AIBU to think camping is f*cking shit, it’s not cheap and it’s not fun

[Pumkinfailure]

I’m currently a week into a 3 week camping tour of Europe and I’m ready to jack it in. I surely can’t be the only one to find this whole malarkey fucking hideous. Sleeping on a sloping bed in a tent hotter than the devils furnace, kids screaming day and night, neighbours who hate our wellbehaved Placid lab and have instructed us to keep him near to us at all times, never feeling clean, marriage hanging by a thread, no personal space or time alone. Not even wine is helping. And 50 bloody euros a night for the privilege!!
Please tell me I’m not alone on my detest for this form of holiday and share your tips to help me survive the rest of the holiday!

God, camping in this heat (I am just back from central Europe, so I know only too well how hot it is there...) You poor thing.

From my younger days of camping for 3 weeks at a stretch in France doing outdoorsy-stuff:

Put your sleeping bags on top of the tent during the day and leave the doors open - this will cool them down a little bit.

If you can move to a pitch under a tree, do so. I used to try to opt for early morning shade so's not to wake up early, but if you have kids who're going to get you up early anyway, you might want to go for evening shade so the tent gets marginally less oven-like.

In addition to ear plugs, I recommend either eye shades or some sort of cloth to cover your eyes when the sun comes up - blocking the light out buys me an hour or so's extra sleep (especially important if you didn't get to sleep till late due to the heat, and early morning is the only time cool enough to sleep.)

Try to buy a cheap fleece blanket or similar from the supermarket and use it to pad under your mattress to try to make it level, or at least adjust it so you're not continually rolling off. It will make a huge difference.

Bloody hell, I love camping but 3 weeks is insane! I can do a week max before I NEED a proper bed.

I've just come back from 3 weeks in France with DH in our new tent but we did spend a few nights in hotels. We managed 4 nights solid camping in the north but when we got to the south we did 1 whole night (on a slope) before I was on Airbnb to find something else for the final week. We ended up 'glamping' in an air conditioned tent thing which with hindsight was a mistake as we were essentially paying 150 euros a night to STILL be on a campsite but with a few luxuries thrown in. While whenever we were sat outside (ie all the time) we were seeing the car stuffed full of tent and all that comes with it, which made me feel guilty given the cost / hassle of lugging the fecking thing across 2 countries to not use it much.

I used to think I liked camping for the cheap break away it provided, I'm now a bit unsure!

I hate camping- everything about it. DH loves it. He and DS and BIL are camping with a tent and our old VW camper up the coast at Bamburgh.Can't imagine anything I would like less. I would be fine until bedtime. Insects, toilets, washing facilities, animals in the middle of the night. I occasionally go and there is always something awful - last time in the middle of the night a large sheep lay down against my bit of the tent and me. I nearly died of shock.

I would rather boil my own head than camp for 1 night let alone 3 weeks!

A holiday isn't a holiday unless it's better than you have at home.

Otherwise- why bother?

Don't wish to be rude Op as I get you're struggling right now, but surely you tried camping in the UK before deciding to go spend 3 weeks sweating like a beast under canvas? 3 weeks?! Why? 3 nights under canvas is more than enough for most regular campers who like nothing more than to be in the great outdoors.

And why 50 euros? The most I've ever spent for a caravan is 30 pounds per night for an all singing all dancing site. What facilities have you got for that? Surely that's enough to help enhance the experience!?

YANBU. Camping in Europe for 3 weeks sounds dreadful. I'd rather stop at home. I would not sleep and living out of carrier bags is enough to tip me over the edge.

50 euros a night? Good grief! You are off your rocker!

I love being outdoors but I like a decent bed. I gave up my tents some years ago and bought an older caravan. I've got my comfy bed and a decent loo but prefer more rural and private sites with no entertainment. The dogs love it too.

Oh the joys of holidays that one of you loves but the other hates.

Yup I 've been there. I feel for you .

Two tips, earplugs and otc sleeping pills. Have massively improved my tolerance for camping.

And let go and give in to the rare opportunity to be a bit grubby.

Fuck that shit.
Unless its a decent hotel I would rather stop at home.
I've done loads of camping and I've never liked it.
I wont be doing anymore thats for sure.

£50 a night?!?!

You can get nicer hotels cheaper than that 😂

Have fun OP!!

I used to take the kids camping when they were little with a group of other moms and kids but 3 nights max was enough it's bloody hard work the kids loved it tho and we just drank wine .
I saw a meme on FB other day and tagged them all it said something along the lines of "camping is only a holiday if your house is actually worse than a tent !"

I like it but I don't go to busy sites. Go to the more wild type ones
Nature. Quiet and chill

I love camping, love the freedom of it.
Never have issues with our dogs or neighbours.... but we always go to smaller sites without all the 'entertainment' facilities etc.

We’re packing now to go away for 5 nights. I really don’t enjoy camping but all 6 of us can go for £35 a night to an award winning site with decent showers.

I suck it up for the sake of the DC who adore it and would camp for as long as possible, but you are an absolute saint for going for 3 weeks, saint or lunatic!

It’s not a bloody holiday for me though, the chaos, the noise, the feeling like nothing is ever really dry, stuff everywhere... it makes me appreciate coming home!

Fucking hell, 3 weeks is a long camping trip...
Max I'd do is a week, mainly due to fact you're never actually clean even when you've showered or whatever.
I quite like camping which was a surprise as I imagined it would be hell on earth.
Perhaps more or would help?

Ha! I'd quite like this...can I ask how you organised it? Did you just find different places to camp and work out a route or is it a pre-booked thing?
To answer your questions, there is no answer really. You either don't mind the noise and discomfort or you do I think. Definitely sort yourself an inflatable mat and decent pillow and maybe ear plugs and eye mask!

And those mentioning the 50 euros a night - we paid 40 for the 1 night and that was in mid-July in south of France (and no pool! But right next to beach) so totally imagine that some premium campsites in south France etc are going to be around 50 in August. Crazy I know!

did u not know before that u didnt likeit

i think 4 weeks is excessive anywhere let alone something like camping

I bloody love camping, but being (happily) child-free have always had the luxury of going outside of peak times when it's quieter and cheaper. I used to go on my own sometimes, just with the dogs, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

DP's not so keen though. We bought a motorhome (sounds posh, but it's old, shabby and was cheap), which we both love. This has loads of advantages, not least your own bog, shower and running hot and cold water. It also means you can stay for free at lots of places.

Last time we were away, we stopped overnight at a farm shop on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Really quiet, fab views, the whole place to ourselves - and it didn't cost us a penny.

I love it, but only for a few days at a time and close enough to home. 50 euros is a lot, I'd expect a terrific site for that amount of money. Nowadays we have a campervan. LOVE it!

Has anyone here ever put a tent up in the pitch black and in the pissing rain? I have and it was one of the worst experiences of my life.

YANBU. Camping is the very devil's work.

Each to their own. I have family and friends who just love it.

In fact I tried it with a small family group and lasted just the one night. Sorry now. Not for me, but that's ok, hotels and private showers and fluffy towels and wardrobes and a nice bed are not for them either!

Give and take and respect everyone's views/choices methinks.