"Glamping"

Just had to post about this. I absolutely hate these words such as "Glamping" "Bromance" "Jedward" you get the drift...But I just cannot understand this "new fangled thing" called Glamping, to be honest with you it's probably been around for years, seasoned campers have been doing it for years it is just that someone out there decided to give it a silly word.

In my eyes, Glamping is overpriced camping for people who don't like camping. Glamping is those little huts called podpads, you can hire them at festivals for stupid amounts of money. Don't get me wrong, if I could afford it I'd give it a go but for me I like roughing it a bit, I mean isn't that what it's all about? keeping it simple?

On a set up campsite, they will have excellent facilities meaning that you don't have to go without washing or go to dingy toilets, that is reserved for the domain of the festival however as the years go on facilities do get better.

I camped at Las Palmeras in Tarragona, Spain in 2002, they have fantastic facilities there, the showers and toilets are cleaned twice a day, hell they even clean the beach every morning. I was able to mantain glamour at every opportunity while away and I was just staying in a simple 4 man tent with a borrowed gazebo, with a small camp table, a few chairs and a really basic gas cooker. It was one of the best holidays I have ever had, why? cos it was simple.

I personally feel with the so called Glamping, it is bringing a very different sort of punter to a festival. Podpads and the like are making it easy for people that don't like camping to do the trendy festival thing, I am not saying it's wrong at all because I think everyone should go to a festival. It is changing the atmosphere of some festivals though,  certain people go cos it's something they want to tick off their to do list, these people are generally the ones that have no idea about festival ettiquette, however I digress.

If you really want to "glamp" then the following are essentials-

1. A tent you can stand up in and that has a big awning, we bought a five man tent and it's brilliant, it's by no means the biggest tent on the market but it's good enough for now.

2. Plastic wine glasses and a box of wine- Mr Festival Fairy and I wandered round Glastonbury with a box of red wine and two plastic wines glasses, I'd like to say we were "glampers" before the word was invented. So many people commented on our glasses.

3. Babywipes- we have a little one so will have them anyway, but babywipes are just ace, you will feel clean and fresh in seconds and absolute must.

4. Bring ready prepared one pot meals- stuff like bolonaise, chilli and cassarole. Cook up large amounts and portion into those Indian/Chinese takeaway dishes you get and freeze them. On the day you leave pack them, still frozen into your cool box. You then have your first nights meal and a seconds nights meal ready to go, add some rice or pasta and you have a delicious filling meal.

5. Airbeds- I only used an airbed for the last few festivals I went to and it makes such a difference! I suggest getting a battery powered pump, I got one from Argos for a tenner, not only does it pump one up within minutes but it deflates it also.

6. Nikwax your tent- been through that one. It's really worth doing and it doesn't cost much in comparison to a £200 tent.

Thats all I can come up with for now, I am sure others have essentials to add to my list!

Putting the tent up.

Being on the Easter hols I thought it would be a good time to put the tents up to air and nikwax them all ready for the adventures that they may be going on.

Put up my ancient green tent up first that I first took to Reading in 1998,  Mini Festival Fairy (MFF) thought it was great and kept running in and out and kept saying "Lie down, Mummy" and "Lie down Daddy"

It made me realise though that putting the tents up was a good thing, not just to air them but to get her used to them. She has seen them on the television before but never experienced one, she needs to learn that she can't hurl herself at one or it will break and fall down and that she can't pull out the guyropes!

Put the big tent up the other day and yesterday I put the inner tent up and told MMF that we would be sleeping in there when we went on our holiday. Don't think it means much to her at the moment, she just thought it was very exciting going in and out of the tent and lying down.

After a few days of it being up she hasn't really been bothered by it, which I think is a good thing.

So yes, first thing I would suggest is getting your tent up for them to get used to, not only should you air your tent and check all the poles and pegs are there but you SHOULD nikwax it
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/nikwax-tent-and-gear-solar-proof-500ml-camping-chemical-p135282

I found out about this stuff on the efestivals messageboard 6 years ago before we went to Glastonbury, what it does is helps repell water from your tent and protect it from UV damage, and it helps to extend the life of your tent. Ok so tents are waterproof but with this stuff the water just runs off leaving your tent dry. Thanks to this stuff we stayed dry for the whole festival when people around us had their tents trashed by the downpours that ensued that weekend.

First time with a toddler!

Having not been to a festival for nearly 6 years due to marriage, housemove, holidays in the sun and the birth of our first child we are very very excited to be attending Camp Bestival this year. Our little girl will be two years and two months when we go.

Now I am soooo hoping that this festival lives up to everything I am lead to believe it will be, I have missed the festival vibe for many years so I just cannot wait to attend this. I went to my first festival in 1998 and attended one (or two) every year for the next 7 years, I've done Scary Reading and Lairy Leeds, Chilled Guilfest, the Indescribable Glastonbury and the Very Commercial V. I have also attended many Strawberry Fairs, 3 Appleyard Fairs and a few Fairy Fairs. This year, our daughter will a bigger picture of the wonderful world of festivals and I hope she loves it as much as I do.

I have started this blog mainly because I couldn't find any blogs about festivalling with a young child, I want to be able to share my experiences with people on the lead up and the preparation that will be needed to attend.