1. Take a decent camera with you
Or else all the images that accompany your returning blog post will be rubbish! (That’s my apology for what you are about to see!)
2. Apart from the above, less is more when it comes to camping
We went quite basic. A tent, airbeds, sleeping bags, a picnic table, chairs, a lantern, a one-ring gas burner, kettle, frying pan… and I’m glad. The tent was quick and easy to put up and take down (…fortunately as the heavens opened just as we finished packing away).
I witnessed quite a few raised voices between couples. And the patience of parents (trying to assemble their camping city/empire) was seriously being tested to the limits by their children who either wanted to help (hinder?) or wouldn’t help when asked. Our basic construction and equipment meant we required no additional assistance and as soon as the Kids bikes were out of the car they were occupied.
3. Alfresco dining rocks
Breakfasting outside has to be the best start to any day.
We were lucky and had the weather to be able to do it. I’m thinking a wet and windy camping trip may not lend itself so well to outdoor eating.
4. Kids are social creatures
At what point of maturity does social awkwardness raise its head? If I had timed it, I would predict that friend number 1 arrived on the scene within 5 minutes of us landing (if that). By evening there were children everywhere. Next time there’s someone I want to be acquainted with I may just go and do a handstand next to them. From what I observed over the 3 days that is all that is required to strike up a friendship.
5. Toasted marshmallows are amazing, but as part of a camping trip they should remain
Ever since I saw The Frugal Girl’s photos of toasting marshmallows over a campfire I knew I wanted to do that with the Kids. It was a success. So much so, the Kids have asked to do it at home. One of my downfalls is not knowing when to draw the line when something is fun. Such good memories were made toasting on our trip, to ruin the illusion at home heating them over the gas-hob would be criminal. So I’m saying no. It’s an outdoor activity from here on in.
6. Don’t forget Son’s eczema cream
3 trips to the campsite’s chlorinated pool doesn’t bode well for the little fella’s eczema. Lesson learnt.
7. Camping is a community spirited activity
I felt safe camping. People said good-morning. I knew my neighbours (after all I could hear pretty much every word they spoke, even behind closed doors). Is this what life used to be like? What I heard my grandparents, and even my parents speak about? A life of not locking doors and helping each other out? A complete stranger kindly french-plaited my daughter’s hair before swimming as we had forgotten her hairband.
8. Early to bed and early to rise is the way to go
I’m not a morning person and have the mug to prove it.
And yet living the outdoor life meant I felt inclined to go to bed when it got dark and woke naturally as the sun rose. No TV or screen to overstimulate my tired mind and keep me from my slumber. Interestingly I felt better for it, and despite the fact I was literally sleeping on a field, on the ground, I slept better than I have in a long-time.
9. Meal plan, meal plan, meal plan!
Did I miss my kitchen? Understatement. Cooking was probably the worst aspect of camping, for me. Or rather the lack of it. The Hubby did the majority of the outdoor cooking. I feel we ate too much processed food, and indulged in too many snacks. It was only 3 days, but still it didn’t feel right. Even the Hubby commented that meal-planning would be a good idea for the next trip. Now I have my head around it all I will most certainly be more organised in future.
10. Wear sunscreen – or at least cover up in direct sunlight
I adore the lyrics to Baz Luhrmann’s track taken from Mary Schmich’s column in 1997. So much so, I could not pass up an opportunity to quote it. I saw a lot of people walking around that hadn’t adhered to Baz and Mary’s advice. It’s not a good look, nor is it a good idea.
Are you a Happy Camper? What lessons have you learnt living the outdoor life, or what advice would you like to impart to a novice such as myself?
(We have another trip planned, weather dependent. Therefore this is a genuine call for help! Particularly good tips relating to food and cooking)
It looks like you had suck a lovely trip Jo! I’ve never camped for longer than one night (my husband is NOT a fan of camping), so I don’t really have any great meal planning advice. Except if you have a bonfire going, you can put charcoal around the perimeter and fold up chicken, potatoes and veggies in foil, lay them on the charcoal and have a meal ready in about an hour.
