Camp Out and Chill

With the entire buzz about global recession and whatnot calling our attention to scrimp and save every penny we can, we should never, ever forget to wind down and relax once in a while. A spring that's wound too tight will only break with too much pressure.


And here's one surprisingly overlooked way to do just that without spending a small fortune on airplane tickets, hotel fees and tourist guides: grab a camping tent and camp out for a night or two the old-fashioned way! It's a great change of pace, especially for people surrounded by concrete jungles jam-packed with people and pressure at every corner. Nothing sure beats waking up to the fresh smell of nature wafting through your nostrils (minus the mosquitoes, of course.) Plus, it's something you could do alone, with your partner, or with the entire family!


Of course, it won't hurt to get an idea of what you're doing before you dive head-first into your trip to set up camp. So here are some tips for creating that perfect camping experience:


First, gather information. Check out some spots to set up your camping tent, what's needed on the trip, how to get there, what to watch out for, etc. The sources of information about camping sites may vary depending on where you are, but the most reliable way of gaining information about camping is asking someone who has experienced camping for themselves. First-hand information from someone who has gone camping is one of the most reliable sources of tips and tricks for planning your own camping trip!


Second, prepare what you'll need in advance. A first-aid kit is a must for any trip, while a camping tent would provide shelter from the elements. Sleeping bags, blankets, and jackets are other things you'll need to warm yourself up as you sleep, while matches, flashlights, and insect repellents (for the aforementioned mosquitoes) are just some of many bonuses that you could bring along to help make the trip a more convenient and satisfying one. And, of course, what camping trip would be complete without food to roast over that open fire! Bring just enough that you won't starve, but don't bring too much that you'll be spending your entire trip cooking up a storm.


And finally, don't forget to plan what you want to do on a camping trip. No, it's not a business proposal where you have to plan every single step and breath you're going to take. Simply outline what you want to do in your trip. You might want to try your hand at fishing, hunting, hiking, or other similar activities in the wild. There are even more exciting activities that are offered in some camp sites: racing events, adventure trips, horseback riding etc. Or you could just simply hang back and enjoy the view without a worry in the world.


That's the basic premise of camping out: Chill, relax, and take it slow once in a while. It sure won't burn a hole in your pocket to spend a few days and nights out in your camping tent laying back, taking in the beauty of it all, and relaxing to the sight, smell and sounds of nature.

About the Author


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Camping Mosquito Q&A

How to pack for camping and have everything organized?

we enjoy the outdoors and camping, we have bought many items during the years and now we have many things, and they get everywhere in the car during the trip. How do you pack kitchen items: paper plates, utensils, paper towel? bed items (they are bulky)? mosquito repellent bottles ( they love me )I usually put kitchen stuff in a plastic container, but to reach the bottom I have to take everything on top. Any creative ideas? tips? I may buy a space saver bag for the bedding, has anybody tried that.

For car-camping I use a medium-size Rubbermaid Action Packer bin with sheets of plastic (lexan? stuff from Home Depot) cut into 11" tall dividers and duct-taped into place for my kitchen box. There's room in the box for my pots and pans, three propane canisters, plastic plates and bowels, napkins, trash bags and space for most of my dry foods. On the very top I lay my large griddle, cutting board, campfire grate, collapsible sink, axe, folding saw and 1/2 rolls of paper towels. I have a mesh organizer I made myself and screwed to the inside of the bin's lid to hold my cooking and eating utensils.

I can then strap my Coleman stove and el-cheapo propane grill on top of this. When I get to camp, all the stuff on the top of the bin comes out and generally stays out until it's time to pack-up and go, and the stuff underneath is stored vertically instead of flat, so there's no digging for buried items. The lid, with the utensils attached, also comes out and stays on the mesh shelf under my camp kitchen unit (small folding table with grill shelf).

Generally speaking, each person -- child or adult -- is responsible for carrying their own clothing and sleeping kit. All our sleeping bags compress well into their stuff sacks, and we use self-inflating mattresses that also roll-up tight. The sleeping bags go inside each person's duffel bag or backpack on top of their clothing and personal items, and the mattress gets strapped outside to the top or side. Clothing is organized into dry bags to protect from any weather or mishaps, and for organization. We also use one of the drybags full of clothes with a pillow case instead of a pillow. Each person is also responsible for their own toiletries, which go in a small nylon bag stored the outside pocket of the duffel bag or backpack, along with sun block, insect repellent, flashlight or headlight with extra batteries.

If you are using regular bedding you'll find that sleeping bags will take a lot less space and weight, particularly if you use a compression bag (just remember to loosen the compression bag during storage at home so the insulation doesn't go flat). Our bags compress down to about 9x12". As mentioned above, we put a pillow case over our clothing's dry bags to use as a pillow, or you can get inflatable pillows. Also, camp towels or large "Sham Wow" type towels take up much less room than regular household towels but work just as well, and dry more quickly.

The tent, 2 LED lanterns, 2 bag chairs, roll-up table, dining tarp with poles go into one large duffel. This sometimes leaves one or two loose chairs to sling over your shoulder.

If necessary, I can stack the two coolers, Rubbermaid bin, stove and grill onto a folding luggage cart and drag it to the campsite on one trip, then return and strap the water container, large duffel, and camp kitchen to the cart for my second trip.

How do you get rid of mosquito bites?

For some reason my bug spray didn't work so I recently acquired a lot of mosquito bites on my legs when I went camping--Is there a product that gets rid of them or heals them? If so where can I buy it? I

Try not to itch it and use polysporin or apparently rubbing the inside of a banana peel on it works.
http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-a-Mosquito-Bite

(any drugstore/ grocery store)