(See what we did there? Like the love child of ‘Got milk’ and ‘You’ve been tangoed’)
Laura Reynolds looks at the hype surrounding the collaboration.
Just a week to go until the man in red arrives...
To celebrate the end of our degrees and the birthday of a close friend, me and a small group of chums decided to camp in the Lake District for the weekend. I was incredibly up for this trip; especially since it provided an occasion to christen my new green and pink floral sleeping bag I got for Christmas. Apart from the bag, like a true novice I had zero camping equipment so I had to borrow all the essentials from my more housemate. I temporarily acquired two travel towels which are thinner than the ordinary variety with microfiber texture making them ultra- absorbent. When you have one backpack and find it impossible to travel light (like me!) travel towels are like a saving grace. They are definitely an essential purchase for all camping trips whether it is a family weekend in Cornwall or a muddy weekend at Glastonbury. Pick them up from as little as £8 from www.gapyeartravelstore.com.
Camping wouldn’t be camping however without the obligatory waterproof jacket. During our weekend in the Lakes we were extremely lucky in that the rain held off enough to avoid our living quarters turning into swamp. My cagoule had to make an appearance on Sunday during our trip to Windermere as it poured down for most of the afternoon. Pick up a light-weight ‘cag in a bag’ for such inevitable rainy days from Millets for under £20 and surgically attach it to your person, just in case. Before Sunday I had made a considerable attempt to maintain my usual regime of clean hair, make-up and personal style. To my surprise I wasn’t the only one attempting to uphold feminine beauty regimes. Most women in the ladies loos in the morning occupied a space at the sink and laid out all their grooming tools in preparation for facing the world. I was very impressed at their dedication. The scene was classic; there was a hairdryer, brushes, make-up, creams, the full shebang. I was informed by the boys that this level of personal hygiene and grooming omnipresent in the ladies was not mirrored in the gents. After two nights of rustic living, I had given up all attempts at looking presentable and I enjoyed it. Being a camper allowed me to disregard my personal rules and regimes about self-presentation for a while and fully embrace the comfy shoes, make-up less, waterproof look 24/7.
Looking back I was rather proud of my packing skills for the weekend. It can be incredibly difficult to know what to pack any kind of camping considering the weather is so unpredictable, especially if you’re camping in Britain.
Start with leggings as they are comfy to walk and lounge about in. Next pack a trusty pair of walking boots and plenty of thick socks. Pack a spare in your day bag just in case the ones you’re wearing get wet or fail to provide sufficient warmth. Always take a hoodie that can be thrown on over your day clothes and worn in the evening while barbequing. Vest tops, t-shirts and cardigans which can be worn daily with most bottoms are obligatory. These also act as layers which can be added or taken off depending on the climate. I was glad to have packed my favourite peachy scarf with gold flecks it added some colour to my drab camping gear while also acting as extra warmth during chilly spells. And last but by no means least, do not forget antiperspirant and/or perfumed body-spray. These are a God-send to have with you in your bag throughout the day to keep that feeling of freshness alive.
The day before we left for our camping adventure I was in town and stumbled into Poundland to pick up some sugary snacks for the car journey but I unintentionally ended up stocking up on body-sprays plus body and facial cleanings wipes which proved to be money well spent I can tell you. Every night I just pulled out a wet wipe to clean particularly smelly parts and another to wipe the dirt from my face – easy. My camper instincts were must stronger than I’d realised as I also felt compelled to purchase a travel first-aid kit which includes scissors, bandages, plasters, paracetamol and antiseptic. Reckless packing and medical traumas was NOT going to be a feature of my very first camping trip I made sure of it.
The above may seem painstakingly obvious and even cringe-worthy to avid campers, so for that I apologise. But I think these things do need to be spelled out so for those less experienced and thinking about a camping holiday this summer. Knowledge about living outdoors with minimal facilities for a week doesn’t come natural to us all. That’s why the first rule of camping must surely be about preparation for all eventualities.
As it stands I’ve returned all my borrowed gear post-camping and now all I have is my solitary sleeping bag. More camping adventures will no doubt be on the cards during the summer months and I’m actually looking forward to future shopping spree in dare I say… Millets.
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