What invaluable item would you always take camping........

[DrZeus]

Just asked DH (having just returned from our 5 rainy days) and he said:

Fan heater
Separate gazebo for cooking (or at the very least a sheltered cooking area - having tried to cook in a howling gale this morning)
Adequate lighting using electric hookup
Trailer to carry all the crap stuff
Kontiki
Hymer
Caravan...........

at which point I stopped listening!

[CvQ]

prebooked receipt for nearest hotel

[Heartmum2Jamie]

Definately a heater for DS2 but also a bucket with lid or portable toilet. I learned my lesson the hard way with my ds's over the weekend. Ds1 was fine going off to the loo on his own during the day but I was not too happy when he told me he went at 5am on his own. Ds2 still has daytime wetting issues at 4 and we got through alot of pants/trousers/socks

[anniebear]

Lol, I really wish I hadnt reas the camping section on here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we just bought a tent and I really dont wanrt to go now!

[MaureenMLove]

Hot water bottle, fleece blankets, waterproof trousers, coat and hat, a screw top bottle of wine and a straw. Job done!

[nannyL]

wind up torch

[Crunchie]

Gas powered frdge Wine warm jumper and rugs

[anniebear]

lol, just reading all the things that people dont like!!!!!!

feel a bit better now after reading on my other thread the things that people do like

[JuniorH]

Well I'm going tomorrow with 1L of Vodka and 2L of diet coke..is that a good ratio?

Make sure you take socks. Last year (our first family camping trip) we had nice weather the week we went and so I only had flipflops but had to buy socks halfway through the week because my feet were cold at night

[GivePeasAChance]

A Husband/ A man. Camping involves lots of 'men's' jobs.

[Overmydeadbody]

A sleeping bag.

It's the only thing you'd really need, although even that really isn't necessary if it's warm and you have a hammock.

These threads always remind me that not everyone is a proper minimalist camper

[Overmydeadbody]

Bollocks GivePeas, utter utter bollocks.

[expatinscotland]

My Buck knife. It goes EVERYWHERE with me.

Has a beer opener on it, too.

[expatinscotland]

I must be a man then, GPB.

I don't know how we managed it, me and my best pal Suzi, us two dainties, out there in the wilds of Colorado, backpacking, camping and climbing peaks all on our lonesome.

[RedHead81]

TENT - def need to remember a tent!

[Overmydeadbody]

Heartmum why couldn't your DSs just pee in a bush?

Gosh even I wouldn't bother traipsing to the loo at night when camping.

[Overmydeadbody]

nah Redhead, tents are luxury extras.

[Overmydeadbody]

I must be a man too , having survived and, in fact enjoyed, many succesful camping trips around the world as a single mum with no man in sight.

[expatinscotland]

Oh, all those buckets with cat litter and shared latrines and that.

BARF!

Find a friendly bush.

I never go without my metal fold up shovel.

Suzi'd always unfold it and stick it in the dirt when we'd found a place to camp and quip, 'There's the turdshack.'

Geezus, where are you people camping, The Four Seasons lobby?

[cornsilk]

Pillows -- nothing like your own pillow.

[GivePeasAChance]

Martyr camping - love it !

[expatinscotland]

Nah, not martyr camping for us, we were forced to trek in that far just make sure we got away from all the posers.

[Overmydeadbody]

no not martyr camping, real camping.

Do you really honestly think you need a man though GPC? Could you give examples?

[GivePeasAChance]

I find camping refreshing with a man as it is the one place I can officially lose at competitive tiredness. While he busies himself getting things set up, I crack open the wine and mess with the kids.

( I have actually camped without him - he works away all the time - and obviously did it fine, but much prefer having him do the 'hard' work)