To camp with a little one is a bit more difficult than doing it on your own. I am sure that she will enjoy it when she is older (although the teen does not share our enthusiasm. Smile!). With the toddler there are more practicalities to be considered.
1. Do not set up camp too near to other tented neighbours. Their noise keeps baby awake, and it also tends to wake the baby more. When baby cries, you also worry about waking your neighbours.
2. Be very organised with regards to suitcases and crates. Know exactly what is in each. We haven’t yet perfected our system, and it becomes very difficult to search for something you know you packed, but don’t know where. (I am still surprised how something seems to disappear in bags and/or suitcases.)
3. Do not switch the fridge on the hot setting. (Dries is adamant he checked it twice, but check again.)
4. Do not keep the food in the part of the tent where it can be stolen from baboons. We missed our morning rusks the most!
5. Go with the flow – as with everything else when experiencing life with a baby/toddler! It’s fun! Mieka enjoyed the birds, and the ants, and the trees, and the grass/ground, and the tent, and... The pointy finger kept us busy!
We are still signed out from life, and enjoying the glorious weather while on holiday in South Africa.
Photo: Mieka and Arnia (who did not stay with us, but with the rest of the family in the chalet) in the tent while busy setting up camp in Manyane in Pilansberg.
1. Do not set up camp too near to other tented neighbours. Their noise keeps baby awake, and it also tends to wake the baby more. When baby cries, you also worry about waking your neighbours.
2. Be very organised with regards to suitcases and crates. Know exactly what is in each. We haven’t yet perfected our system, and it becomes very difficult to search for something you know you packed, but don’t know where. (I am still surprised how something seems to disappear in bags and/or suitcases.)
3. Do not switch the fridge on the hot setting. (Dries is adamant he checked it twice, but check again.)
4. Do not keep the food in the part of the tent where it can be stolen from baboons. We missed our morning rusks the most!
5. Go with the flow – as with everything else when experiencing life with a baby/toddler! It’s fun! Mieka enjoyed the birds, and the ants, and the trees, and the grass/ground, and the tent, and... The pointy finger kept us busy!
We are still signed out from life, and enjoying the glorious weather while on holiday in South Africa.
Photo: Mieka and Arnia (who did not stay with us, but with the rest of the family in the chalet) in the tent while busy setting up camp in Manyane in Pilansberg.
Enjoy your last bit of holiday. Most of us are back at the grind stone. Grrrr!
ReplyDeleteooo i wish we could do the whole roughing it thing. Bilaal so longs to go camping too, but my hubby is definately not the outdoorsy type lol!
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