Summer Fun?

[HotCouture]

Okay, I admit it. I am a spoiled brat. I am being forced to go camping with my entire extended family on my hubby's side this long weekend and I am trying to do it cheerfully as I can possibly muster.

The truth is - I hate camping. I hate the bugs, the dirt, the smoke in my eyes from those 'oh so picturesque' campfires. I hate sharing showers with dozens of families and their questionably potty-trained toddlers. I hate having to jump on my bike and go half a mile for a decent commode. Maybe you rustic types and those with an atavistic yearning can give me some advice as to how to make this an enjoyable experience. And before you suggest it, I have already ruled out any alcohol or recreational chemicals to assist my state of mind.

Some people may miss the simplicity of bygone eras of woodfire cooked meals and sitting around without modern technology - I am definitely not one of them. I am a product of the 20th century and fully embrace the comforts that man has worked so hard to develop. Arghhhh...I want to be clean and well-groomed. I am not naturally attractive enough to go feral! Oh my vanity! Oh my comfort!

Okay, so what advice to you have for this spoiled brat? And I already know I should suck it up and stop whining, so any other advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[GURL_PLEAZE]

OK first off I'm a farm boy, and I don't know if you'd count living five miles away from any trace of civilization rustic or not, but my advice to you is just simply find something you like to do while your out in the "wilderness" and do it also ruling out alcohol is probably a good idea it'll only make you more agrivated by your "bad" situation. And if you hate the public showers so much just don't take any and really rough it. Question before I wrap this up is do you not like your extended family. And above all else if you're gonna be a pain stay in the tent and let your extended family alone. I have a cousin just like you and she ticks me off on every camping trip our family takes.


-NeonxBurst

 

[Jennfrommaine]

Roughing it easy.....

First, get a good inflatable mattress for sleeping. get one of the BIGGG ones from Wal-Mart that you can inflate with a hair dryer, or from a pack that plugs into your car cigarrette lighter. With a sleeping bag in a tent, you'll feel like you're home in yuor water bed.

Second, for those nasty showers...bring a pair of flip-flops, and wear them in the shower. Keeps the gross stuff off your feet, and can save you from athelete's feet and other problems.

Third, pack some citronella candles. More importantly, try any bug repellant that contains DEET before you go, to see if you are allergic to DEET. If not, GET SOME AND USE IT.. The stuff is great. Bugs hate it. If you wear it, they stay away. Deep Woods Off has lots of DEET, but you can get sprays with even more, and hunting supply places (or even Wal-Mart) carries some 100% DEET.

Cooking (and eating): Invest in a charcoal starter. This device looks like a big aluminum coffee can with a grill on the bottom (instead of a solid bottom), and a handle on the side. You pour charcoal briquettes into the top. You stuff the bottom (under the grill) with newspaper. You light some kindling. You set the entire contraption (newspaper-side down) on top of the lit kindling. The charcoal catches, and then you dump the lit charcoal out and begin cooking. Last camping trip, we got a fire going and ready to cook each night in under ten minutes. Went with a veteran girl scout leader, too, who taught me some new tips: she made her kindling ahead of time by using a cardboard egg carton and a bunch of drier lint. She took the egg carton, and cut it up into the individual cups. She put some drier lint in each cup, lit a candle, and dripped some of the wax into each cup, on top of the lint. The wax held the lint in place, and helped the whole thing burn longer. When it was time to start the cooking fire, she placed three of these little home-made cups in the center of the fire pit, and lit it with a match. Then, just placed that charcoal lighter thing on top.

Meals: Plan on meals ahead of time to minimize the number of pans you have to use (and therefore, clean). My favorite (very easy) camp recipe is to cut up (dice) fresh chicken, carrots, and potatoes ahead of time. Place a scoop of each, together, in the center of a large piece of aluminum foil. Add some butter, salt, pepper, and seal the foil closed. Repeat for as many servings as you'd like. Place foil packets directly on the hot coals, or on a grill above the coals. Pull out, open, eat. Baked potatos work great while camping, too--just poke holes in the potato with a fork, wrap in aluminum foil, and throw right on the coals.

