The word for today is…

bivouac (noun) – A temporary encampment often in an unsheltered area.

(verb) – To camp in a bivouac.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : In the 1841 edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster observed bivouac to be a French borrowing having military origins. He defined the noun bivouac as “the guard or watch of a whole army, as in cases of great danger of surprise or attack” and the verb as “to watch or be on guard, as a whole army.” The French word is derived from the Low German word biwacht, a combination of bi (“by”) and wacht (“guard”). In some German dialects, the word was used specifically for a patrol of citizens who assisted the town watch at night. Today, bivouac has less to do with guarding and patrolling and more about having shelter.

Peter is a fourth-generation New Zealander, with his mother's and father's folks having arrived in New Zealand in the 1870s. He lives in Lower Hutt with his wife, some cats and assorted computers. His...