This past weekend we went RV camping at our favorite spot; this spot is an RV park with a cement drive-through pad, water, sewage, electrical, and cable hook-ups, a pool, and a McDonald’s within two miles.

RV Camping

After setting up camp, hooking up the air conditioner, hot-water heater, and pulling out the awning, my husband was off to Sears for some serious tool shopping. “Hold down the fort while I’m gone” – his parting words as he spun out of the parking lot.

Our five and nine-year-old were inside the RV. I was sitting at the picnic table reading. It was then that I noticed storm clouds gathering. I collected card tables, lawn chairs, assorted towels, roller skates, fans, and bicycles and stored them next to the trailer under the awning. Then the wind hit.

There’s a Storm Brewing

The awning on the RV began trying to imitate a Kansas twister as I frantically, in my best imitation of Dorothy looking for Toto, alternated from lowering first the left awning brace and then the right one. By the time I had gotten them down as far as I could, I was drenched and the awning was still trying to get to Oz.

The lightning was cracking overhead, so I decided not to touch the metal braces anymore. The wind was trying to flip the awning over the top of the RV. There was only one way to hold down the fort. Since I wasn’t strong enough to roll up the awning, I grabbed the flapping web strap and held on. For once I was glad that I was packing a few extra pounds and could keep the awning in place.

Because the awning was now six feet from the trailer door, at an angle, I couldn’t open the door. The children climbed up onto the kitchen counter from inside and were yelling at me through the window. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, so I just smiled through my dripping hair to reassure them as I continued to do battle with the awning.

Hold on With All Your Might

The wind was picking up. From my 4-H training in handling horses, I remembered that you were never to wrap the lead rope around your wrist in case the horse bolted, dragging you along with him. I could just imagine seeing a gust of wind ripping the awning off and sending me airborne along with it, through the trees.

I could  imagine the next days’ headlines “Senior Mom and Awning Seen Sailing Due North during Storm”. I quickly unwrapped the web strap from my wrist and looped it under my rear, using both hands to control the slack. I think I had seen this on a National Geographic Mt. Everest climb.

All the campsites and streets were now standing in six inches of water. The lightning was still cracking so I edged away from the aluminum picnic table, although I don’t think it would have mattered; I was ankle deep in water anyway. I stood there grinning like an idiot (the children were still looking through the kitchen blinds every five minutes) soaked and hanging onto a strap in a hurricane and wondering why no one was coming to help.

The Storm Ceased

After fifteen minutes the wind died down and it was just heavily raining. I tied the strap to the aluminum picnic table and waited for the rain to stop, still unable to raise the awning due to the continuing lightning.  After another twenty minutes the rain stopped. I untied the strap from the table and raised the awning back to its pre-storm position, set the chairs back out to dry, and went to put on dry clothes. A few minutes later my husband arrived back from Sears.

“Boy, that was some storm! I saw an awning flipped completely over an RV just down from us and another one was bent into two pieces. I was surprised ours was still in tact.”

I don’t know why he was surprised. I said I would hold down the fort…and I did.

Author: Jo Worsham

Edited by: CampTrip.com

Autumn Camping Tips:

• Keep all your camping equipment together- It sounds simple, but I know someone who forgot their poles!
• Test it out– If you haven’t used your tent for a while, try to put it up somewhere (even in the front room if you can’t do it outside).  If you put it up indoors don’t peg it down (of course)! Any problems are better solved at home than out in the British weather.
• Waterproof your bag– Put a black rubbish bag inside your backpack and place your items inside of that.  If it rains, the contents of your bag will stay dry. This is another simple thing, but you don’t realize how important it is until you’ve experienced torrential rain and no dry clothes!
• Good sleeping bag– If you are going to be camping during late summer/early autumn, the days can be lovely, but the nights will be cold and the mornings will be damp. Invest in a ‘mummy’ style sleeping bag.  Honestly, they are worth their weight in gold! Read more on Sleeping Bags.
• Let your tent dry– If you have to pack your tent up when it’s wet, avoid making the whole tent wet by folding it up with the wet sides together. When you get home, leave it somewhere to dry as soon as possible. This is particularly important if you won’t be camping again until the following year!

