The Camping Thread #2

[Tinks]

Toilet training and camping is a great mix. Especially for boys, who like to wee on all the things lol.

[Astrid]

Don't think we had to deal with TT'ing and camping. The only thing I found is that with little ones you can spend a most of your day going back and forth from the camp site to the toilet. Can get pretty tiring and boring.

Had a pretty good weekend at Naracoorte. We did some actual 4wd'ing over a specialist course. DH had a ball, I was not that interested, I just need to know some basics for other trips. Had a great time at the Fossil caves, well worth it if you are in the area. The museum is awesome with it animal recreations.

Got our kit working better this time, but we are so drooling over a camper trailer. Just watching the others get ready so quickly made us jealous

[Astrid]

Well, we are getting a campertrailer. Went to an expo and got to see a lot of them, but ended up getting the one we looked at first. Basically it set the standard and it was hard for others to beat. Getting pretty much everything with it, fridge, battery system, solar panels, great kitchen, awnings decent mattress.

Dh had been asking for my opinion for ages on them, but I kept on saying that I could really say till I saw a number of different brands. Spending more that we had planned, but when we saw the cheaper one, we realised that it would cost us more in the long run.

Also picked up a vacuum sealer that I was not expecting to get.

[wysiwyg]

Sounds great Astrid, I love my parents one (as long as I don't have to reverse it :-)).

[Astrid]

Fingers crossed I wont be doing any of the driving. Driving the 4wd is hard enough with DH barking instructions about how I use the gears, let alone me driving with the camper trailer and trying to reverse it

[black_rose]

How exciting Astrid!! I was ok driving our camper just not in reverse, not keen in peak hour traffic either.

[wysiwyg]

So last time we went camping I had a Wanderer compact Camper Stretcher from BCF - tonight I went to put it up because I want DH to try it to see if he will be ok on another one, and can't seem to bend the legs enough to get them in the holes - it looks impossible but I have used it so we must have done it (I googled instructions but obviously they are so simple there are none) so are we just being weak??? Any ideas?


Am a bit sad our Litchfield NP/Darwin adventures are going to be restricted somewhat by my foot (I broke heel bone and am in a camwalker boot) and may still have to be in it for holiday, or if not foot might be quite weak still - but hey ho not a lot can be done about that. Mum and Dad have just left our place to pick up my sister and her partner and then they set off on their mammoth drive on Tuesday - I think we will meet them in Litchfield 2 weeks tomorrow.

[Astrid]

Picked up our camper trailer yesterday
Easy enough to set-up, but I think will take some trial and error to get the packing right. We want to have has much as possible stored in the trailer, so all we need to do is pack our clothes, fresh food and some mummy & daddy refreshments

We had originally been buying a few things based on still using the tent, so we know have to rethink those, whether they can still be used or if we are better off passing them on.
Been measuring up what we can to see what will fit in the kitchen set-up.

[black_rose]

Yay Astrid! We kept everything in our camper including sauces, herbs snd spices, sunscreens and basic meds like Panadol we just checked the dates each time we went out. Have fun setting it up. Kmart has lots of funky cheap stuff to fit out the kitchen.

[Tinks]

Exciting Astrid! I also keep everything in the camper so it's just a case of packing your clothes and going. After each trip I put all the cutlery, saucepans, plates etc through the dishwasher so they're all fresh for the next time. It will only take a trip or two to figure out what works for you and what doesn't.

[wysiwyg]

Very exciting Astrid. Mum and Dad keep all their supplies in theirs - it has quite a reasonable storage space. They keep their bedding on the bed ready to go, and clothes underneath the bed.

Had a great time in Litchfield - my foot was out of its camwalker boot and didn't really restrict me too much, was just a bit slower than otherwise. Swimming in all the waterholes was good for it, but just had to be a bit cautious on uneven surfaces. We camped at Florence Falls campsite - it had lovely big sites and pretty cheap as is National Park, it had proper toilets and running hot water (of a fashion - although I didn't use it - I am not much of a washer when camping :-)) Weather was lovely and hot, and slept with just the flyscreen up in the trailer awning and only a couple of hours each night needed a sleeping bag - I didn't spy any animals during the night but could hear all sorts outside and so nice going to sleep looking up at the stars and waking with the dawn.

