| Camping 12:28 - May 20 with 2998 views | TheChef |
Our annual bank holiday weekend camping trip is coming up and once again I find myself psyching myself up to put myself through it!
To be honest once we're there and everything is set up it's usually quite nice as long as the weather is dry. It's just the preparation/packing the car/getting the tent up and down which I find a total ballache.
Any tips or tricks suggested to make it bearable/enjoyable? Other than not going... |  |
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| Camping on 12:31 - May 20 with 2984 views | supahoopsa |
One tip for the prep - my wife has an excel spreadsheet with everything needed for camping. This gets printed off two weeks before we go and I get a copy to ensure that I don't forget anything.
Invest in a quality tent that is simple to erect, might cost a bit, but you soon appreciate it's worth |  |
| Blue & White hooped blood runs through the family |
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| Camping on 13:01 - May 20 with 2890 views | hantssi |
| Camping on 12:31 - May 20 by supahoopsa |
One tip for the prep - my wife has an excel spreadsheet with everything needed for camping. This gets printed off two weeks before we go and I get a copy to ensure that I don't forget anything.
Invest in a quality tent that is simple to erect, might cost a bit, but you soon appreciate it's worth |
Stay in a hotel!!
Loved it as a youngster, not camped for about 40 years now except those Eurocamp type places! |  | | |
| Camping on 13:43 - May 20 with 2797 views | Toast_R |
There's a reason why houses are popular... |  | | |
| Camping on 13:44 - May 20 with 2796 views | CateLeBonR |
Bring decent seating. |  | | |
| Camping on 14:06 - May 20 with 2733 views | R_from_afar |
Unless you are really desperate to do it, I wouldn't bother taking kit to enable you to cook.
I went on two long cycle camping holidays many years ago and on the first, we took all the cooking gear, though not jars of pasta sauce, a chopping board and a meat tenderising mallet, unlike some Dutch cyclists we encountered. You end up needing lots of stuff - tea towels, sponges, plates etc - and often, the meals you put together aren't great. This is just my view but we really felt all the extra kit, the additional time and additional processes simply weren't worth it.
The second time, without all that clobber, we got on just fine. We ate out a few times and even when we ate in, we were able to put together reasonable meals without resorting to cooking.
Three other tips (which you have probably already borne in mind) for if you are taking your own tent
- Don't forget the instructions for erecting the tent. I'm probably going over the top here but a mate and I had real problems putting up a second hand frame tent we had borrowed from a mutual friend. When we eventually finished the task, the bloke at the neighbouring pitch, who had been reclining with a beer while he watched our travails, gave us a sarcastic round of applause 
- Don't forget something to knock the pegs in with. On the cycling trips, we were so focused on saving weight that we hammered the pegs in using rocks or stones we found lying around, but that's clearly not ideal!
- Don't forget a torch. Petzl make a container for their amazing head torches, so you can use them like a lantern and hang them wherever you need light.
Enjoy your trip! |  |
| "Things had started becoming increasingly desperate at Loftus Road but QPR have been handed a massive lifeline and the place has absolutely erupted. it's carnage. It's bedlam. It's 1-1." |
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| Camping on 14:09 - May 20 with 2705 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
Not a single Kenneth Williams gif or snigger about erections.
Disappointing. |  | | |
| Camping on 15:39 - May 20 with 2570 views | essextaxiboy |
Micky Flanagan ...."live like refugees for a week " |  | | |
| Camping on 16:01 - May 20 with 2516 views | loftboy |
| Camping on 15:39 - May 20 by essextaxiboy |
Micky Flanagan ...."live like refugees for a week " |
Hotel then!! |  |
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| Camping on 21:16 - May 20 with 2344 views | ted_hendrix |
I've camped In Western Germany, Libya, Norway, Northern Ireland, Salisbury Plain and the bloody Brecon Beacons.
Small tents-big tents-smelly tents, we spent Six weeks In the Libyan desert 80 odd miles South of Tripoli, drinking and washing water was severely rationed and by week Four even the Libyan flies had left the camp due to us being stinky.
The Army called In the Engineers who erected a massive tent complete with Internal pipe work, water bowsers were brought In from the North and connected up, we were each Issued a small bar of carbolic soap told to strip and when the whistle went, In we went and out the other end, the problem though was the water would only come down In certain areas so consequently you had Sixty odd squaddies running naked covered In carbolic soap lather trying to get rinsed off but slipping and sliding and going a rse over tit all over the place, that Image still sometimes haunts me.