Author: Cheryl Wilson

Edited by: CampTrip.com

Camping with Family

Getting There:

• Most likely you’ll be driving your family to your campsite, but don’t make your first camp trip destination a great distance. Your mood can dampen quick to a backseat litany of, “Are we there yet?”
• Make frequent stops (car sickness can occur inexplicably and at any time!)
• Bring along toys and play car games (“I Spy”, license plates, singing, ABC’s, etc.) to keep the kids busy.
• Have snacks prepared (it’s amazing sometimes how quickly crankiness disappears with a little food).

Camp Menu:

• So that you don’t find yourself spending all your time cooking, keep your menu simple.
• Bring along already prepared food in re-seal-able bags and Tupperware containers; this will cut down on the amount of prep-time for meals.
• Washing up while camping can be a hassle, even if you’re at a campground with running water. Plan meals that don’t require using a lot of dishes and utensils.
• Pack your cooking utensils in plastic tubs for easy cleaning. Make sure you bring everything on your checklist for cooking meals (pots and pans) and for clean-up (paper towels, garbage bags, etc.).
• If you really can’t handle the clean-up involved in campground cooking, consider packing disposable wares (paper plates, etc.).
• Some kid friendly meals: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Sandwiches, Canned Soups, Corn on the Cob, Beans, etc.
• Snacks: Dried or fresh fruit like apples, bananas and oranges, carrot or celery sticks, cheese and crackers, deli-sliced meats, trail mix, cereal bars, etc.
• Don’t forget the traditional campfire S’Mores: marshmallows, graham crackers, and solid milk chocolate bars. Or check out the article Bread on a Stick for an alternative warm campfire treat.

Around the Campground:

• Teach your children about some basic safety tips (i.e.: show them what poisonous plants – like ivy – look like; make sure they know the proper behaviour around campfires; teach them to respect nature by picking up after themselves and knowing the right precautions about wild animals). Read Safety for Kids While Camping
• Know and respect campground quiet hours.
• Recruit the kids to help with camp chores. Make them fun – have a race to see who can collect the most kindling for a fire or fill up the water containers the fastest; best camp cooking; most organized gear; fastest clean-up; etc.
• Have alternative activities planned in case of bad weather, boredom, or if your kids don’t enjoy certain planned activities.
• Take small hikes and walks to familiarize your kids with the area and with nature.
• Go fishing, swimming, canoeing.
• Go on a picnic.
• Go for flashlight night walks.
• Star-gaze.
• Sing campfire songs, tell stories, roast marshmallows.
• Here are some great Camping Books for Kids.

Creating Family Memories:

• Don’t forget your camera (with plenty of memory/ film/ flash/ batteries) for capturing the fun moments of your family’s camp trip.
• Disposable cameras are great for the outdoors and inexpensive enough to give one to each of your children to use.
• If you have one, bring along your video camera.
• Keep a journal, describing the deals about your trip and the activities you did. Have the kids keep one too.
• When you get back home, create a scrapbook containing photos, excerpts from family members’ journals, crafts that you did, kids’ drawings, etc.

You’ve read enough to feel comfortable to take this trip with your family.  So, grab your sense of adventure and go camping!

Read more articles on Camping with Kids.

Author: Kirsten
(CampTrip Team)

You can’t plan for everything. Minor casualties will always occur (like a sting or a scrape), but don’t freak out. Here are some family-friendly tips to help make planning and preparing to go camping with kids memorable for all the right reasons.

You know your kids. Plan your trip and activities with their age and anticipation level (excited or nervous) in mind.

Get Your Kids Involved:

• Build your kids enthusiasm.
• Plan activities that you know your kids enjoy or would like to try (swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, bicycling, hiking, sports, nature walks, looking for wildlife). Then research and book a park or campground that offers the correct attributes and facilities.
• Have your kids be a part of the packing process. Let them give their opinions about where to go, what to pack, what to eat, and so on.