And this: “Next time there’s someone I want to be acquainted with I may just go and do a handstand next to them. ” cracked me up! Don’t you wish we were so uninhibited as adults? 🙂
The Kids loved it. In fact they’ve just asked their Dad when they can go again (he popped up to say goodnight on his return from work). Your suggestion of the chicken and veggies is a great one… in fact we camped opposite a Welsh Guy who one evening popped a whole chicken on his bbq with pots and veg and as you say within an hour or so they were eating a marvelous meal. We only took a small disposable bbq, but I plan on getting a kettle grill with lid for the future. I hadn’t thought of foil on an open fire!!
p.s…I very often have random uninhibited thoughts…once my friend and I went to the cinema (Maid in Manhattan – how long ago?) and apart from us there was just a couple (boyfriend/girlfriend) watching also. I suggested to my friend that we sat either side of them. We didn’t – obviously! But I had the thought! 😉
It looks like you had suck a lovely trip Jo! I’ve never camped for longer than one night (my husband is NOT a fan of camping), so I don’t really have any great meal planning advice. Except if you have a bonfire going, you can put charcoal around the perimeter and fold up chicken, potatoes and veggies in foil, lay them on the charcoal and have a meal ready in about an hour.
And this: “Next time there’s someone I want to be acquainted with I may just go and do a handstand next to them. ” cracked me up! Don’t you wish we were so uninhibited as adults? 🙂
The Kids loved it. In fact they’ve just asked their Dad when they can go again (he popped up to say goodnight on his return from work). Your suggestion of the chicken and veggies is a great one… in fact we camped opposite a Welsh Guy who one evening popped a whole chicken on his bbq with pots and veg and as you say within an hour or so they were eating a marvelous meal. We only took a small disposable bbq, but I plan on getting a kettle grill with lid for the future. I hadn’t thought of foil on an open fire!!
p.s…I very often have random uninhibited thoughts…once my friend and I went to the cinema (Maid in Manhattan – how long ago?) and apart from us there was just a couple (boyfriend/girlfriend) watching also. I suggested to my friend that we sat either side of them. We didn’t – obviously! But I had the thought! 😉
A timely blog post as we’re just off camping. I don’t meal plan as such when camping but usually take lots of staples, like cereal, bread, pasta, baked beans etc and accessorise these with local produce…last year in Wales this included sausages and lamb from the campsites we stayed at.
Hi Sarah – Firstly have a great time! I forgot the pasta which was a blow. And it was so hot the ready-made scotch pancakes I took went mouldy overnight! It was a bit hit and miss. Sounds like you had a good selection at your sites regarding produce. Ours was limited, so that’s something to consider when choosing next time!> Have Fun!
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend always relying on the camp site shop for your food shop! You’ve reminded me of my other top tip: check out coolcamping.co.uk for great camp sites. I got the book out of the library last year, and we stayed at three ‘cool camp sites’ in Wales which went from the very small to the very big and were all superb. This year I’m relying on their website for a camp site in North Devon! Glad you enjoyed Somerset…camping in Somerset in 1996 was what made us realise we wanted to get out of London and back to the West Country, and we’ve never looked back!
Sarah – have a great trip in Devon! I holidayed there many times as a child. We almost went there last week but Somerset was a tad nearer. How fabulous you moved back!
Thanks Jo! Devon’s where I’m from so it’s the best West Country county obviously! But I love Somerset too!
A timely blog post as we’re just off camping. I don’t meal plan as such when camping but usually take lots of staples, like cereal, bread, pasta, baked beans etc and accessorise these with local produce…last year in Wales this included sausages and lamb from the campsites we stayed at.
Hi Sarah – Firstly have a great time! I forgot the pasta which was a blow. And it was so hot the ready-made scotch pancakes I took went mouldy overnight! It was a bit hit and miss. Sounds like you had a good selection at your sites regarding produce. Ours was limited, so that’s something to consider when choosing next time!> Have Fun!
