Sunday, August 18, 2019

Prepping For Camping... With No Car



I've scheduled this to post in advance because right now I'm I should be in the middle of unpacking and setting up camp with the family. We are going to be camping from Sunday to Thursday, the same place where we camped last summer, this time for a couple more days than last time, and this time a little more prepared than we came last time.

People asked me how I went camping without a car last year, and I'll admit, I didn't go completely without a car. We left from a relative's house and they carried some of our stuff in the car, but this time I'm doing it completely on my own, one adult, all by public transportation. A friend who is joining us, also without a car, asked me for advice on how to pack, and I said once I do it, I'll let her know how we did it.

Since I only now finished packing up, I wanted to share first what I'm bringing with us, as well as how I packed it all.

First off, I have two big folding wagons that I use for my groceries, but both were broken. I went to the store where I had purchased them, because they usually have replacement parts, but the guy who usually works there wasn't there and the lady who was there had no clue what I was talking about. I came there another day hoping to get the guy, and got the same lady again, who said she had no replacement parts (but this store always has had them, for the past couple years), but did have a cheaper wagon she could sell me that I then took pieces off to replace the part that was missing on one of my wagons. So while, in theory, I would have had two working wagons to use to to bring stuff with me on the trip, but I only was able to get one to work. So that's what I have to work with.

Before starting to pack, I went to a grocery store where I stocked up on gluten free bread. While I can get this at the grocery store near the camping site, from what I remembered last time, it was harder to find and much more expensive, so I decided to bring gluten free bread along, since it's not heavy and wouldn't be a burden to take along. I also bought some shelf stable sausages to bring, because it's nice to have things that I don't have to keep in the cooler and don't need to cook to be able to eat. Lastly, I picked up some quick cooking gluten free noodles to be able to prepare there.
That is all the food that I'm bringing along. The rest I'm buying there.

In my wagon I put my cooler, and filled it with the bread and sausages and pasta. Around the cooler I put one tent (I can't find my other tent no matter how much I look for it, so tomorrow will be picking up one from a friend before we head out to the camp ground), this beach sun shade "tent", two sets of flippers that I purchased on aliexpress to be able to use for scuba diving. (Not bringing these would give me more room, but its important for me to have these.) On top of the cooler I put a portable burner so I can cook not only with a bonfire, and then two picnic blankets, a camping chair, and a little broom.

The kids are each bringing a backpack filled with their bathing suit, a change of clothing or pajamas (they spend the entire day in their swimsuit when we're there, but I want everyone to have at least two sets of dry clothes), a towel, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and everyone is carrying their own sleeping bag and yoga mat.

I have an extra large backpack and it will be containing my clothes, towel, and swimsuit, a snorkel, a hair brush, sunscreen, a lighter, a pot with a lid, a mixing spoon, a can opener, a knife, a cutting board, a few food containers, another camping chair, a hydration bladder, gas canisters for my portable burner, my medicine, an ace bandage, a few portable chargers, rope, and baby powder. And of course I'm taking my sleeping bag and yoga mat.

Once we get there, I intend on stopping at the grocery store and buying a grill, charcoal, and of course, lots and lots of food, in addition to ice for the cooler, disposables, etc.

Of course, we may get there and I might feel I'm woefully unprepared, but this is the most I can carry, and I think we'll be fine.

I'll update you soon.

What is on your packing list when you go camping? Why do you bring those things? Do you think there's anything glaringly obviously missing from my list? What do you think I'll be needing?

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