Pre-Camp Kids Campout:

• If it’s your/you kids’ first time camping, a backyard campout might be a good idea to get them used to the experience.
• Practice setting up your tent. Have the kids help out; let them play in and around the tent for awhile.
• Try some outdoor cooking; show your kids how to use some of the camp equipment; test out the sleeping bags.

Prepare and Pack for Kids:

• If it’s your family’s first time camping, consider a ground or park with running water, washroom facilities and showers – these are especially important on sandy beaches – when you’re planning your destination. This will help ease your kids into the full camping experience, keeping the first trip positive, and allowing for more adventurous trips in the future.
• Keep your first camp trip relatively short (maybe 2-4 days).
• Make a checklist. (Check out this site’s article “Camping Checklist” and create and print-out your own, personalized, checklist).
• Remember to pack extra clothing and shoes. Kids can get dirty quick, especially while playing in the water, sand, woods, etc.
• Bring warm clothing, even if you’re camping in summer. Evenings can still get chilly and camping isn’t any fun for kids – or adults – when they’re shivering.
• Remember the essentials like a first aid kit (for those small accidents), bug repellent, and sunscreen.
• With children, it’s especially important to keep them busy. Aside from the camping activities you have planned, take along some toys and games.
• For first time campers, it is especially important to have items that remind your kids of home. Familiar bedtime objects (stuffed animals, blankets, pillows, books) will make your kids feel more comfortable about sleeping in a different environment.
• Take along plenty of flashlights (and the more fun alternative, glow sticks) to help everyone see in the dark and eliminate any night-time anxieties. Give each of your children his or her, very own flashlight; personalize them so that there are no ownership squabbles. Don’t forget the extra batteries! If it’s possible, have a battery operated lantern set up in your tent too.
• Your kids will be working up an appetite with all the activities they’ll be doing on your camp trip, so remember to pack lots of snacks, as well as drinks to keep them hydrated.

Hopefully these tips on preparing to go camping with kids have helped you and your family get ready for a fun and safe camping trip. Now that you’re prepared, you can get out, back to nature, and have a camp experience you and your family will want to repeat for years to come.

For further tips on family camping, read the continuing article, “Camping with Family”.

Author: Kirsten Reimer
(CampTrip Team)

Many women get anxious about camping because they worry about how they will manage a night-time visit to the toilet. If you are pregnant or menopausal this is a real anxiety. While many campsites have toilet blocks, those who prefer more wild camping are at a disadvantage if they need to go to the toilet during the night. Apart from the weather (who wants to go outside at 3 am in the rain) and the possibility of stepping in something undesirable (anything from mud to cow pats), any foray into the dark alone is not much fun. So, instead of searching and making a big deal about it why not just go and get it over with? The Traveljohn Urinal Bag for peeing outside is made easy.

Traveljohn Urinal Bag for Peeing Outside

“Travel John” is a portable, disposable urinal that works for both men and women. It is very small and no-one will know you have it in your pocket. It is easy to use and, even in the smallest of tents, a woman can have a pee and deal with it all very discretely. The TravelJohn-Disposable Urinal Bag contains a gel which solidifies any liquid. Making the Traveljohn Urinal Bag perfect for peeing outside when you’re without a toilet! Once you’ve finished using it just seal it up and dump it in the garbage. If you’re worried about it sealing I can assure you that the seal is air tight and the gel does a great job of solidifying and removing any odor. What I do is carry the Traveljohn Urinal bags in another plastic bag (grocery bag). Once I’ve used a Traveljohn Urinal Bag I put it in one of the plastic grocery bags until I get a chance to throw it in a bin. In most cases I’ve been in a bin is never far away so you won’t have to keep it more than a couple mins before you can ditch it.

There are also Junior versions of the “Traveljohn”, the TravelJohn Jr. which are designed for younger people to use, as well as “Traveljohn” bags that deal with solid waste for those really, really dire circumstances.

So, the next time you go camping rest easy knowing you have a Traveljohn Urinal Bag on hand ready when you don’t come across a toilet. Peeing outside has never been so easy! It also makes a good sick bag in an emergency!