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend always relying on the camp site shop for your food shop! You’ve reminded me of my other top tip: check out coolcamping.co.uk for great camp sites. I got the book out of the library last year, and we stayed at three ‘cool camp sites’ in Wales which went from the very small to the very big and were all superb. This year I’m relying on their website for a camp site in North Devon! Glad you enjoyed Somerset…camping in Somerset in 1996 was what made us realise we wanted to get out of London and back to the West Country, and we’ve never looked back!
Sarah – have a great trip in Devon! I holidayed there many times as a child. We almost went there last week but Somerset was a tad nearer. How fabulous you moved back!
Thanks Jo! Devon’s where I’m from so it’s the best West Country county obviously! But I love Somerset too!
The Lemonheads song ‘The Outdoor Type’ perfectly sums up my relationship to the great outdoors, so no, I have no camping advice for you 🙂 But doing handstands to make friends? I couldn’t stop laughing! I wish we were all a bit more childlike to be honest! Life would be a lot more fun 🙂
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/lemonheads/the+outdoor+type_20082293.html
The line about sleeping in a car. I did that on my honeymoon almost 10 years ago (next week!) outside a train station in Bourg St Maurice (France). With 3 others in the car. Perhaps I am the outdoor type 😉
The Lemonheads song ‘The Outdoor Type’ perfectly sums up my relationship to the great outdoors, so no, I have no camping advice for you 🙂 But doing handstands to make friends? I couldn’t stop laughing! I wish we were all a bit more childlike to be honest! Life would be a lot more fun 🙂
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/lemonheads/the+outdoor+type_20082293.html
The line about sleeping in a car. I did that on my honeymoon almost 10 years ago (next week!) outside a train station in Bourg St Maurice (France). With 3 others in the car. Perhaps I am the outdoor type 😉
To answer your question: social awkwardness can raise its head as young as four years of age. Introversion is not a personality defect and is not directly related to social awkwardness. I know some seriously socially awkward people who are extroverts. (Mildly annoyed that people assume social awkwardness = introversion.) But social awkwardness for me started around age 4. When I realized adults didn’t always say what they mean and didn’t always mean what they say. And that other children can be quite cruel and ruthless.
An apology… It wasn’t the best selection of words…I’m sorry. No introversion is not directly linked to social awkwardness, and certainly isn’t a defect. I can be very awkward and embarrassed in certain situations and am not an introvert. Bad term of phrase. Sorry once again. (I’ve actually edited the paragraph as you are quite right)
I appreciate you editing the phrasing. As an introvert, I feel the need to…defend introversion. Because it really isn’t a matter of being socially awkward or “antisocial” (don’t even get me started on how misused that term is – which you didn’t use and I’m grateful) so much as needing alone time to recharge. I hope you didn’t think I was being harsh or rude with my previous comment. I was not trying to be either.
You were quite right to correct me. There is a no correlation between introversion and social awkwardness. I know this so shouldn’t have written it in that way. I’m an extrovert (and have the piece of paper to prove it -Thanks Myers Briggs! 😉I’m an ENFJ) and can be cripplingly socially awkward at times! You were neither harsh nor rude, just correct!
To answer your question: social awkwardness can raise its head as young as four years of age. Introversion is not a personality defect and is not directly related to social awkwardness. I know some seriously socially awkward people who are extroverts. (Mildly annoyed that people assume social awkwardness = introversion.) But social awkwardness for me started around age 4. When I realized adults didn’t always say what they mean and didn’t always mean what they say. And that other children can be quite cruel and ruthless.
An apology… It wasn’t the best selection of words…I’m sorry. No introversion is not directly linked to social awkwardness, and certainly isn’t a defect. I can be very awkward and embarrassed in certain situations and am not an introvert. Bad term of phrase. Sorry once again. (I’ve actually edited the paragraph as you are quite right)
I appreciate you editing the phrasing. As an introvert, I feel the need to…defend introversion. Because it really isn’t a matter of being socially awkward or “antisocial” (don’t even get me started on how misused that term is – which you didn’t use and I’m grateful) so much as needing alone time to recharge. I hope you didn’t think I was being harsh or rude with my previous comment. I was not trying to be either.