DH's back really doesn't do well on the camp beds so next trip at Christmas, I think we will have to get mum and dad to let us sleep in the camper trailer bed (which is just like a normal bed) for a few nights. Not sure where we are going yet but away over Christmas somewhere in VIC, kids like sand so probably beach, last year we did Barwon Heads - any suggestions?

As we all were fine fitting in the camper trailer we won't bother with a tent this Christmas but wouldn't mind one of those gazebo type things (Oztrail??) just to give us more shelter from sun/rain for sitting out - anyone any experience suggestions?

[Astrid]

As we all were fine fitting in the camper trailer we won't bother with a tent this Christmas but wouldn't mind one of those gazebo type things (Oztrail??) just to give us more shelter from sun/rain for sitting out - anyone any experience suggestions?

Can you get an extra/extended awning for the camper trailer? That might be useful, unless you want a gazebo to use at other times.

Well, we finally got to camp in the camper trailer. Went really well, much less stressful not having to track down and pack everything. The trip was more comfortable as we did not need to pack stuff around us. Quite good to set-up, even though I forgot how to do some of it. Just needed to keep on reminding to DH to be clear with instructions.

We did have an oops on packup, DH left his phone on the bed so we had to open it all up again when we got home. DD2 sooked about her bunk as she was jealous about our bed.

Planning our next trip and a big one around Christmas. Need to get a porta potty so we can go to more sites. Got to get away from those campers who have the generator going late at night so they can watch TV in the caravan. Can understand the grey nomads doing that, but not the weekenders and these days the solar/battery tech is so much better, so I really wonder why there is a need for a generator.

[wysiwyg]

Can you get an extra/extended awning for the camper trailer? That might be useful, unless you want a gazebo to use at other times.

I think we already have all the awnings can have on the trailer. I was thinking the gazebo useful because can move it about and sometimes have found that the awning on the side of the camper is facing into the sun/wind and it isn't that easy to move it all the time once the awnings are all up - whereas the gazebo could move about. Dad reckons is cheaper to get one of those complete with fly screen sides than a fly screen side for the camper trailer awning. I think we might use it at other times.

We are staying at Wye River on Great Ocean Road over Christmas apparently, and the week before mum and dad are taking the kids there for the week too - is called "Gramping" apparently :-)

Glad you had a good trip Astrid - I find it pretty fascinating how the camper trailers fit everything in, and all the little spaces having different uses etc.

[Astrid]

We are staying at Wye River on Great Ocean Road over Christmas apparently, and the week before mum and dad are taking the kids there for the week too - is called "Gramping" apparently :-)

Ah, you will be the other end of the GOR than where we live.

Parks Victoria charging so much for sites now is a real problem, prices us out of a lot of sites. Don't mind paying a bit for a few facilities, but some of these are more than caravan parks.

[Astrid]

Back from a 3 night trip. Managed to find a free site with no-one at it. Pretty basic, drop toilet, river, fire pit. A fair bit of wild life. Got to see an Emu with chicks!
Such a contrast to our first site which was so crowed and noisy. It was weird to just have no-one around as far as you could see (well that it a bit like home really, just without all the home distractions and less drive by traffic).

Refining the set-up more. Must by the girls new sleeping bags (if I have not already said that). Must also look up more one pot meals and take notes of how they work out, what needs to be tweaked so we can meal plan better.

Can anyone recommend good thermal mugs for camping? We have a couple that we got as freebies and they are not that great to actually drink out of. Want stainless steel, able to fit in cup holder.

[wysiwyg]

It is the Great Aussie Camp Out on Sat night - we are going to do something if not camping (we have no garden - or a tent but can borrow a tent) - just go to my favorite bit of woods up the road in the dark and sit round and sing songs and have marshmellows - just me and the kids I think :-) - is anyone else doing anything?

[Astrid]

Did not know about the Great Aussie Camp out, so no, not doing anything.

There is a camp coming up for the users of our brand of camper trailer. Sadly not going, huge drive to get there, plus DH seemed to not get the concept of 'tell me the actual dates' , so I got confused and thought it was Oct, which it isn't so said we are not going. If I have known it was November, we could have gone.

[wysiwyg]

Due to the power of facebook - the kids and I are now going with a friend and her daughter camping at Warburton for the Great Aussie Camp Out - we only decided this morning :-) but I love last minute adventures.