Heading into the great outdoors always serves as a really great way of testing yourself and your own personal limits. While we aren't exactly suggesting you go and wrestle a bear, we do believe that the art of taking some time to be one with nature is a really special commodity that we should all treasure.
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This can be done in a variety of ways, with two of the primary techniques being camping and glamping. Everyone has their own preference in regards to which of the two suits them the best, so today, we're going to give our thoughts and opinions on how you can improve your experience.
10 GLAMPING - Think About Location
While a glamping holiday may seem like the best idea in the world, there are certain things you need to do before you can be sure that this is the kind of getaway you’ll enjoy the most.
Firstly, you need to think about where it is. Most of these spots are tucked away in the corner regions of many towns and even villages, and beyond that, it may be situated on some kind of campsite or holiday park that requires a bit more search before you can commit to the idea of spending a few days there.
9 CAMPING - Bring An Extra Bed Cover
We completely understand that most folks will just decide to bring a sleeping bag and that’ll be the end of it, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be that way when you really give it a little bit of thought.
Back at home, you’ll sleep on top of a bed cover and you’ll sleep underneath a quilt, so why just worry about bringing neither or only one of those items? Just go ahead and bring both. That way you can put the extra bed cover underneath you, ensuring maximum comfort in what can often be described as an uncomfortable scenario.
8 GLAMPING - Ask For More Pictures
The pictures that you’ve seen of this glamping spot, whether it be a pod or an open-air venue, could be incredibly misleading. It might look like you’ve got all the space in the world, only for you to soon realize that it’s smaller than the amount of room you get in your car.
Ask for different pictures that allow for you to gain a different perspective, because if you don’t, then there’s a decent chance you’ll be left feeling unhappy with your purchase (especially if you’ve assumed it was a good price and just decided to go for it).
7 CAMPING - Don’t Rush The Construction
If you’re going camping, then it’s common knowledge that putting up the tent itself is one of the most tedious exercises imaginable, unless you’re incredibly strange and actually enjoy that part of it.
However, it’s the kind of necessary evil that you just need to man up and get on with. The last thing that you’d want in the middle of the night is for your tent to collapse on you, ensuring that the rest of the evening is pretty much ruined. Trust us, you can afford to take your time.
6 GLAMPING - Always Pack Extra Clothes
The assumption with glamping is that you aren’t going to get as dirty or muddy as you would do when you’re camping, simply because of the ‘gl’ that has replaced the ‘c’ at the start of the word. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be any further from the truth.
There’s just as good of a chance that you’ll be located somewhere that can lead to a lot of incidents and will require a lot of different outfits. Therefore, make sure you pack those extra clothes and squeeze them into the sleeping bag as and when you can.
5 CAMPING - Embrace Nature
The whole point (or part of the point) when you think about camping is that you allow yourself to enjoy the nature that surrounds you. Embracing that side of the journey is pretty much half the fun, and that needs to be recognized.
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We aren’t suggesting that you go out and deliberately try and get yourself into dangerous situations like your name is Bear Grylls, but instead that you take a few deep breathes and really soak in the atmosphere. Nobody knows when this wild ride is going to come to an end, after all.
4 GLAMPING - Really Think About Your Company
Glamping pods and the art of glamping as a whole can be a bit more stressful than you may initially think. From wanting to do different things to whoever you’re with to actively not really being a fan of cramped spaces, you need to know your audience – which should also make those booking the trip reconsider how many days you go for.
If it’s your family that you are going with then there’s a good chance it’ll be a bit tamer. If it’s your friends then they aren’t likely to take the experience quite as seriously, and that could swing one or two ways in terms of enjoyment.
3 CAMPING - Don’t Go Cheap With The Tent
We’ve all been in a rush before when getting things ready for a big holiday, which often leads to impulsive purchases. When it comes to buying an extra bikini or some more sun cream that makes a whole lot of sense, but with the tent, there has to be a degree of professionalism.
If you allow the purchased tent to be below the necessary standards required for the conditions that you’re going to be in, then there’s a very good chance you’ll struggle. Cheaper is always riskier and that is just a fact.
2 GLAMPING - Weigh Up The Pros And Cons
There positives and negatives to quite literally any holiday and we aren’t going to pretend like that isn’t the case, but with glamping, it’s a particularly big commitment. Why? Mainly because we all know that there is a cheaper option out there and if you’re going to put down an even bigger chunk of your wage, then forming a pros and cons list before doing so always seems like a smart way forward.
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For every “the add-ons are too much money”, you’ll find a counter along the lines of “there are too many bugs and I want to scream”.
1 CAMPING - Check The Surrounding Area
If you are quite literally in the middle of nowhere then please, please ensure safety is the first priority. Whether it be discovering the nearest hospital or just figuring out whether or not wild animals roam around in the area, it’s foolish to head somewhere based on a recommendation and nothing more.
No one destination is perfect and there are always going to be flaws that you can pick up on, but camping is an exercise that often includes a whole bunch of horror stories from those who haven’t thought their trip through.