A couple of weeks later Gaddafi had ceased power and Instructed us to leave with safe passage. Thank f uck for the RAF.
My camping tip would be avoid camping at all cost as I have done ever since leaving the Army. |  |
| My Father had a profound influence on me, he was a lunatic. |
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| Camping on 21:26 - May 20 with 2314 views | Boston |
I had great times camping when the kids were little. Big adventures in the wilderness, scared the shite out of 'em hearing all the night wildlife! To be truthful, I'm a little surprised none of the little buggers weren't seriously injured as I wasn't the most responsible parent.
Hated putting the tent up though. | |
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| Camping on 15:58 - May 21 with 2028 views | tstarhoop |
| Camping on 21:26 - May 20 by Boston |
I had great times camping when the kids were little. Big adventures in the wilderness, scared the shite out of 'em hearing all the night wildlife! To be truthful, I'm a little surprised none of the little buggers weren't seriously injured as I wasn't the most responsible parent.
Hated putting the tent up though. |
I would strongly recommend getting an inflatable tent, one with air beams or the like - I've done a load of camping as a kid, scouts, mates, families etc and this has been a revelation. Most stress/arguments happen when putting up tent - with one you inflate it takes minutes and you can crack on with the fun stuff.
Also, make sure you have a decent sleeping set up, something comfy to sit in, and some warm stuff for the evening session :-) | | | |
| Camping on 16:58 - May 21 with 1956 views | Boston |
| Camping on 15:58 - May 21 by tstarhoop |
I would strongly recommend getting an inflatable tent, one with air beams or the like - I've done a load of camping as a kid, scouts, mates, families etc and this has been a revelation. Most stress/arguments happen when putting up tent - with one you inflate it takes minutes and you can crack on with the fun stuff.
Also, make sure you have a decent sleeping set up, something comfy to sit in, and some warm stuff for the evening session :-) |
...like a blow up friend? | |
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| Camping on 18:51 - May 21 with 1889 views | kensalriser |
| Camping on 21:16 - May 20 by ted_hendrix |
I've camped In Western Germany, Libya, Norway, Northern Ireland, Salisbury Plain and the bloody Brecon Beacons.
Small tents-big tents-smelly tents, we spent Six weeks In the Libyan desert 80 odd miles South of Tripoli, drinking and washing water was severely rationed and by week Four even the Libyan flies had left the camp due to us being stinky.
The Army called In the Engineers who erected a massive tent complete with Internal pipe work, water bowsers were brought In from the North and connected up, we were each Issued a small bar of carbolic soap told to strip and when the whistle went, In we went and out the other end, the problem though was the water would only come down In certain areas so consequently you had Sixty odd squaddies running naked covered In carbolic soap lather trying to get rinsed off but slipping and sliding and going a rse over tit all over the place, that Image still sometimes haunts me.
A couple of weeks later Gaddafi had ceased power and Instructed us to leave with safe passage. Thank f uck for the RAF.
My camping tip would be avoid camping at all cost as I have done ever since leaving the Army. |
That sounds like an awful lot of bollocks. |  |
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| Camping on 18:54 - May 21 with 1883 views | dmm |
| Camping on 13:43 - May 20 by Toast_R |
There's a reason why houses are popular... |
I'm with you Toast R, 100%! |  | | |
| Camping on 18:57 - May 21 with 1872 views | Lblock |
| Camping on 16:01 - May 20 by loftboy |
Hotel then!! |
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| Cherish and enjoy life.... this ain't no dress rehearsal |
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| Camping on 09:29 - May 22 with 1648 views | TheChef |
| Camping on 15:58 - May 21 by tstarhoop |
I would strongly recommend getting an inflatable tent, one with air beams or the like - I've done a load of camping as a kid, scouts, mates, families etc and this has been a revelation. Most stress/arguments happen when putting up tent - with one you inflate it takes minutes and you can crack on with the fun stuff.
Also, make sure you have a decent sleeping set up, something comfy to sit in, and some warm stuff for the evening session :-) |
Cheers we did invest in an inflatable tent - generally yes it is less hassle but it's also fooking massive/heavy and basically takes up the whole boot! | |
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| Camping on 09:31 - May 22 with 1632 views | doogi10 |
does a tent have en suite no hotel it is then | | | |
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