Camping Tips

Summer camping tips Buy a good GAZEBO to keep flies away when you are eating. It should be large enough for all your family, have a waterproof roof and straight up and down sides - NOT sloping outward. If it is raining water will run off the roof into the outer areas of a sloping gazebo! Some even have zip -in or hang -in curtain sides. Good tarps are important in summer for provision of SHADE as you can't be sure to always have shade on your campsite, also natural shade will move around during the day with the sun's progress. Have plenty of sun protection especially for kids, sunscreen, hats .... Good ESKIS or a 12V fridge are great especially if you stay any length of time. Long term stayers can also store food in our freezer ( free of charge) if desired. Always bring secondary cooking facilities ( eg. gas stove, fuel stove) in summer - you can have campfires but NOT on a TOTAL FIRE BAN DAY! Bring Swimm suits and Water - and Outdoor games - you are on a river, use it. If you and the kids have been swimming all day , you won't need a shower. Solar hot water shower bags are great in summer, to wash hot or even to cool off with. Winter camping tips Be warm and comfortable : You are used to heated Indoor conditions so you may feel the cold more than us as we are outdoors all the time. Bring plenty warm clothing - you may have beautiful warm days , but the nights will cool off and your back can get cool sitting near a fire or when you sleep. Use a dense foam bed - not an airbed ( they are FREEZING cold in winter!) , flannel sheets or good sleeping bags. The nicest thing to sleep on is a flat sheep skin , believe me! Double sleeping bags are nice , too ... Put an extra tarp over your tent - not for rain, but for extra insulation - it works. Use hot water bottles - especially for the kids. A PET ( soft drink) Bottle with hot water will do also. Gas lights will warm your tent also - but be careful that they sit in a safe and stable place and don't come near any objects or tent walls - they can cause a fire! Electric recharge battery lights are safe but cold. Get or buy plenty of fire wood - nothing better than a nice fire and you might want to stay up a while longer than you had planned. Hot drinks at the fire warm body and soul - tea, Hot Chocolate , Spiced Hot Wine ... Yummy! Have some hot tea or hot milk in a thermosflask for the Kids if they wake up and feel cold at night . Sleep in longer in the mornings - the coldest times are around sunrise. Prepare your breakfast needs at night so it is fast and easy to start in the morning and get a hot drink ready. Winter camping is great - you will enjoy it if you are sensibly prepared. " As little as possible ! "

When you go camping , always remember to take only what you really need .
Camping is about " doing without " and " improvising " .
Usually the less gear people carry , the more fun they have .
Just remember , you have to pack it all at home , un-pack on site ,
re-pack on site , and finally un-pack at home !
Don't stress yourself where you want to RELAX !

Good Equipment !

In most cases it pays off to buy good gear -
this doesn't have to be the most expensive -
but the best quality gear which is suitable to your individual needs.

What you buy should be :
practical , durable and serve one or more purposes .
( Nothing worse than sitting in a leaking tent , with a gas stove
that just stopped working and unhappy kids ... )

Keep warm and comfortable !

A dense foam matress ( ~ 10 to 15 cm thick ) is much more comfortable
and warm than any airbed !
Very good is a self inflating foam matress ( a excellent combination between airbed
and foam matress . The " ultimate " ! )

A bit old fashioned , but nethertheless it works the best and is cheap , is a hot water bottle .
A " must " for winter camping !

Clothing

Be prepared for changing weather conditions it can always rain , get warmer or colder .
Don't forget your swimming gear in summer !

You don't need to be dressed for a " night out " , better be practical and comfortable ,
and if you get a bit dirty the better -
that's the fun of camping . Especially with Kids -
don't worry too much about a bit of dirt , but have something to change if they get wet .
You need good and well used comfortable boots which grip and support your ankles to go camping and bushwalking .

Tents

Buy a good and waterproof tent . The size depends of course on your family , you might prefer two smaller tents so the Kids can sleep separate or if you go only with part of the family you have less gear .
Canvas tents are more heavy but last longer in sun and weather , Nylon dome tents should have aluminium poles , they don't break and make the tent more stable in windy weather .
It is always good to have one or two good heavy duty tarps with strong , big eyelets and good adjustable poles , they protect from sun , wind and rain , also they extend the life of your tent .
It is good to have sufficcient room to shelter . Don't buy cheap tarps , money is well invested here !

Use drinks in cans or PET bottles - not glass.

Buy drinks in CANS or PET plastic bottles, not glass when you go camping. They will not break and have considerably less weight for you to bring in and for us to carry out in rubbish and recycling. Also there is less chance of broken glass in the camping ground.