Chat around the Campfire....

[SeaShellsUnderCanvas]

So last year we had a general chat thread for bragging/nattering/safe havens from when the trolls were out in the main boards! Thought we would start one again as it was lovely!

The Dutch have a fab camping website. I have bought off it (not the UK version) and it is cheap! Just use Google translate www.obelink.nl/tenten/merken/hypercamp.html#6

Quenelle - that's lovely! There is some serious tent envy going on and you can't ask everyone if you can have a peek in their tent, can you?

I have just put the kettle on, so tea time for me too - can't face a pot when it's just me though, so tea bag in a mug it is! I do have a nice insulated pot that I bought for when camping though so you wouldn't have to keep boiling the kettle - so not quite so common when I am out in the tent. :)

I am going to move onto some financial maths in a bit, so a bit of APR and Annuities (how exciting is my life?). I am doing Accountancy - first year exams start next Thursday....... eek !

Cheers everyone

She bought fresh flowers. Dad wasn't impressed.

DS starts school in September 13 so we're making the most of cheap fares this year and next year. I've planned this year's holiday to death and am very tempted to start on next year's. I think I'm getting a bit out of control actually!

Thanks for the link Migsy1. I shall have a quick browse now.

Good luck with your exams muchostinky.

Oh Quenelle, how fab is that camper? Love it.
Off in the caravan this afternoon for a weekend away Hoping this bloody weather clears up - the canvas is coming out May Bank Holiday

I'm starting to really like it too.

Have a great weekend Caveman. Hope the weather dries up for you.

Yy please clear up weather-it has been foil! I know we need the rain, but not over my holidays, please?!!!

How's all that revising going mucho? need more ?
I need to go and make a banoffi pie for a party tonight. I should really be sorting stuff out ready for moving but can't bothered, (The packers will pack EVERYTHING but it helps when unpacking if it's in the right place before they start) so I'm distracting myself with plans for camping trips.

It's sunny here, DH is going to mow the lawn. I hope it's sunny where you are if you've gone away for the weekend, and raining if you live somewhere with (the threat of) a hosepipe ban.

It's sunny here atm which is helpful for DH who is digging out the end of the garden for a new camping/scooter shed. But we do have a hosepipe ban so I won't complain if it rains, as long as it's during the week.

I wish we were moving. We hate where we live.

Moving's not through choice, DH moves very regularly with his job, we do plan to choose somewhere to settle in the next two years though. We would love, love, love to live in Dorset (which is where I lived and had a lovely little house before we got married) but there aren't any work opportunities for DH there at the moment although we will be keeping a beady eye out just in case.

Thanks Lou - tea is always needed! Onto financial accounting today and then off out later for my sis-in-laws birthday. Should really be studying instead!

Have only just realised that there is another bank holiday in May, what date is it? Might have to squeeze a couple of nights away in! :)

I hate moving, I used to move every 6 months before DS came along - unpacking is such a drudge!

They've moved the spring bank holiday that's usually at the end of May to the first Monday in June and put the extra bank holiday for the Queen's Jubillee on the Thuesday. I think most schools have moved their half term to encompass the holiday.

Moving every 6 months!!! we will probably spend half term unpacking.

Ahhh, already going away for that week. Poo, was thinking I could get another trip in! lol

The 6 months thing wasn't too bad, didn't have too much stuff and it wasn't furniture - I was living in Spain.

Help, folks, I need to stop buying stuff! My Icey tek is arriving on Tuesday - hooray, and under ChippyMInton's influence I have bought a new tent! For 7 years we have had one of those dome tents with a porch out front, and when I am on my own with DS it takes ages to put up and strike. So I have bought a pop up for short trips. Especially now that DS likes to sleep in his own pup tent, this will be more than fine. Good value, too. Now I want to replace my sleeping bags - mostly to get ones that stuff down small on compression sacs, and a pie iron. I think the sleepng bags will have to wait.....what do you think?

I need to come up with a plan for some camping this summer but first we have to wait for the rugby season to finish.

What is a pie iron?

Pie Iron and lots of variations depending on whether you wnat 'sealed edge' toasties or to cook burgers or waffles. I have used one of these toastie makers on a gas ring, but wouldn't put it on the campfire - handle too short and plastic.
A cheese or baked bean toastie makes a good hot breakfast, and these don't generate washng up. But you can only do one at a time. Unless you have a double pie iron.

Hillbilly did you book one of the Norflk campsites? there's someone on another thread now recommending Breck Farm.

ChippyMinton - have you practised folding yor new pop-up? Is it easy enough? I might have to come and peer over your fence if you are practising in your garde! (I just bought one the same). I got mine so that I don't hold everyone else up when I go camping with friends without DP (not that he makes things go any quicker if he is there), but don't want to be the campsite comendy act!

Where do you get sleeping bags with compresion bags?

I could talk DH into getting those.

Hi Blu, yes after all that deliberation I booked Breck Farm simply because we LOVE a campfire - in fact, camping without one just doesn't do it for us. I will however, take a peek at High sand Creek whilst we are in the area. I just need the weather fairy to work her magic now ;-)

Did a bit of shopping today. Got a whistling camping kettle from aldi for £2. Then went to a camping shop and got a load of spare pegs, single sim for Ds and a fire extinguisher. Still want a non electric coolbox but can't justify the expense right now

Hillbilly - I don't think lots of people would go back year after year unless it was mostly lovely. And I agree about a fire.

Compression sacs - I saw that the Gelert Sleeping pods came in compression sacs - but look narrower than my nice wide bag anyway. You can buy compressions sacs on their own, can't you? Good websites tell you whether a sleeping bag is sold in a compression sac or not.

AngryFeet - the Icey tek is the only thing I have put on my credit card! I am in the middle of a lengthy 'cc embargo' but made a v rare exception for the Icey tek! But I only have a very acnient and totally useless old Woolworths 'cool' box which really is quite useless.

Apparently Blu, the downside is the shower block. So we shall just be dirty ;-)

HillBilly: If the showers are grim and unusable my top tip would be to go swimming and use the showers at the pool at the Woodlands caravan park just a little further along the main road from Breck Farm - here The pool is open (for a modest payment) to non residents and has nice showers etc. Otherwise Sheringham has 'Splash', a pool with slides, wave machines etc.