when did you decide 'no more camping'.

[Looby]

Nah, I take a lot of stuff. My first Glastonbury, I took spare combats, underwear and some t shirts. We had lilos and a sleeping bag each.

16 years later, I take pillows, an airbed, chairs, etc etc
We also take a stove and food as we can't afford festival food prices for 5 days.
We borrow a trolley to carry it all.

[emoji33] [emoji1]

 

[Idaho]

I'm 64. Still camping in a tent that I carry on my back or the bike. Its all about getting away from it all, not taking it all with you.

I agree... But I like to sleep well.

 

[mr steev]

Why are there tents when there are buildings? With beds, showers and toilets in them?

For the same reason we run, screaming into a freezing sea when there are heated pools and waterparks available. Why we go on long, wet, muddy walks to take in the view when we could just as easily go for a drive. Why people walk up Snowdon rather than take the train. Sometimes a little adversity and having to fend for yourself a bit is good for the soul

 

[Nancy_Winks]

For the same reason we run, screaming into a freezing sea when there are heated pools and waterparks available. Why we go on long, wet, muddy walks to take in the view when we could just as easily go for a drive. Why people walk up Snowdon rather than take the train. Sometimes a little adversity and having to fend for yourself a bit is good for the soul

That is actually a good answer.

Turns out I don't cope *that* well with physical adversity tho I blame my thyroid. I'm cold in a centrally heated house in summer. It's a curse.

 

[Orang Utan]

A bit of adversity is fine but not sleeping makes camping impossible for me. It's just no fun at all.

 

[catinthehat]

About eight years ago - at Glade, during a heatwave. We had just traveled for over 24 hours as we had been on holiday, very hot, thinking ah at least we will get a bit cooler at Glade. Which turned out to be hotter than Cuba. We were with some Festival Weather people who had kindly put our tent up for us, over rode the lack of sleep in the usual way but then (due to techno) I lost Totoro and sat in a boiling stinking tent for about 24 hours thinking 'this is the last festival, this is the last tent'. A decent substitute is a single wigwam affair which is in a really nice spot on the north east coast near Portsoy. Lacks some of the romance and challenge of the wild but at least you can walk the next day and avoid being damp.

 

[mr steev]

A bit of adversity is fine but not sleeping makes camping impossible for me. It's just no fun at all.

I've never really had a problem sleeping when I'm in a tent, apart from the mornings when you wake up in an oven... but at least that usually means it's going to be a nice day. It's more just the hassle of getting dressed/undressed when you can't stand up, or having somewhere comfortable and dry to go and sit properly and skin up which is why I've moved onto a van.

 

[Orang Utan]

Travel taverns are the answer. Or hiring a big house with lots of friends.
I would only ever camp if I could have a hot shower at least once a day. It can be fun with a big group of mates and no neighbours. No more than two or three nights mind.

 

[mr steev]

Travel taverns are the answer. Or hiring a big house with lots of friends.

Costs a fortune though compared to camping.

 

[sheothebudworths]

That is actually a good answer.

Turns out I don't cope *that* well with physical adversity tho

I'M FROM THE CITY!!!

 

[Orang Utan]

Costs a fortune though compared to camping.

still doesn't cost much. and you get a bed. a bed is priceless.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

still doesn't cost much. and you get a bed. a bed is priceless.

When I was still shooting archery, I'd go to camping events and take a bed (and a carpet, a camp shower, a camp kitchen, etc.) There's camping, and then there's camping.

 

[Orang Utan]

When I was still shooting archery, I'd go to camping events and take a bed (and a carpet, a camp shower, a camp kitchen, etc.) There's camping, and then there's camping.

i used to go camping and youth hostelling a lot when i was a kid. the best campsites were in france and we hired a tent rather than carry one around everywhere in a hatchback with 6 humans in. They had beds. and a cooker. best holiday ever.

 

[Nancy_Winks]

I'M FROM THE CITY!!!

Mate that was a pure cry for help. They were wearing goretex, they had fucking crampons. Anyone could see that they would know exactly what to do and all I had to do was to convey the essence of how utterly fucked I was up a mountain in February snow with trainers and mittens

 

[Orang Utan]

My mum once took some Italian city folk up a mountain and two of the men cried cos they were cold.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Mate that was a pure cry for help. They were wearing goretex, they had fucking crampons. Anyone could see that they would know exactly what to do and all I had to do was to convey the essence of how utterly fucked I was up a mountain in February snow with trainers and mittens

Aaaaaand I think you managed that very well, tbf




God, that cracks me up every time I think about it

 

[sheothebudworths]

My mum once took some Italian city folk up a mountain and two of the men cried cos they were cold.

