Horatio Goes Camping

My brother Horatio was only eleven years old when he went on his first camping trip. It was just for a couple of days with the scouts, but to him it was his first great adventure. All the correct camping accessories had been assembled beforehand. It took several vehicles, loaded with tents, sleeping equipment, camping furniture, rucksacks and everything necessary for camping cooking to transport Cameron and his troop. Way back then, GPS navigation devices hadn’t been invented, so it’s just as well that the camp site was only a few kilometres away, I could have walked it in less than an hour! He may have been close to home, but on the first night in his tent with all the strange sounds of nature around, he could have been deep in the equatorial rainforest!

The troops’ scouting abilities were put to the test with various games and tasks. Camping cooking was tested with a curry making contest. On the second day, the majority of senior boys went on a navigation exercise, which meant equipping themselves with rucksacks, gaiters and walking poles. The less active members of the group had been surprised to find an improbably large selection of camping furniture that offered comfort not usually associated with a camping trip. Having already enjoyed the excellent sleeping equipment provided, many chose to relax rather than take part in the activities.

Horatio had prayed for good weather and his prayers were answered. However, it should not be forgotten that not being equipped with the right camping accessories can spoil a camping trip far more than inclement weather. A camper needs only to get wet and a general feeling of misery will take over. Too hot and hydration can present itself as a problem. Even with all the advances in camping equipment and accessories over the years, whether in tents, rucksacks or GPS navigation, there doesn’t yet appear to be accurate electronic local weather forecasting.

Looking back, Horatios first camping trip was an enjoyable experience. The credit for this should go to the troop leader and his experience in assembling the camping accessories required for a successful trip. All the tents, sleeping equipment, rucksacks, walking poles and gaiters didn’t grow on trees and just as we didn’t have GPS navigation back then, we didn’t have the world wide web, over which all this equipment can now be located. I consider myself lucky that sites such as http://www.mycampingstore.co.uk make the purchase of camping accessories so easy. Kit yourself out with those essential camping accessories, available from http://www.mycampingstore.co.uk and have an adventure!