Great Products to Make Peeing Outside Easy

If you are looking for a great peeing device to help you pee outside these products are great! Thousands of women swear by them and don’t know how they ever lived without them. Here are some of the best rated peeing devices: pStyle, Freshette, Go Girl .

Peeing Outside: A Natural Approach For Women

If you want are looking for a more simplified and natural way of peeing outside be sure to read this article A Girls Guide to Peeing Outside. This article has extremely helpful tips when it comes to peeing outdoors.

Author: Sarah Fraser

Edited by: CampTrip.com

Journey to the Edge of the Earth: The Grand Canyon

I packed lots of snacks for the train ride there; and, because I didn’t have a suitcase, I simply stuffed all of my clothes into an art portfolio. Jenna packed mostly hair products and repeatedly exclaimed about the professor’s words to bring one towel, “One towel?! One towel? My body is going to cringe into itself and disappear.” I imagined how exhausted I’d be after nine days as we headed for the train station in Fort Madison.

The train kept jerking and shaking and my sleep was rough. Each time I woke up, we were in a different city and the time had changed. The window was like a fascinating film with eternally changing locations. I was in awe of the rolling plains and mountains. I had never seen a mountain with my own eyes. It took 36 hours to get to Arizona and we did several activities before reaching the Grand Canyon. We visited Walnut Canyon, the Meteor Crater and Lowell Observatory; there, I viewed Saturn through a monstrous telescope. After hiking through several other locations, I didn’t think I would be able to handle hiking the Grand Canyon.

Hiking the Grand Canyon: Journey to the Centre of the Earth

As I nearly toppled into yet another mule poop cake, I concluded that people did not so much fall off of the Canyon, but probably jumped. We only had to reach the three mile mark and climb back up again.

I attempted to catch up with Jenna, who was wearing a leg brace due to her bad knee. Each step required me to jump down onto the next one, causing layers of dust to shoot up my nose. I looked at the horizon and saw how truly vast the Grand Canyon is. Layers upon layers of rock, the colors of a sunset encased within them. I felt like a mere doll in comparison. I had to stand against the wall to let the mules pass, though I couldn’t help but throw envious glances at the riders.

Grand Surprises!

After three hours of slipping and pausing for breath, we finally reached the 3 mark rest stop. Nobody spoke much, but to speak was too much effort. I couldn’t wait to climb back up and sit, satisfied, in an air conditioned space. It was then that somebody suggested the idea to continue and head down towards the Bright Angel Lodge.

“I’m not going,” I said, almost instinctively.

“Oh come on, Kiarra,” one class mate said, “It’s only a mile down and what if you don’t come to the Grand Canyon again?”

I grimaced.

“This is a once in a lifetime chance- hiking the Grand Canyon!” another chirped, “You should do it.”

Frowning, I looked at each of them, “I’ve made up my mind. I am NOT going.”

“I should’ve listened to myself”, I mumbled in my thoughts as I was on mile two, down to Bright Angel Lodge. More mule droppings, more dust, but worst of all, more miles. I looked in every direction, waiting for some type of desert Sasquatch to snatch me up for dinner. My body started doing things it had never done before: sunburn. I couldn’t talk because my lips were now crusted, although I tried to soften them with water. I made small cries out of annoyance, exhaustion, and hopelessness. “Liars”, I cursed, “One mile my foot! More like six!”

When we finally reached it, the Bright Angel Lodge seemed like the equivalent of some celestial city, though it was just made out of wood. I almost became teary-eyed with joy and drank all of the water that I could.

Paradise was cut short at the realization that I had to hike back up.

Grand Achievement

I never lifted my eyes on the way back; I simply stared in one direction as my legs robotic-ally climbed each dirt-ridden stair. I peeked down to see how far I had progressed and tried to brighten my mood by singing to myself and talking on my cell phone (which, surprisingly, had excellent service in the canyon). Yet each time I thought I was doing extremely well, I would look up and see the bestial mountains towering over my small existence. I felt alone; and, for the first time in my life, I thought I was going to die. I concocted strange plans of rolling off the side and praying that someone with a mule would carry me up. But my feet didn’t listen and kept walking, so I decided to stick with it as well. My fist shook in the air and I screamed with wonder and slight anger, “Okay, God, I GET it! It’s a GRAND canyon!”

