Camping - what do I need to know?

shetitasatic

Once you get started you will never look back!! We are in our late fifties and we do 'luxury' camping!! For just the 2 of us we have a big tent with sep. bedroom. We have electric hook up - so have a thermo elec cooler which also works in the car, electric lights ,travel electric kettle. I can use my hairdryer,CD player, phone charger etc - just not all at the same time!
We have king size airbed and use duvet and proper pillows. We cook on a double gas burner with grill. We also have a holiday box and collect food beforehand. We do lots of pasta, noodles,rice with sauces.
We go abroad for 3 weeks in Sept. We could never afford this sort of holiday if we didn't camp.
In 2004 we did SW France along the Pyrenees, into Spain and down to the Costa Brava.
Last year we went to Lake Geneva, on to Chamonix (great) along the Route des Grande Alpes to the Riviera where we camped near St Paul de Vence just above Nice, daytripping to Monte Carlo, Cannes etc. Then on to Avignon , then to friends in the Landes then back via a night in a motel at Chartres.
We covered 3000 miles in our Focus estate.

This year we plan to go to Luxembourg, then along the 'Romantic Road' in Germany, see mad King Ludwig's castles, across Austria into the Dolomites in Italy, then either into Slovenia (Bled is fantastic!) or else back via Prague and Dresden!

Other than the ferry nothing is booked for this year we just go as we please, staying as long as we like. We check campsites with the Alan Rogers guide and on the Internet - they are all great with fantastic facilities
Go for it:T :T .

needmoney

Get a really decent tent and think WARMTH WARMTH AND MORE WARMTH.

gingerdad

We've camped loads with our two girls now 5 and 4, they love it. I'm sure you'll be able to borrow the kit you need, do you know any local scout or guide groups they will somtimes lend things like stoves and bits and bats.

the only two things i would say... get the best (warmest) sleeping bag you can, and make sure the tent is upto what you want to do. i.e. if you want to camp any other month than july and august don't by a 35 pound tent.

on the cooking front we have catered for upto 60 people for a week on a two double burners, you can cook what you want on them.

on keeping food fresh front we ususally take a gas fridge, but most sites have shops so you can either refreeze you cool blocks or buy things like meat and milk fresh daily.

GD