Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Apart from a tent & beds YS is really, really into kayaking and we are now going to be starting to travel to competitions. We have one coming up at the weekend at Orton Mere, Peterborough and have been told by our kayaking club that everybody camps! We've never camped before and I will admit to being slightly terrified at the thought of it. My parents used to own a caravan when I was a child that had gas lighting and no toilet and I have many, many horrible memories of the toilet/shower block and the amount of creepy crawlies. Our club friends are lending us a tent, we've bought blow up mattresses and sleeping bags. We have a little stove, kettle, pots, plates, cups, chairs etc. What I really don't know is what sort of food to take etc as we will only have a couple of ice boxes. Can anybody come up with some suggestions other than Pot Noodle (helpfully added by YS ) Is there anything else we definitely should take? I should add that if it rains I will probably book myself into the premier inn that is just up the road Apparently a lot of the club have moved on from tents to motorhomes (don't think we can get one by Saturday) My hubby is so happy that I'm trying camping, he's been wanting to do it for years but I've always said 'I don't do camping'. Any ideas most welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Hiya, I love camping - you can take all sorts with you! HP do loads of cans of things you can heat up easily over a burner - all day breakfast, sausage and beans, things like that, if you buy a wire toaster you can have toast too! a small frying pan can do you bacon and eggs etc, packets of crisps and breakfast bars, small things that can tuck away easily in nooks and crannies. you can also get foldable water canteens that you only need to fill once or twice a trip and fold up easily once they're done which solves your tea/coffee/toothbrushing problems! Shower blocks have come a long way in recent times - electric showers, shaver sockets, hand dryers, sockets for hair dryers, hot water, the lot, so don't be TOO apprehensive, it's quite fun. Just take LOADS of socks, and some sturdy wellies, it's always 10x colder outside when you're sleeping in a tent Good luck! I think there's a lot of stuff I've probably forgotten to mention, they may come to me later, but that's something to get you started Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickvic Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 We've just returned from our first camping trip and we loved it! We ate a lot of pasta, very easy with a stir in sauce. We added a tin of Spam to it once and it was very yummy You haven't mentioned lights, when it goes dark you will need a decent light. We used headlamps as well as 2 lanterns. Make sure you have coats/shoes by the door for any night time trips to the loo! Our tent is huge but withstood some awful weather! Can't wait to go again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Ah yes LAMPS! if you can get a lantern or a torch with a tie at one end you can usually fasten it to the point where the tent poles meet in the roof, giving you better light all round the tent... and a hand-winding torch is always good, saves buying a load of batteries and they've significantly gone down in price since they first hit the market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Top tip from our childhood is to place a blanket underneath your sleeping bag rather than pile it on top. We used to go for a fortnight & dad would put a few layers of newspaper under the air mattress, the idea is to insulate yourself from the cold ground. It works! Also a bucket is an essential. You can carry all sorts of things in a bucket but primarily it's handy for emptying odds and ends of liquids into then you can get it to the disposal point easily. Also handy for carrying the dishes to sink for washing up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thanks for that, some good ideas. We bought a lamp thing which can also be used as a torch. I think we have some other ones in our shed so will be looking for those. I've just replaced the batteries in our other little torch. Didn't even think about tinned stuff (must remember to take can opener!). I think the local club are doing a bbq on the Saturday night so won't have to worry too much about main meal. The fold up water thing sounds quite a good idea. The place where we are staying is just a field/park - it apparently has public toilets which will hopefully be open/working. I think it will be too much to expect a shower block. We went to an event in Yalding, Kent in March and the public toilets were shut so had to prevail myself of the local pub It was really handy for getting warm too. That was so close to home we didn't stay over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Corkscrew and wine glasses Helps while away the evening when the kids are sleeping, but you're not quite ready for bed yet. We got a fold up water carrier, but it made the water taste vile I'm looking at getting one of the collapsible large rectangular ones (all sold out when we went) for when we go next. If, I should say, as two of our 3 are not keen. I bought a washing line with pegs from £1 land for well, a £1 which was most useful for pegging up damp clothes, coats tea towels. We also got a table to eat off, play games at and a cooking station. You probably won't need those if it's just for a short trip. I wasn't too sure about the cooking station, but my word was it ever useful! I'd echo what was said about the lights. We had a lantern in each of the bedrooms hung from the ceiling and we all had a torch each. Oh, for our first night I took a beef stew with us which I'd made earlier in the week and then froze so it helped with the ice box cooling and it was a very welcome meal for that night as for us it rained and was cold Have a lovely time - you never know, you might enjoy it I had an open mind when we first went and found it very liberating. I really want to go