Camping 

Have you gone camping in the wilderness of North America? We are just back from our first camping trip and feel really refreshed. So, if you love nature or you are stressed out or simply because you want a change, I would suggest to everyone who has never gone camping  to go and experience the soothing effects of nature.

There are many camp grounds in North America. Facilities available such as showers, toilets etc. vary  from nothing to almost everything. In some of them you need to reserve in advance and in some you don't need to. But one thing is sure, you must go early to get the best camping spot. Some of them also offer log cabins which need to be booked in advance. You can also get spots for Recreation Vehicles (RVs) complete with Electric and water connections. The following describes the requirements if you are going to camp with a tent.

Preparation:

The most basic requirement is a good quality tent of good size. Buy or rent a tent according to the number of people in the group. Though the tent label says the number of people it can accommodate - it is actually the maximum number of people. If you enjoy little bit of extra space, pick a tent which can accommodate at least two more people than the number in your group. Read the instructions and check for all the components required for pitching the tent before leaving. A tent may have more than one piece. Other components include tent poles and stakes. You will also need a mallet or big hammer to drive the stakes into the ground.

Sleeping bags of good quality are a must. In addition to sleeping bags, you also need to take pads; so that, if the camp ground is uneven and hard, you can get good sleep at night or any time you want to. If you want more comfort, air mattresses can give you that. Believe me,  it is really difficult to fall asleep on hard, uneven ground. If you need pillows - it is a must; otherwise, you might get up with a neck pain. 

Normally camp grounds wont have electricity for tents. So, you need to take good light sources; because, it will be pitch dark after sunset. I would recommend two kinds of light sources - one for using outside the tent and the other for using inside the tent. For outside light source, propane lanterns serve the purpose very well. One of them will be sufficient for one tent. For using inside the tent, the light source should not generate any heat so that there is no fire. There are battery operated lanterns which come very handy for this purpose. Two of them should be enough for four people.

For cooking, a small portable charcoal grill is very good. You will also need charcoal and lighting fluid along with the grill. Please soak the charcoal well with lighting fluid before lighting the grill. In addition, one or two propane stoves can make cooking much easier. At first, I was hesitant to use these stoves, but it is so easy and quick, that it is a must for a camping trip if you plan to cook. Along with the stoves, don't forget to buy propane tanks. If the stoves are smaller, small tanks are very useful. It is better to take canned food and easy to cook food items, so that cooking takes less time and you can spend more time doing other things. 

You must take abundant quantity of drinking water. Camp grounds may or may not have drinking water but it might have some water connection which you can use for other purposes.

If you are planning to sit around a campfire and relax - folding chairs are a must. It is good to take a folding table also, incase, the campground did not have any. For camp fire, you will need fire wood. Please ask whether campfire is allowed in the campground or not. 

It is also advisable to carry a First Aid kit. The kit should have medicines for headache or any other pain, diarrhea, cuts, burns etc. It should also have mosquito/bug repellent, antiseptic ointment, bandages, band aides, cotton etc.

It is always better to plan the trip well in advance and gather information about hiking trails/to do things, weather etc. You should reach campground early, at least before sunset and pitch your tent. Enjoy your trip.

Check List:

1. Tent with all components: all pieces of tent, tent poles, stakes, mallet.

2. Sleeping bags with extra pads or air mattresses.

3. Tarpaulin sheets.

4. Pillows.

5. Propane lantern with propane tank.

6. Battery lantern with batteries. Spares are recommended.

7. Flash lights.

8. Charcoal grill with charcoal and lighting fluid.

9. Propane stoves and propane tanks for them.

10. Paper towels.

11.Paper napkins.

12.Toilet tissues.

13. Cooking utensils - at least one frying pan and other vessels.

14. Bucket/pails, mugs.

15. Cooking oil, salt, sugar and other spices.

16. Lighting matches.

17. Canned food.

18. Bread, butter and Jam.

19. Food items to grill - corn, meat etc.

20. Kitchen knives.

21. Serving spoons, spoons, forks.

22. Cooler to put all the perishable food items and ice.

23. Drinking water.

24. Alcoholic beverages.

25. Non alcoholic beverages.

26. Folding chairs.

27. Folding table.

28. Fire wood.

29. First aid Kit.

30. Radio/Cassette/CD player.

31. Games to play at night.

32. Story books.

33. Camera, film rolls.

34. Area maps and driving directions.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.