CAMPING – AN ADVENTURE
Camping Definition
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants (known as campers) leave their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motor-home, cabin, a primitive structure, or no shelter at all. In many parts of the world ‘camping’ refers exclusively to the use of tents or similar portable structures.
What Do you Need?
This really depends on how deep your pockets are and that’s the wonderful thing about Camping. You can start with a 2 man tent and a couple of sleeping bags. You can pitch the tent anywhere in a field. However you would be better off camping in a designated camping site because you will then have the availability of hygiene facilities, toilets, showers, washing, etc. A camping stove is also worthwhile if you do not want to eat out and spend a lot of money. If you are near 
a lake or river a fishing rod is also handy except that you may need a fishing license. My dad had an old Chevrolet van and he put a strip on the side of the vehicle so he could attach a lean too tent. He and Mum slept in the back of vehicle while I and my siblings slept on camp beds in the lean too tent. They were heady days, we were able to explore, swim, hike, fish and sit around a campfire at night. We did not have to spend a lot. To the other extreme you can have the Motor-home or RV with all the trimmings and basically you take your home and comforts with you.
Some Safety Hints
Do not camp in a creek bed or in a wash. Camp up on a hill or high ground preferably. Do not camp under a tree. There are too many stories where people have been been hurt or even killed by falling branches or trees. Ask about the local fauna as you do want to be disturbed by the local wildlife (bears, wild pigs, etc). Even animals such as an enraged bull or wild mustangs can be a problem. Zip up the tent at night as snakes, scorpions and spiders are not welcome guests.
Obtain the permission of the owners of the property, don’t ignore the “No Trespassing” signs – leaving your tent behind as an irate property owner is chasing you with a shotgun in hand is not fun. Make certain the tent is pitched properly, well pegged and anchored and is also in plain sight. You do not want the wind to pick your tent up and take it away or rip it apart nor do you want off road vehicles driving straight over your tent while you are in it. Its happened before and will likely again so be aware. Preferably camp with some others. Don’t forget a first aid kit, sun screen and glasses and personal toiletries especially toilet paper. A bug spray can also come in handy for mosquitoes or other pesky insects.
Food
Canned food is fine as well as fruit such as apples and oranges that will keep for several days. A packet of biscuits and teabags make a welcome treat when you boil some water in a pot. Which means that a pot and a pan are almost a necessity for boiling or heating the canned food and don’t forget the can opener. Most campsites have fire wood available otherwise a camping stove is essential. Make sure you bring enough food to last the distance. Eating utensils and some plastic plates should also be packed. There may not be a shop in the neighborhood although most large camping sites or caravan parks do have a store or kiosk on site. For your first experience it may be wise to camp near a town, that way you can gauge what you had to buy as extras during your first adventure.
Entertainment
Some days will be sunshine and others days where the Heavens will open up on you – bucketing rain does not go well with camping and you may be confined inside the tent. So bring along some games and a few magazines or good books from your local library. A pack of cards can come in handy as well as a Frisbee or football when the weather is kinder.
Summary
You need to do some planning before you go camping as this article highlights. The experience can be full of fun and excitement and provide you with a life time of fond memories like I have when I went camping with my parents. You do not need to spend a lot of money. Plan the trip and make a list of your needs, it saves a lot of heartache later on.
And one of the great things about camping is that regardless of your budget you should still be able to enjoy camping. Go for it. Which reminds me of an old joke as follows:
The Lone Ranger and Tonto are camping. They set up their tent and are soon asleep. Some hours later The Lone Ranger wakes his faithful friend. “Tonto, look up at the sky and tell me what you see?”
Tonto replies, “Me see millions of stars, Kimosabe.”
What does that tell you?” asks The Lone Ranger.
Tonto ponders for a minute.
“Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets.
Astrologically, it tells me that Saturn is in Leo.
Chronologically, it appears to be approximately quarter past three.
Theologically, it’s evident the Lord is all-powerful, and we are small and insignificant.
Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow.
What does it tell you, Kimosabe?”
The Lone Ranger is silent for a moment, then says, “Tonto, you dumb cluck someone has stolen our tent!!!”
Arnold Vee
I am indebted to Wikipedia for the definition of camping and this can be accessed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camping. I do not know the author of the Lone Ranger and Tonto’s Tent joke and apologise if it was yours but I heard it first about forty years ago so its been around for awhile.