18 miles and hours later of hiking the Grand Canyon, I reached the top. But instead of immediately heading somewhere to cool off, I turned around and stared: the colors of the Canyon melted into one another and the sun hovered over the scenery.

My shoes were caked with dirt and my knees were quivering with exhaustion. Yet still my mind said, “I can’t wait to return again someday.”

Author: Kiarra Smith

Edited by: CampTrip.com

Camping Memories

Now my children are seventeen and twenty. As we page through the photo album together, they tell me that they remember much of the history and beauty, but mostly they think about the times we sat around the campfires, playing our instruments and talking. They remember learning flexibility because of the cold showers and the abrupt changes—both of weather and of plans—that always accompany camping. But, as my young adults laugh and playfully argue with each other now, I tell them that what I remember most is watching their friendship grow with every mile we traveled. The camping memories, to me, is more beautiful than any of the national parks we enjoyed in that glorious summer of camping.

Author: Sara Whitestone

Edited by: CampTrip.com

The Vaude Ultra Light Air Mattress: A Great Buy

A “Vaude Ultra Light Air Mattress” is lightweight and can be folded up very small. It weighs only 17 ounces, yet it is still as comfortable as a regular blow-up mattress.

I know you’re probably thinking, ” What about in the winter when the weather gets cold?”  Well, the “Vaude Ultra Light”  has a layer of insulation that will keep you very warm. It is also well-ventilated, which allows the cold air to flow out and the warm air to flow in, and vice versa.

Many people even use the “Vaude Ultra Air Mattress” when they climb really cold mountains because the mattress is reliable, extremely lightweight and it keeps them warm.

If you accidentally apply extreme pressure to the mattress, or if it is placed on something sharp, like glass, you won’t have to worry.  The “Vaude Ultra Light Air Mattress” is extremely durable and it is designed to prevent tear.

I bought my “Vaude Ultra Light Air Mattress” for $60 and I think that it’s worth every penny!

Here are some Camping Air Mattresses we would Recommend:
Ultra Light AeroBed® Self-Inflating Camp Mats from Aero
AeroBed Extreme Ultra Light Self-Inflating Camp Mat

Author: Joe McGregor

Edited by: CampTrip.com

The first thing to remember is that you will be outside, so you will have to deal with all that the outdoors throws at you; this includes the weather, the bugs, the trees, and the animals. You definitely have to have a plan in place.  Don’t go flying from the seat of your pants.

Camping: Go Prepared

• Have camping checklist to go from to ensure you have everything before you leave.
• Make sure you have the proper clothing for all types of weather and conditions for your entire family.
• Make sure that you have a suitable place to sleep in and something to sleep on.
• Make sure that you have food and drinks, and something that can heat it if needed.
• I hope you can build a campfire because this is great for a few different purposes, for either roasting marshmallows, cooking or just keeping you warm. If you don’t know how to build a campfire learn how with this article How to Build a Campfire.
• Make sure you know whether there are any showers at your planned location, and where you will be going to the bathroom…unless you are going to let nature take its course in the woods. I, for one, have done this before in an emergency and I am a female. If you are left to pee in outdoors at least know how to do it properly, here is  A Women’s Guide to Peeing Outside. I’ve also taken a shower in the rain when I’ve had to – clothed in a bathing suit, of course. There were times when we didn’t have running water in our camper and we had to get water from the lake in order to flush.

Whatever works, I guess. Just make sure you go prepared and that you have all the products that you need, including sunscreen and bug spray.

Have Fun!!!

Author: Amberly White

Edited by: CampTrip.com

There are a few items that can be used depending on the nature of the trip. A trip that is well thought out and planned for can go relatively smoothly. On the other hand, a trip that is last minute can be fun as well, as long as the necessary gear is brought with the camper. Preparing for camping safety and first aid are the most important things when camping.

You might ask yourself, “What do I have to bring?”, or, “What should I bring for fun?” The outdoors requires food, water and tools to perform things like gutting an animal – if you wanted to go that far as an outdoors-men.

