Frugal Living - Camping

More for the walking and adventurous

Somewhere there's a camp site to suit your needs. Some have the holiday camp feel with a central shopping mall and entertainment (usually ties in the caravans), others appeal more to the non-children situation and have 'no noise after 11pm' type rules.

Because of my holiday needs I go to the latter where it's easier to chill out after a day up in the mountains or long walks along the beach etc.

Like eating your own vegetables, you have a kind of satisfaction that you're eating stuff you've cooked on a camping gas burner and somehow kept the milk from going off all day !

The only worry I ever have about camp sites is that you're never quite sure who you're going to be camping next to. It may all seem tranquil when you arrive and set up camp, then the neighbours arrive and decide they're going to be up half the night talking or phoning their mates up.

However, there are a few little tips here;

* Try and set up your tent next to the smallest tents you see. These are usually couples or people camping alone and tend to be there for the same reasons as you.

* Like terraced houses, set yourself up at an end position. At least any noise is only on one side of you then !

I never pre-book camp sites. I turn up, have a good look round, then decide if it's the right one.
I also tend to find sites where you can't park your car next to the tent. This has the advantage that when neighbours arrive back after dark, their headlights don't fill your tent up like a football ground.

Camping again (I camped a lot when younger) has become the only real way I can holiday in a 'frugal style' and I find myself planning a couple of years ahead now. It's something which gives me immense enjoyment. You tend to sleep better, get up earlier and start your day quicker and believe it or not, I rather enjoy

the odd occasion of sitting in the tent to the sound of raining pattering down on top !

Scenic and isolated

Achievement of sorts!

More self reliance

It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent. Dave Barry
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