My shortcuts for stress-free camping
09 June, 2021
By Marie-Andrée of De Saison
For me, camping is an event.
Not a habit or a way of life.
As I come from an urban family that had access to a cabin on the weekends, camping was not really tempting for my parents.
Flirting with a taste for adventure at a very young age, between “let's save ourselves the vl'a” and “I'm able to take it”, I jumped with both feet into the various opportunities for a change of scenery. Because that's what we're really looking for: a change of scenery, a change of air or, as my mother used to say: "change the evil of place!" ".
Scout camps, wild camping and hiking punctuated my childhood and adolescence. Always on an adventure, without my parents. It is therefore clear to me that camping rhymes more with friends than with family.
Everyone has their references.
Everyone has their own traditions.
But now adult and mom, the taste of camping comes back to me from time to time. So, when it's a GO, I use several not very scout shortcuts, but they can save me a lot of stress. It's totally counter-intuitive to take time out in nature if it's to stress yourself out, isn't it?
Here are my 5+1 favorite shortcuts:
1 — Molo, you will start
No need to get equipped from A to Z or to change cars before your first adventure. Ready-to-camp sites or rustic cabins are excellent first steps. We practice managing food. With a small fridge and cooking station inside, it's stress less. The ready-to-camp was my favorite when my daughter was not yet a year old.
2 — You will benefit from the pairing
Going with another family (ideally more experienced than yours) is an idea where you can put yourself in learning mode. You observe, you take notes and you benefit from their experience and their equipment. My favorite shortcut: leaving with Julie and her family! The caravan and tent complementarity is really interesting!
3 — Ready-to-eat you will bring
After planning your menu using batch cooking , a few ready-to-eat meals are the perfect answer to the question: "what would you eat while camping?" “Introduced during the pandemic to the meal boxes of local caterers, why not take inspiration from them and bring some vacuum-packed meals to be heated for just a few minutes in boiling water? In my house, pot spag sauce, ribs or vacuum-packed pulled pork are winning ideas. Bonus: it doesn't take up much space and no preparation beforehand!
4 — From the implementation and visualization you will do
Limit your time preparing meals and increase the time spent having a drink around the fire! Wash, peel, cut in advance what you will need during your stay. This limits the use of potable water if that is an issue. Also, for each meal, visualize what you will need, chronologically. This will allow you not to forget the bottle opener, the pasta strainer, the fondue forks...
5 — Your comfort you will not sulk
If space permits, avoid playing the "real" and bring what is necessary for your comfort, your happiness. Are you a marabout without your pillow? Let's go! You hesitate to bring a small heater, go ahead! Leave a pair of shoes behind at worst! Camping equals smile, not martyrdom.
And a little extra
6 — To practice yourself, you will not neglect
Check that you are able to pitch the borrowed tent or that there are no missing pegs. A test night or a pilot afternoon may seem counterproductive for a shortcut, but it's nothing compared to biting your fingers of “so I should have” once you get there.
With that, good change of scenery, away from stress!