It’s better to ask yourself, “What will my group or family be doing while camping?” Then make a camping checklist of events and special needs of each individual, such as asthma medication, for example. Include each member’s tastes in food for canned good items. There are also meals sealed in plastic meant for outdoor use as well. Such items can be found in most stores that accommodate hunting or camping gear.

Hiking Safety When Camping

So you’ve decided to go on a hike during this camping trip. Here are some hiking safety tips if you want to really prepare for your hike.

• You will want to bring ruck sacks which are a type of book bag meant to carry important items.
• Also consider bringing a nice sharp knife for cutting rope, some strong climbing rope (about 10 feet in length), just in case a fall occurs and a hoist is needed.
• You can also use the knife to strike a flint rock to start a fire. A typical lighter will do just fine, as well.
• Sleeping bags can also be placed in or on the ruck sack; tents can be left behind with an individual waiting for your return from the hike. This leaves the option of enjoying a night with just sleeping bags and food should you stumble across a location with a particularly nice view.

Camping First Aid Kits

The most important thing to bring are First Aid Kits, with enough gear and bandages for at least 20% of the group. In case someone does get injured, this kit should contain peroxide, gauze, iodine, and a catheter with an IV bag. Having a trained individual on using some of the more advanced medical tools is recommended. Other than that, have fun and be safe.

Taking too many items will ruin the mood of a camping trip. You should try roughing it for a few days; make things work in the outdoors by using mother nature’s tools: logs for fire, etc.

If you have any Camping Safety and First Aid knowledge we would love to hear from you! Please share what you know in the comment box below. Thanks!

Make sure you read these great articles:

Guide to Survival: Finding Food in the Woods

How to Prepare your Kids for Safety Before Camping

How to Prepare your Kids for Safety While Camping

Author: Justin Cruz

Edited by: CampTrip.com

Smudge. Five-year-old Leslie walks across my perfect picture with our mud-pawed retriever, Rocky, in tow. With twinkling jade eyes and a smile that’s too pure to pay for, he exclaims, “We’re going camping!”

We? I hope Mom and Dad knew what they were talking about.

That breakfast all five of us made noises and hoots about the idea. My noise was mostly cries of dismay. We had never gone camping before and, despite my spontaneous parents, I liked to have things planned beforehand.

A Camping Misadventure

We packed our rucksacks, taped our tents, and bussed out into the wild.

Hiking to our Campsite

Dad led the march blowing his Boy Scout whistle. Leslie hopped behind him with Rocky; mom snapped random photographs; and I lagged in the distance, “connecting” with nature.

Occasionally, I reflect on this episode of my life as a learning experience. This, though, is usually followed by a sigh. Most of us seem to like learning the hard way.

After hours of following the forest trail and fighting thorn-bushes, everyone had scrapes and blisters. Mom had the brilliant idea to smear soap inside our socks; surprisingly it did help to prevent more blisters.

The First Water Mishap

We found an enclave to ‘set up shop’ as Dad dubbed it. It was located in a clearing surrounded by beautifully poised white pines and a trickling brook. Before we had even finished unloading we heard a splash. Leslie and Rocky were springing about in the stream. Soon we were all joining in on the fun.

Soggy, dripping, but laughing ourselves silly, Dad announced; “Let’s start our bonfire!”

Dusk had already draped herself over us and we were anxious to get out of our wet clothes before dark.

Dad froze in his merry project of collecting branches as his mouth dropped. “The matches are in Leslie’s pocket!”

He was right. Our hopes of high and musical flames were instantly dampened.

If you ever find yourself in such a miserable situation, however, something I discovered much later, is that if you coat your matches in nail polish they become waterproof.  But I imagine any camping intellectual would not have swam with his matches in the first place. Read How to Waterproof Matches.

That evening we ate a cold and silent dinner of boiled eggs and ham.

Rocky went wild every time Leslie shone the glow sticks across the trees. If you aren’t charmed with the idea of a five-year-old toying with your flashlight, these are always a practical alternative.

