I grew up with the idea that you either loved or tolerated camping. I wasn’t quite sure which camp I’d fall into, pun intended, until the opportunity came to give it a go where there is no fancy gear, no prior experience, just a borrowed tent, a few groceries in a cooler bag, and the bold confidence of someone who thought they’d remembered everything. Spoiler: I hadn’t. If you’ve often thought about an under-the-stars night out but aren’t yet ready to become an extreme bush survivalist, this is the option for you.
You Don’t Need to Order the Whole Catalog
I first Googled “camping essentials” and was overwhelmed by gear guides instructing me to pack for conquering Everest. But let me tell you the truth: you don’t absolutely need half the stuff. A good sleeping bag, a pad to insulate you from the hard ground, and something to cook on are your minimum. All the rest? Nice to have, but you don’t absolutely need it for the first night. I skipped the high-falutin collapsible kettle and wished I’d brought more snacks to eat.
The Weather Doesn’t Care About Your Schedule
I had planned out the sunny weekend getaway. Nature had other things in store. An hour into setting ourselves up, the gusts came in, and our tent was flapping around like laundry on steroids. If you’re new to tenting, choose a spot that has at least some protection from trees, hedges, or something. And never, ever forget to check the pegs. I learned this the hard way when the bottom corner of our tent got tired of contributing and lifted up off the ground. It didn’t wreck anything, but the next hour was spent propping up corners as best we could using shoes.
Toilet Trips are an Entirely New World
This one is not glamorous, but it has to be said. Never have I enjoyed indoor plumbing more than I did while groggy hours at 3 in the morning out of a zip-up sleeping bag and creeping past other tent dwellings. If you’re close to any kind of long-drop or camp toilet, take a head torch (you will be surprised by the amazing ones that are available nowadays) You won’t want to keep one hand occupied, and believe me, your phone light is not sufficient to fight off the blackness beyond the city.
Sleep is Different, But Still Good
It won’t be the sleep of a lifetime. With the crunching of footsteps, the occasional hooting, and the tent creaking with each gust, it is not silent. But it is another type of silence that begins to unfurl your thoughts slightly. I didn’t feel fully refreshed, but lighter, somehow. Less digital. More present.
You’ll Do It Again (Even If You Swore You Wouldn’t)
I woke up with a stiff back and wet socks, and yet, already, on the ride home, I was strategizing the next adventure. There is something about waking to the morning fog hanging on the trees and coffee-warmed-over embers that stays longer than the soreness in your legs. You can’t get it exactly right the first time, but you’re not supposed to. That is part of the beauty.
If you’re nervous but curious, begin small. One evening. A place nearby. A place that has a restroom. And grant yourself a license to get it wrong since the greatest memories tend to start that way.