Bring lots of miscellaneous supplies. Bring flashlights, extra batteries, things to do in case it rains, a few rain ponchos (the kind that come in little packets so they don't take up a lot of space if you don't use them), extra trash bags, extra matches, and lots of ziplock bags (I don't know how ANYBODY ever went camping before there were ziplock bags!). And of course, bring marshmallows.

Enjoy! And I'll be watching your journal to see how it goes.

 

[Kythrol]

Hmm what can I say... others have already written excellent responses, but Ill give it a shot anyway!!.. I love camping, but even if I didnt I think these activities woudl make it worth while. Relaxing in the sun with a good book and a nice lemonade... Hours in the sun with just a book...mmm...its so beautiful...

Bugspray and sunscreen.... bugspray is GOOD....it works... and get those off© candles and surround yourself with them hehehe...no bugs then... retreat into your mind and enjoy the fresh air.

Let your kids and your hubby entertain themselves ...If you wanna do what theyre doin go for it!! Otherwise, just chilllllll....

 

[fitforlife]

The closest I've gotten to camping this year is bees kept flying through the drive-through window at work. =/

Take the opportunity. Go practice in the woods. Kill bugs. That's how I train at work, btw, I aggressivly attack bees with a wet towel. HAR HAR HAR!!!!

PL

 

[megtownson]

I'm sorry to hear that you are in such a bad situation Mrs O. But it seems that you won't be able to avoid it, will you?! (maybe you can fake an illness or something, I don't know how desperate you are ).

Other posters have already written good ideas and I don't really know what else I should add. Maybe you could start the trip without that negative attitude and negative energy. It might even turn out good. You never know.

Try to make the best out of it. If you don't really like your relatives that much, would it be possible to talk to your hubby about it? He could maybe keep them off your back. Once you are there you can pretend at least one day that you are having a terrible headache and use the day for resting and reading maybe.

Use the weekend as quality time to be spent with your kids. take them for walks. Do the katas together. Why not?! it might even help you calm down.

you know that you have my support. hope it goes by quickly and as painless as possible.

 

[Tibbsyt]

I totally understand where you're coming from here. I reluctantly went camping last year with my now ex boyfriend (!) and in all the photos we took, my hair is a mess and I look really tired and scuzzy. My advice - don't let anyone take any pictures or camcorders! if they do, destroy the evidence!!
All the other advice is great - be prepared and make yourself comfortable and it will be less painful. There's a part of me that loves outdoor living/camping but the other part that like clean hair and bathroom facilities without bugs even more. I wish you luck

 

[sadie_xxxx]

Thats half the fun!

No... don't even try.

Honastly. Just relax, and don't worry about your hair, your makup, your meals, your bed. Just enjoy yourself. Stressing about comforts is why you dislike camping. Just forget about comforts, and you WILL be comfortable. Just relax, and be. That what camping is about. Relaxing not worrying about about anything.

Eat when you're hungry - forget about sticking to time. Don't worry if kids or hubby are hungry. Don't prepare meals. They can feed themselves. Rest when you're tired. Do what ever you want, when you want.

As Tiki said, forget about kids and hubby. They can look after themselves, and the last thing they want is mum stressing out about them and everything else (speaking from experience ). It just makes everything worse.

The more you worry, the more you're aware of what you don't have. The more aware you are of what you don't have, more you won't see what you DO have.

Enjoy it. Forget about everthing but being there.

 

[ILOVESM]

Once again you guys have come through for me! MAP'ers are truly wonderful people with a firm grasp of the practical and the ridiculous! Capt Ann, the practical tips are invaluable - hubby will be running out first thing to get that air mattress.
NeonXburst, I agree with you. Anyone who brings down everyone around them should be stuck in the trunk of the nearest automobile for the entire camping trip. I would NEVER do that, that is why I am asking for info ahead of time! And yes, I love my relatives. They are a great bunch of people.

Tika and Greg, I would love to ignore my kids and let them feed themselves but they take your kids away if you start ignoring the necessities of life!!!!! One reason I hate camping so much is the fact that everything, like lunch, is always so complicated. I wish I could just sit in the sun with a good book and a Diet Coke.

Neryo, keeping busy is my plan. I am taking my mountain bike along and plan on finding ALOT of new trails. Budogirl - you feel my pain, thank you sister! Scuzzy is the word for how I look when deprived of my normal grooming routine.

