Let's Hear It For The Tent

I have been away for a week in Suffolk working and attending a 3 day course and took my tent with me. Mr Dancin' got lots of comments like 'Can't the company afford to put her up in a hotel?' but the truth is I would really prefer to camp. I love camping and really mean if I could live in a tent I would. Also I hate staying away in B & B's on my own. I never sleep well and it is always awkward doing things in the evening like eating and going out in the town as a girl on her own is always a little odd to other folk. This way I got to spend my evenings sitting out in the open, in the glorious weather, or walking through the countryside, or when it was raining sitting in my tent reading or playing on my laptop. It was fab!

The people on the camp site were really friendly and I even got a visit from a dog when I most needed it. I did actually have one bad day and returned to the tent feeling a little blue and a dog appeared out of no where to cheer me up. It's funny how many times that happens, you have had a bad day or a bad moment and suddenly a dog appears at your feet and wags its tail.

This one wagged its tail, had a pat, pee'd up my car and then ran off with my bag of rubbish! Needless to say within seconds my frown was turned upside down!

On the last day of camping we had torrential down pours and I am delighted to say my tent survived its first storm unscathed and kept the rain off my bedding!

I have been camping regularly and for long term stints for 13 years or so now and feel like I have picked up a trick or two. So while I was away I thought of some camping tips to pass on. Here they are:

1. If you are camping with a vehicle, and therefore have the space, take a duvet. Sleeping bags are warm but restrictive. Collapsing into my double duvet with proper pillows every night was heavenly and I slept like a baby.
2. Do not buy a blow up air bed but get one of the self inflating ones that look really flat but are in fact incredibly comfortable and supportive.
3. Use a silver foil coated under matt as they give extra comfort and reflect the heat, even on a waterlogged site in February. (That'll teach Mr Dancin' to ask me what I wanted to do for my birthday - go camping of course!)
4. Wear flip flips into the shower and take a loose fitting garment to wear like jogging bottoms or a skirt for when you get out. There is never anywhere to sit and dry your feet without getting your towel filthy and jeans are impossible to put back on after a shower! 
5. Invest in a head torch. They will light your tent, aid reading when tent bound on a rainy night, aid walking in the dark and leave you hands free!
6. If camping in the summer, and you need your sleep, go to bed early. If the birds do not wake you at 5.00am, the heat inside the tent will at 6.00am! 

So there you go, all fairly common sense stuff but things I did not have or think about when I first went camping!

Anyway the week on the whole was great but it is also good to be back home with my man, my dogs, and my blog!