The Perfect Camping Trip
What is the first word that comes into your mind when you hear the word Camping? “Tent” is the first thing that comes to mind right? If you ask a kid on what camping means, he or she will immediately tell you that camping is staying outdoors inside a tent.
A tent, as defined in a dictionary, is a portable shelter that is usually made out of canvas stretched over supporting poles and fastened to the ground with ropes and pegs. If you and your friends are planning to go on a camping trip, the first thing that you would plan for is the place where you are going to spend the night, therefore, it is safe to say that tents are must-have camping gears for every camping trips.
Make sure you choose the right tent, which mostly depends on the number of people traveling with you.
Assembling the tent is not at hard as it seems, even beginners would not have any difficulty in setting up the tent. Teamwork is the key in successfully setting up the tent. Three to four persons are enough in setting it up, each person will have their own task-one person would be responsible for holding the supporting poles, while the others will be responsible for tying the canvas with ropes and fastening it in the ground using a pin (usually made up of metal or wood) and a hammer.
Camping is a fun activity, it is an opportunity for you and your friends to get closer with nature and to know each other better, and what better way to start your camping trip than by doing an activity that requires teamwork, coordination, and cooperation such as setting up the tent.
Then decide on the kind of sleeping bags you need. Sleeping bags can be used as alternatives for tents but it has a lot of disadvantages. First, you are exposed to all sorts of elements if you were to sleep in a sleeping bag unlike if you were in a tent, wherein it can protect you from getting wet if there is a sudden rain.
Tents can also fit in several people unlike sleeping bags where you can only fit one. It is easier to carry, you can assign one person to carry the tent unlike sleeping bags wherein each individual has to carry their own sleeping bags. Another disadvantage of a sleeping bag is that it deprives you of your privacy people can sneak in and see you while you are sleeping unlike if you were in a tent wherein you can be sure that your privacy will still be upheld plus you are sure that your things are safe and secured.
Is it going to be cold or pretty warm during the night? Is everybody sleeping in the tent or are some of you going to want to sleep under the stars? If you are all huddled together in a tent you will be warmer than if you sleep in the open. Do not forget to take mats and a big plastic sheet against humidity to put under the tent or to sleep on outside.
There is certainly nothing that smells better than outdoor cooking. Burgers and kebabs sizzling on the grill . . . ummm. Elaborate the menu for each day you are going to be away. Again think about how you are going to travel.
If you have your car, you can take your grill or a gas cooker, but if you have to carry your equipment, you should rather take food you can grill on a fire or that you can eat raw, like cheese, ham, fruit, etc.
Keep your food in a closed recipient to avoid an ant invasion. And most importantly, be sure to take enough water with you or at least to take a recipient in which you can cook the water you find around your camping site.
If one is doing the cooking, such as dear old Dad, outdoor cooking utensils should be one of those important things to bring during campouts. Of course, you just cannot load up your ordinary kitchenware and pack them for use during campout, right? Outdoor cooking utensils such as tongs and clamps are also important as well as mittens and aprons for protection from hot surfaces and greasy spills.
For food preparation and cooking, of course, one needs something to do such things on. Yes, you guessed it---a table. Before thinking of picking just any picnic table with you, think first the portability of such a thing. Regular backpackers would tell you to pick a table that easily folds, light to carry, and has its own bag to store with.
Tripods to hang the dutch oven on while cooking is also important and convenient although one can always improvise and play Neanderthal by making tripods out of the branches lying around.
With these things in mind, Dad surely will have a fine time as well doing the cooking for the whole family.
Remember to check your first aid kit before you leave. You should always have some disinfectant and some Band-Aid. You should also take some sunscreen and mosquito repellent. You might not have to use those items but as someone wisely said: Better safe than sorry!
Now, let us look at the little details that can come in really handy. Toilet paper is always useful, might it be to actually go to the toilet or just to wipe your hands clean after eating. You should have a piece of rope with you every time you go camping. You never know what you will need it for: to hang out some wet clothes, to hang the food up in the trees to protect it from wild animals or to catch a deer for supper! And do not forget your Swiss army knife, they can be of great help.
Think about the details and not only about the obvious when making a list of what you are going to take on your camping trip. The better you plan it, the more you will enjoy it!