You were quite right to correct me. There is a no correlation between introversion and social awkwardness. I know this so shouldn’t have written it in that way. I’m an extrovert (and have the piece of paper to prove it -Thanks Myers Briggs! 😉I’m an ENFJ) and can be cripplingly socially awkward at times! You were neither harsh nor rude, just correct!
If you can manage a two-burner stove, or get another one-ring, it opens up more possibilities for cooking. Otherwise, google “one-pot meals” to find good ideas. I second the tinfoil meals, above, and also potatoes baked in campfire coals. We generally planned on a couple of canned meals like beans or stew, even though they tend to be high in sodium, just for the simplicity of heating them.
Oh, and don’t forget the pre-washed fruit and veggies with cheese and bread – it makes an easy and healthy meal and gives you a break from cooking 🙂
Thanks Jo – Yes a second burner is a must I reckon. We staggered sitting with the Kids! Foil seems to be the way to go – I’ll get on it!
I would recommend a double layer of foil – makes it much stronger and could save the day, or at least save the meal 🙂
If you can manage a two-burner stove, or get another one-ring, it opens up more possibilities for cooking. Otherwise, google “one-pot meals” to find good ideas. I second the tinfoil meals, above, and also potatoes baked in campfire coals. We generally planned on a couple of canned meals like beans or stew, even though they tend to be high in sodium, just for the simplicity of heating them.
Oh, and don’t forget the pre-washed fruit and veggies with cheese and bread – it makes an easy and healthy meal and gives you a break from cooking 🙂
Thanks Jo – Yes a second burner is a must I reckon. We staggered sitting with the Kids! Foil seems to be the way to go – I’ll get on it!
I would recommend a double layer of foil – makes it much stronger and could save the day, or at least save the meal 🙂
My dad was the camp cook, and did he make some fabulous meals while camping. He had a 2 burner camp stove, but really a lot of what he did was over an open fire in an old-fashioned covered “spider” (a skillet with legs). He menu planned extensively. Nowadays, with the internet you could probably google some really great camp meal ideas. I think if you did have more meals well-planned, there would be less inclination to eat the snack-y stuff.
Although our family doesn’t camp much, we do enjoy taking breakfast down to the beach. I’ll make cheesy eggs in an aluminum foil pan, ham, pineapple, green pepper kabobs, and some homemade donuts. We’ll light a fire in one of the grills and grill the kabobs and heat the eggs. Breakfast at the beach is something my kids have always loved because it’s so different.
It is amazing how friendly people are when camping. The same people, if you passed them in the city park or on the street, would likely say very little.
Your dad sounds very organised! A menu-planner also. Good stuff! I will be googling camp meals. Jamie Oliver demonstrated one last week on TV where he did a stew and took it with him and it remained hot. Now that’s my kind of camping food. Foil once more is suggested…sounds like that’s the saviour of camp food.
My dad was the camp cook, and did he make some fabulous meals while camping. He had a 2 burner camp stove, but really a lot of what he did was over an open fire in an old-fashioned covered “spider” (a skillet with legs). He menu planned extensively. Nowadays, with the internet you could probably google some really great camp meal ideas. I think if you did have more meals well-planned, there would be less inclination to eat the snack-y stuff.
Although our family doesn’t camp much, we do enjoy taking breakfast down to the beach. I’ll make cheesy eggs in an aluminum foil pan, ham, pineapple, green pepper kabobs, and some homemade donuts. We’ll light a fire in one of the grills and grill the kabobs and heat the eggs. Breakfast at the beach is something my kids have always loved because it’s so different.
It is amazing how friendly people are when camping. The same people, if you passed them in the city park or on the street, would likely say very little.
Your dad sounds very organised! A menu-planner also. Good stuff! I will be googling camp meals. Jamie Oliver demonstrated one last week on TV where he did a stew and took it with him and it remained hot. Now that’s my kind of camping food. Foil once more is suggested…sounds like that’s the saviour of camp food.