next door's trees and things gone there is a security light as well as their outdoor lights and also my apartment's parking lights that keep my bedroom less than dark.

But even if those lights were blocked, it's not all that dark around here what with light pollution and city lights.

Well on one of our camping trips, in this campsite near the ocean and far from "city lights" or even street lights, we hadn't had a fire near our tent (we sometimes do) and I don't remember the exact details except being sort of half asleep and half waking up and being somehow disoriented by how DARK it was.

I don't think I "saw" anything like the guy on the show was talking about (he mentioned flashes) but I remember feeling like I was floating or in some other reality (maybe partly due to the "half asleep" thing) but I distinctly remember how dark it was.  Like eyes open and NOTHING to be seen.  So very, utterly dark.

It was a little frightening actually (I'm not sure why?  maybe the difference?) and for a moment I almost felt like I had lost a grip on reality or something but I was able to ground myself and put myself back to sleep but yeah there is dark and then there is that actual literal pitch black dark.

They're not the same.  And night time here is really quite light.  Even if it doesn't feel that way if you go out for a walk past midnight, you know?