This blog post was updated on August 24, 2018.
Camping tops lists for individuals on the hunt for cheap vacation deals or quick city escapes. Being of the budget mindset, I have been known to go on the occasional camping trip or two – the ones involving the cooler, the tent, a sleeping bag and time by the fire.
Friends and family aside, I sadly cannot say that I ever really enjoyed the camping part of it all. In fact, for the past 6 years or so, I refused to even pretend like I was excited for a camping trip or go on them at all.
When it comes to bugs, going without showers and having to prepare a proper dinner over the fire, camping is a lot of stress and hard work for a girl like myself! Last year, however, my dislike for camping did a 180 after my east coast road trip of Australia.
I actually think I can say that I enjoy camping now that I know the style of camping that works best for me. Sure, it only took 27 years of my life and several unfortunate getaways to come to the realization that there are varying degrees of camping to choose from, but better late than never, right?
Three Levels of Camping
Basic Camping: Basic camping is the camping you think of when you travel to a remote location with no electricity or proper showers. Dinner is prepared in nature, showers are hard to come by and you can forget about the TV. Camping at this level is rustic, usually a bit dirty and definitely high on the difficulty scale. One must plan ahead so they can pack for all weather conditions and have sufficient food choices on-hand that work without proper refrigeration (and are safe from wildlife).
Comfortable Camping: Comfortable camping is the type of camping I enjoy. For one there is no cooking over a fire to trouble you; instead, head to a local restaurant for dinner and bring back a bottle of wine. Camping will generally take place at a powered campsite or caravan park, which definitely offers showers, electricity, a communal kitchen and perhaps even a swimming pool, Internet access and a TV room. This type of camping is perfect for the traveler that wants to save money on accommodation and loves to wake up to the sounds of the natural alarm clock: nature.
Glamorous Camping: Glamorous camping or “glamping” ranges from comfortable to luxurious. On the luxury side, glamping would include a proper bed in a giant tent where dinner and drinks are prepared by a butler. I’m pretty sure that I could find glamping to be my new camping style if I had that budget. Glamping is perfect for the wealthy traveler that loves the idea of having peace and quiet out in nature but wants to be luxuriously comfortable at the same time.
Flickr: BlackburnPhoto
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Now that I know the camping style that suits my personality best, I am less likely to write off camping trips as a cheap holiday option. What sort of camper are you?
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