The temperature dropped unexpectedly for this time of year, so we pulled out our sweaters and began to unravel our tents. Comfort-concerned mom had brought zip plastic bags and filled them with air for pillows. It was a consoling sleep that awaited me.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Again, I was wrong. No sooner had we lain down in our tents when it began to rain as though the entire forest decided to weep all at once.

Dad had forgotten to hose down the tents to check for holes before packing them. Little leaks drip-dropped on Mom’s and my face and knees and we heard the helpless boys shrieking in their tents. They got to work as we held up the flashlights, digging a moat in the mud around the tent to prevent an overflow.

Finally the rain died down, and we retired to our tents at last, struggling to stay positive despite the many “wonderful” mishaps.

The Attack

We had more visitors shortly after: Mr. Mosquito and his band. We fought the fuming fellows as best we could but ended up hitting each other in the dark. Mom remembered a remedy from Grandma, which was to rub the inside of an orange peel on our skin. We tried this and eventually the blood-thirsty invaders moved on to more submissive victims.

Thankfully we were wearing synthetic sweaters instead of cotton, or we would have undoubtedly caught the chills.

Nature Won This Round, But We’d be Back!

The next day, sleep deprived and sulky, we agreed to return home. Dad looked like some kind of creature with red polka dots covering him from head to toe; Leslie seemed to think this was very funny.

While packing up our things, we stopped to realize that this had probably been one of the worst adventures of our lives something more like a camping misadventure. Then, we began to laugh. We laughed until our stomachs ached.

As we trudged to the bus stop, I put my arm around Mom and chuckled, “Next time let’s bring a manual.”

Author: Theresa Koltes

Edited by: CampTrip.com



Camping in the Atacama Desert, Chile

The Atacama Desert in Northern Chile stretches for six hundred miles. It is nestled between the pounding Pacific to its west and the tips of the Andean peaks to its east. It ticks all the boxes of a camping adventure. Sparsely populated, the Atacama’s dunes and orange mountains are only home to the nightly winds and long suffering cacti. Those who do live in this wilderness go underground in mines to get things done. The blazing sunsets add colourful brilliance and mysterious shadows at the end of unforgiving days. It is beauty at its bravest. Traveling along the Atacama road, the isolation is both blanketing and threatening. Turning off that road you hit the other-worldly: no signals, no sounds and no human life to lean on. This can be your planet if you choose it….

Camping in the Desert can Fill you With Awe

I pitch my tent, gather some rocks and make a fire: the simplest of actions strung together in an untamed setting. However, it has a calming effect. Faint stars join me, while the sun leaves the sky a royal blue, before it merges into purple, then navy, then black. The flames of the fire lick and curl in the gusts of wind that emerge like magical streams from around the rocks. As night falls, the moon braves itself for its appearance and enters like the greatest showman on earth. It slowly rises from the black horizon like a lost balloon, seeming to grow in grandeur and size until it sits in its lopsided armchair in the sky and peers curiously down the whole night.

The night is both serene and excited. Shadowed noises only come as far as the fire’s light. In this enormous expanse I feel as safe as ever. As the wind dies, I decide to sleep outside, tucked into my sleeping bag on a plastic mat right next to the fire. There is enough to keep it burning and keep me warm through until dawn. So I finally tuck myself in, outside, and lay on my back.

A Taste of Infinity

This is what camping is all about. Above me, the sky extends to infinity and brings it all right back again. Stars glimmer and glow in rhythm, each vying for my eye. They burn brighter as my eyes cannot rest. I have become part of the desert, another layer of earth and above me is the most wondrous world keeping me entertained. The stars become so bold; I could pluck them from their hooks like grapes. They dance and sing. They sing me a song known only to desert skies. It’s a song of space, time, love, and the distance between….

The privilege of that night sky, camping in the Atacama Desert of Chile, off a long, lonely road gave me a lesson I will never forget: sometimes you find places in the world where you can never be at one with nature: places which teach you how small you are in something which is older, wiser and infinitely more beautiful than you. These are places in which, although you can pitch your tent, you’ll never last as long as those mountains, those stars or the bed beneath your back.

Author: Laura Milsome

Edited by: CampTrip.com