 

[Shirl]

We have a campervan and I love my van bed The last time I slept in a tent was around 5 years ago when the van broke down on the way to a festival. We managed to limp back home and put my old tent in the car and set out again.
I don't mind tents and if we didn't have a campervan I'd sleep in a tent. We used to have a tipi too and if ever I get a big garden again, I'd have another tipi and sleep out on warm summer nights, nothing like it

 

[Sirena]

I'm 64. Still camping in a tent that I carry on my back or the bike. Its all about getting away from it all, not taking it all with you.

Yes, I'm about that age too... I always try to go proper camping at least once in a year.

I'm not really keen on formal sites. A place where you can go with a few friends, build a fire and get drunk and stoned into the wee hours, under the stars: that's the model for me.....

 

[Nancy_Winks]

My mum once took some Italian city folk up a mountain and two of the men cried cos they were cold.

 

[mr steev]

still doesn't cost much. and you get a bed. a bed is priceless.

It's a lot more than the fiver a night I usually pay camping.

 

[Orang Utan]

It's a lot more than the fiver a night I usually pay camping.

anywhere in the country is expensive though when you don't have a car and have to rely on trains and taxis

 

[mr steev]

anywhere in the country is expensive though when you don't have a car and have to rely on trains and taxis

True. That's why I've always used a (cheap old) car or a van. I wouldn't be able to afford to go away if I had to rely on public transport, and the places I like to go aren't usually accessable that way anyway.

 

[Orang Utan]

True. That's why I've always used a (cheap old) car or a van. I wouldn't be able to afford to go away if I had to rely on public transport, and the places I like to go aren't usually accessable that way anyway.

the Isle Of Skye is my number one ideal holiday location, but it's not really doable without a car, unless you are a intrepid cyclist.

 

[mr steev]

the Isle Of Skye is my number one ideal holiday location, but it's not really doable without a car, unless you are a intrepid cyclist.

Tbh, that would be a bit much for me in my van (millage and the time it would take!) It would be an cool road trip though

 

[Shirl]

I'm 64. Still camping in a tent that I carry on my back or the bike. Its all about getting away from it all, not taking it all with you.

Yes, I'm about that age too... I always try to go proper camping at least once in a year.

And me at 66

I'm sensing we need an urban pensioners thread

 

[Orang Utan]

Tbh, that would be a bit much for me in my van (millage and the time it would take!) It would be an cool road trip though

i went there as a kid but didn't really appreciate it. my parents kept stopping to look at the view and this confounded me at the time.

 

[twentythreedom]

I don't mind a sorted tent but vehicles are better. I had a VW camper for a few years, did loads of raves, festivals and road trips, then got a Dodge 50 S46 ex-leccy board van, fully kitted it out - stove, wood burner, beds etc, just in time for Glastonbury '97 - the mudbath

Mind you I spend half my life now in a floating caravan tbh

 

[spanglechick]

For the same reason we run, screaming into a freezing sea when there are heated pools and waterparks available. Why we go on long, wet, muddy walks to take in the view when we could just as easily go for a drive. Why people walk up Snowdon rather than take the train. Sometimes a little adversity and having to fend for yourself a bit is good for the soul

I don't do any of that stuff. All of it sounds like punishment. What's good for the soul (in terms of, what makes me feel happier rather than miserable and tearful) is hot bubble baths, massages, fluffy pillows...

If I can't afford a holiday somewhere more pleasant and comfy than my home, I stay at home. Why would I want to "get away from it all" when what i'd be getting away from is lovely?

specifically camping... i used to do festivals - but the last time (eight years ago? seven?) it fucking pissed down all weekend. what are you supposed to *do*...? sit inside a damp-aired, flimsy, fabric pouch, essentially on the floor, unable to touch the walls because it will become a wet, damp-aired flimsy, fabric pouch. for hours. occasionally putting on waterproof clothes and boots so you can trudge through wet grass and mud to use a manky, cold, shared loo. then returning to your damp fabric pouch, and trying to remove your wet coat and boots without getting soggy socks, or bringing wetness into the tent.

then, even in warm weather you have to dress in bulky clothes for bed (to fend off the 3am temerature drop, and enable a night time loo visit), and if you're lucky, be forced out of bed by a tent like a sauna by 9am. added to which my personal problems with sore back/shoulders/hips and knees due to the various demands of airbed sleeping and living at floor-level, and the whole thing is a trial.

 

[maomao]

I'm 40 and have been secretly wishing for the day when my soon to be born child is old enough to go camping with me because my wife won't even entertain the idea.