<<whispers>> I think I've gone off camping...

[MisSalLaneous]

... and I need someone to Have A Word with me.

I've got all my favourite things, once I'm there, I've always loved it, yet I just can't get myself excited about it anymore. What happened?? And more importantly, how do I get over this feeling of dread I get when I think of it??

We're going to Wowo weekend after next, so if you could change my attitude as soon as possible, it would be greatly appreciated!

my 'does it for the children' was meant to be crossed out, but for some reason it never works for me!

I am packing now for our 2 week Dorset caravaning tomorrow. I dred it too. it feels like i've been preping for weeks and weeks.
part of me would rather just stay at home. but i'm sure it will be o.k. when we get there, right OP ?

Poppyboo you have to -- every individual word to crtoss out

Oblomov you'll be fine!

Thanks poppyboo. :).

Ah Oblomov, I bet you it'll be fab once you're there! I think it's all this prep work that's the bugger.

We're going away this weekend, and I uhm'ed and ah'd over whether to camp or not. Went for hotel in the end - bet you I'll regret it to ight when the hotel manager refuses to let me start a fire in my room...

i'm packing the car for a week in wet and windy Wales and beginning to your hotel

Hehe. I'm a bit odd, I absolutely love the sound of rain on the tent. Obviously preferably with me inside. . At night. Not asking for much, am I?? Will keep fingers crossed for you.

Sancti, when do you get your new tent?

if I'm honest with you, i think I really enjoyed buying stuff for camping and being prepared So when my two year old suddenly got nappy rash out of the blue, it was like 'no worries' I have a miniture size sudocream and trying not to look smug

thanks misSal, I can now cross out properly!

My DH just burnt my homemade pizza in the oven!

Well we're just back from 2 weeks of camping in wet, cold and grey North Wales and the first thing I've done is to Google VW California camper vans.

Sick to death of syphillitic British weather and poxy, horrid constipation inducing Welsh British food establishments (still love camping though). Next year we ARE going abroad to the sun and that is final.

[folds arms]

Wee're going to N Wales next week but expecting rain.

We're Wales residents, we're used to rain!

Tent'll be next spring I think due to broke mean DH. Can't bloody wait.

Slubber- camper vans? NO!

We did have beautiful weather on the IoW so that helped enormously I think, real sun and beach days. IME always do there if we stick to July.

Prepared? Huh? We're going Monday adn all I ahve done is put some beer in with the internet shop.

Quick pack and off we go.

No probs

Feel a bit the same way but every year, just as I'm really thinking 'That's it, no more camping', we go out and buy MORE kit! This year it's a Day Tent to replace the sodding great metal zig-zag framed gazebo we have hauled along to date!

We are also getting a trailer and I intend keeping as much as I can stored in it in the garage. I am absolutely determined to not bring MORE stuff just coz we have the space!

I was finding it was taking me a good week's prep, a week camping then a week to unpack. A few words would be exchanged as, 5 minutes after falling through the house door, DH would be firing up the computer to check his email.. .

Now as long as everything's clean, and I have my lists I pack the day before, and take 2-3 days to unpack afterwards.

One small fly in the ointment- DS1 and the eldest DC (a DD) of the other family we camp with are both approaching puberty, and I noted today that their erstwhile strong friendship is diverging so this may, sadly, be the last group camp we do...

Slubber, having finally persuaded DH to go down the camping route, the first two hols we took with our own stuff were in this country and the weather was grim to say the least. We had two weeks of almost non-stop, cold rain.

Now we go abroad. We go Dover-Calais, booking the crossing just after the New Year, cos that's when it's cheaper (usually), and go the last two weeks of August when the campsites aren't so full and just point the car in the direction of where the forecast says it's sunny and above about 27 degrees.

We haven't had a bad holiday since then. For us the weather makes such a difference and we come back feeling like we've had a holiday. Also, cos the weather's better you can just laze around the pool or lake or river and it doesn't cost like it does when it's wet and you have to take the DC somewhere or you'll all go stir crazy. So you don't spend more money just cos you're abroad.

I definitely recommend going abroad. You can still camp.

Judy I've been looking at campsites at Lake Annecy all morning.

I really would love to stay and camp in Britian for our summer holidays, and will continue to do so for whit BH and weekends etc but this is the 3rd summer where I have spent more time in my fleece and walking boots and thick socks than t-shirt and sandals. It is also the 2nd summer holiday running that we have had to get antibiotics for dd1 as she has developed a cold/chest infection whilst camping in the damp and cold.

grr

Bugger me though going abroad is bloody expensive.

M DD got a really heavy cold right after camping!

I'm typing this in Anglesey with glorious sunshine! I love camping me.....

I'm so glad and yet that you have sunshine notwaving.

Bummer that your hols in Wales were rainy Slubber (I'm not there at present-sweltering in SE Asia). Was it good tolerable otherwise?

It was OK moony. The site at Nantcol Falls was just beautiful and being able to have proper campfires was a huge bonus. So much nicer than Shell Island (I went and had a quick snoop).

Bala was again stunning but OH MY GOD have they ventured forth from 1976? The foulest, foulest cafe and pub food I have ever eaten. I didn't have a shit for a week such was the fright by bowels underwent.

I really want to give these people my money. I WANT to go out and eat when it is pissing it down but there is only so many refined white carbs a woman can take.

sorry

Back to the Lleyn next time I think.

Oh dear.
North Wales has a lot to learn about getting with the programme. I completely agree.

Slubber, why do you say that going abroad is so expensive? Didn't you shell out loads entertaining the DC when the weather was bad, or did you just put up with the moaning (or was that just my DC?). When we camped in this country for our main holiday it was just so depressing when it rained all the time and was cold.

For us, it was no fun when you had to put on socks, boots, fleece, coat, etc to even leave the tent.

Now, we go where the good weather is. We always go either near the beach, a river or a lake and DC always amuse themselves. We come back feeling much more refreshed.

oh slubber! lol. Big hugs

I felt exactly the same last year. I had had enough of variable UK weather, so this year we went to la vendee and it was just perfick.

Glad your poo problem has worked itself out - boo-boom.

Pwhelli feels like Soho in comparison.

There is one cafe in Bala where you have to creep through several empty spooky rooms (past a blank eyed mannequin in a wedding dress) before you get to the rooms where the serving humans dwell and you can eat. There are stuffed mange ridden foxes staring down at you from the walls. dd2 asked if we were allowed to speak.

It sounds like it should be a kitch theme cafe but it is sadly not.

Sorry, just realised I've repeated myself. Have to say, it's because we really look forwadr to our hols now because we know that we'll go where the good weather is.

And a fortnight in la vendee was cheaper than a fortnight in the UK and that includes the ferry crossings, one of which was overnight in a cabin.