Thanks all! You have been great! I'll be off in a few hours to the great wilderness where all the happy little creatures will sit around the campfire with us and lead us to all the nuts and berries and we'll dance and sing together. Life in a Disney movie would be great, wouldn't it?

 

[specalk]

I've got it!

Invite the family over to watch "The Blair Witch Project"!

What can I say? I personally like to escape the stresses of the 21st century and relish the opportunity to become one with nature

I'll give you a link http://www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/camp.htm which I find handy for tips.... Do check out the bear safety link!

Camping can be: Green grass, friendly squirrels eating out of your hand, birds chirping, sleeping under a lovely sheet of midnight stars, communing with nature

OR: Sleeping on mud, evil squirrels biting your hand, birds crapping all over your stuff, sleeping with large bugs in the rain, cursing out nature

The choice is yours!! Have FUN!!! RELAX .... ENjoy the family!

 

[renaa]

First comment - VERY FUNNY!!!

Second comment - AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot about the bears!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Mrs Owt rocks back and forth, shivering*

 

[doublen420]

But most of all dont forget lots and lots of CHOCOLATE.

David

 

[kate92979]

You know, there is always one person who cuts through all the obfuscations and gets right to the point. Well done David!!

 

[budokaiguy]

Mrs O was so polite to thank each and every poster in this thread. She is really cool, don't you think MAPers? But this post of hers reminded me of the speeches people give when they receive an award

 

[aznprede4lyfe]

I agree.... Mrs O is the nicest MAPer EVER

 

[KaiyahR]

Sorry, Mrs. Owt. I love camping, I love forests and trees and other stuff that's not here in the desert !
Anyhow, bring toilet paper (plenty of it). Roughing it is fun, having to wipe with unidentified leaves is no fun in anyway.
Try to take a more positive outlook, it will make you appreciate the little things so much more. Don't worry about your appearence, camping is a good excuse to let yourself go, two days in the woods and you will all look equally scuzzy.

 

[nawal4211]

hmm, for sleeping in the wetness, a tarp prepared well before rain on a raised surface will do wonders. a raised surface could be anything from a palette(sp?) (the things they use to carry bricks with a forklift) to a net hung between the branches of a tree. i prefer the net, but if youre a sleepwalker, dont do it. dont worry about staying clean. you wont, and worrying wont help. i like to explore the area. maybe even draw up a little map. keep moving when youre awake, and sleep under a blanket, and the flying bugs shouldnt be a problem. as for the crawly ones, just eat them. seriously though, i dont think theres much you can do about them. if you dont like smoke, go to the non smoky side of the fire whenever the wind changes.
a hole in the ground makes a good personal toilet, if you have strong legs, and if you dont, find a forked branch that you can sit on low in a tree, and dig a hole under it. toilet paper is a good idea, too. also, a good book on plants will give you access to almost unlimited snacks.

 

[WelcometoSparta]

oh yeah, and cup ramen takes almost no hassle. boil water, pour it in, wait, eat. it is the most nutritious type of ramen, but i dont think it is healthy to live completely on it. again, the woods provide all kinds of good stuff. i've never tried spruce tea, but i have heard it is good. also, wild onions are good as seasoning, but only if it smells like onion. if it doesnt it is probably poisonous. wild oninons also set off asthma, so be careful if you have it.

 

[KiraJenLove]

I thanked you all in my journal, but once again - thanks! You all gave me great ideas and the incentive to go in with a good attitude. You were right. I went in there with a good attitude and had a great time. Helped that weather and food was good and VERY few bugs.

bcullen, you were right about the toilet paper!!! I could have made a small fortune if I had brought a few more rolls with me. Our large group had plenty but some other campers had neglected to bring. I gave them a roll after the guy offered me $5 for it!!!! I couldn't do that to him however.

Thanks again guys - you always come through for me for MA stuff or any other dileofftopics. MAP can be a great place, it has been fun.

 

[kikk0mang]

I'm so glad for you Mrs O. I always say: it's the attitude that counts. Even though you might find yourself in a bad situation, you have to find a way to take the best out of it.

What about the kids? Did they enjoy the camping?