again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleTree Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Hope for your sakes the toilets are open, otherwise a bucket will come in handy for something else I was going to suggest pasta & sauces. We usually just take food for the first night, then find the nearest shops. It's usually hot dogs, beans & tinned potatoes (love tinned spuds & we only have them when we're camping). Our cooker has a grill too which is always handy for toast. We put roll mats under the air beds, they're pretty cheap in camping shops, have you got a Go Outdoors near you? I always take a big hoody which I can throw on over anything if I get cold, also handy for trips to the toilet block when I'm in my pj's, pair of flip flops are handy just for slipping on quick. Good luck, sure you'll love it, especially if the weather's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Deodorant wipes & dry shampoo in case the showers aren't all that! I've got wind up torches that you can borrow if you like, you can also get solar powered & wind up torches, I got one in TK Maxx for £4.99, my Great Aunt who I bought it for says it's fab, she leaves it on a windowsill and it's always ready when she needs it You could leave it on the dashboard to charge up, I got a really good anti-slip mat in Poundland a couple of weeks ago, stopped DH's phone sliding about. Make sure that you take clothes that you can layer as there's nothing worse than being too cold. But a word of warning......... Do Not forget your sense of humour as that's the one thing you are really going to need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thanks all! Wine is definitely at the top of my food list...... Reiki I am really, really going to try to find my sense of humour and pack it to take with me I am trying really hard to go with an open mind. Just been talking with my sister on facebook about it, she's given me some suggestions too. I think its probably good that its just an overnighter for our first trip. My YS is so excited and even wanted us to buy him his own tent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Ear plugs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I was dead set against camping, until last year through some fellow Omleteers I now can't wait to start camping again. You really can buy as little or as much as you like.... Absolute essentials have been covered although I would add camping pillows to the list and folding camping chairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Ear plugs I never go anywhere without my ear plugs!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gongladosh Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 beer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 beer! Naturally - why do you think I need the ear plugs?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 beer! Naturally - why do you think I need the ear plugs?! You can hear everything at night, Snoring in the next tent etc. Ear plugs block it out a bit so you get a better sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 I wish I'd thought of ear plugs and an eye mask when we went. Gets light awfully early when you're in a tent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Flip flops are handy, especially for the shower block. You can take a frozen pasta sauce and use it to keep the rest of the coolbox food cool until you need it. Quick cook pasta is good as is boil in the bag rice. We make chilli using a mix and corned beef instead of mince as it doesn't have to be kept cold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiffs Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 (edited) I wish I'd thought of ear plugs and an eye mask when we went. Gets light awfully early when you're in a tent And hot like an oven! I always find myself spilling out of the tent door gasping for fresh air in the morning! Edited June 6, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 beer! Naturally - why do you think I need the ear plugs?! You can hear everything at night, Snoring in the next tent etc. Ear plugs block it out a bit so you get a better sleep. I know - I'm more worried about the snoring that will be coming from my other half!! Still I suppose I could always sleep in the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutti Frutti Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Flip flops are handy, especially for the shower block Agreed! I wear mine **IN** the shower! Even thought the shower blocks are very clean nowadays A mallet - useful for getting tent pegs into stony/hard/baked ground (although you should just be able to push metal tent pegs into the ground). Mobile charger for the car. We keep an emergency trainers/socks in the boot of the car. And we have camping beds which are not only comfy but keep you off the ground - we got them after our air beds leaked and we only got about 2 hours sleep 'cos we were freezing cold Argos for £15 each- but you need to be strong to put them together! DH does ours Have fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 Thanks everyone, I knew I could rely on Omleteers to pass on all the relevant info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Waterproof mobile phone/ipod case Are you taking a dog? If so one of those screw in dog spikes are very useful. Just mind you don't trip over it when it's dark though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sageandonion Posted June 6, 2011 Share Posted June 6, 2011 Height and sunshine - it's no fun pitching a tent in the pouring rain when you're vertically challenged!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 6, 2011 Author Share Posted June 6, 2011 I'm not sure whether to take Cookie or not (just in case I de-camp to the nearest travelodge ) apparently its going to be raining on Friday. Our friend that is lending the tent wants me to have a good experience for my first camping trip so that I'll want to do it again. I'm praying for sunshine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
