We’ve booked a weekend away for our anniversary,
my friend Hayley emailed me, we’re going glamping.
Glamping? I questioned for a moment, before reading on.
It’s glamorous camping, she continued, I can’t wait.
I once considered glamping too {not that I knew it had such a snazzy name}. I was researching holidays for our honeymoon and somehow I stumbled across an island in far north Queensland that had cute little tents that we would potentially stay in. I was completely sold, until I realised that there was absolutely no electricity. And no electricity means no GHD {hair straightener}. And no GHD means horrific hair days filled with utter frizziness, which is the complete opposite of glamorous.
We ended up honeymooning on an island in Fiji, complete with electricity.
We’ve done our fair share of camping though. By fair share I mean that we’ve dabbled in it.
One Summer we decided to plan a little camping trip. We researched sites and picked one near the water of a popular little town. We went shopping and bought a 4-man tent. We wanted enough room for us and our gear. Nothing but the best for us.
So we drive the 6 or so hours to South West Rocks and check-in. Checking-in is completely unglamourous. We’re told that our site is the furthest piece of land there is. There are no set areas and it’s first in best dressed. She points in the direction we should head, and we get in the car and drive there.
The area is full. People have found their little spots and are all settled in, sitting in front of their tents enjoying the view. It seems like they’ve been settled in for weeks.
And in we drive, the City folk.
We set up our tent with great difficulty, entertaining the campers nearby. We set it up inside out. Pull it back apart. And then set up how it should be done. We realise that instead of buying a normal 4-man tent, we’ve picked ourselves up a 2 bedroom tent. So instead of all the room we envisioned. We’re cramped up in one tiny bedroom, and our luggage is in another. I suggest to Hubby that we sleep in separate rooms, but Mr. Romantic refuses.
After the erecting the tent, there’s nothing more to do but play an obligatory game of UNO or eleventy billion. We soon realise that there’s not much to do when you’re camping.
Night falls and we cook up a BBQ dinner. We head to bed early, back in the sticks where we are there isn’t much atmosphere. We can hear groups of people in the distance laughing and having fun. We assume they’re in the ‘rich’ area where people have caravans and their own actual sites.
By the time morning comes the tent is damp with morning dew, and I couldn’t need the bathroom more. The amenity block is almost driving distance away, and I won’t make it walking. I grab my bike and ride as fast as my legs will take me. I get there, eventually.
I get back to the tent and Hubby is awake. Aren’t you busting to use the bathroom? I ask. He smirks, and I assume that he must have popped outside, behind the tree during the night. He holds up two glad bags with a familiar looking yellow liquid inside. Enough said.
After riding our bikes all day, and exploring the beautiful, yet sleepy little town we decide that our camping adventure is over. We’ve done all that we can do, and played enough UNO to last us a life time. We stay one more night in our teeny little tent.
When morning rolls around, after the brisk morning bike ride to the loo, we pack up and head home. And there is nothing like having all that space to ourselves, and comfy bed too. Having a toilet so close seems like quite a luxury now.
Are you a camping kinda person? Or do you prefer 5 star accomodation?
I enjoy camping about once a year…just enough to connect to nature but not enough to be overwhelmed. Camping is so much WORK—preparing food and packing up and all that jazz. But it is always a good reminder of the the luxuries of home.
hey telle
my sister recently went camping but it was abit more glamous. they stayed in a safari tent at a caravan park at gerroa. It is a great huge tent with wooden floor boards, double bed, fridge, shower small kitchen area and even a little deck. It was right on the lake and it was beautiful. Just enough home comforts and a handy toilet to keep them happy…
@amy: That's so true! So true!
@Bee: I think I know the camping ground that you are talking about, but I didn't know they had 'glamping' ones. Did she like it?
I am so not the camping type. Give me a five star hotel room any day!
I love both. I lived for a year in a tent when we travelled around Australia – so I really love camping. I have the best sleep when I'm out somewhere peaceful. When you get into the groove camping is super easy.
I have also stayed at some amazing 5-star places too. Part of the perks of my brief time as a travel writer.
So as long as I'm somewhere incredible I don't mind if I'm sleeping under the stars or tucked up somewhere glam.
I'm happy to stay in a hotel/motel more than camping.
We went camping to stockton beach. It has no running water, toilets, or anything really.
Just us the beach & ocean.
We stayed just 1 night because I was going to kill some one.
Love the post Telle! We are staying at: http://www.paperbackcamp.com.au
I am def not the camping type but this was a different experience without the pain of packing and unpacking your tent.My die hard 'camping' friends think that it is hillarious. They dont think its camping. Not one bit.
I think its romantic.
x Hayley
Nooooo i hate nature & camping i don't mind cabins but when it comes to tents and no electricity nooo way.i did it once and was the worst experience ever.My husband & my 3 boys are planning a camping trip this month but mummy's happy to stay home .
is that bad??
I love both camping and the luxury stay. When I travel for business (conferences and such) its a nicely appointed hotel that is the highlight for me.
Quality time spent with my other half – a tent site by the dam is just perfect. Its taken quite a bit of thinking and planning to ensure we have the right gear for camping – our tent and shade gear is fantastic, we have a self inflating mattress (air beds are a beginners error)and I agree, location, location, location as far as distance from the amenities is critical – but then we don't really have a problem with packed camp sites here in FNQ.
I've camped in searing heat with a symphony of cicadas, and in sub-zero temperatures in the Tasmanian wilderness, and a lot of other scenarios that sit somewhere in between. All experiences have been fun and memorable in their own special ways, but the older I get (I'm 30 now), the more I appreciate an easily accessible loo, windows with flyscreens and aircon! I don't need 5 stars, but the camping's been put on hold until our future child/ren express an interest 😉
Oh my family loves camping! it crazy but i cant stand it for to long they took us camping for a couple of weeks over the crissy holidays and i was in hell if i had my license at that point me and craig were gonna jump in the car and run for it!
I love the idea of camping – but in reality get bored and cranky pretty quick. I prefer luxury but my other half prefers camping. When the kids grow up a bit we're plannning on doing one of each every year!
My husband would love to go camping, but I'm not into it… The only stars I am going to sleep under are 5 stars! I need a cosy bed and an ensuite…
http://www.kiamacoast.com.au/Sevenmile_Beach/index.html
if you look in the gallery section there are pictures of the safari tent.
She had a wonderful time, the kids spent a night there with her as it also had bunks in it…
it is definately my style of camping. it really was great, very basic but comfortable.
If there's no flushing toilet, I'm not interested. If I have to sleep on the ground, I'm not interested. If there's no protection from bug and mozzies, I'm not interested.
In fact, I've gotten spoiled. I don't even like hotels unless they are five star, Hilton-style hotels. I like the beds to be firm, but soft. The shower to have lots of water and the lighting to be just so. Obviously my own home is not a palace, but when I travel, I like a little luxury. 🙂
I enjoy camping but I've gotta have a loo and a shower nearby, especially having bubba now. Ideally a powered site would be good so we can take the engel fridge but we'd survive with an esky. I'm not sure if I've ever stayed in 5 star accom but I'd be happy to give it a go!
5 star accommodation all the way. And then still I'll complain! I don't think I could ever even consider camping!
hmm, no never!
Bloody hate camping Chantelle! Did Guides as a girl and even hated it then. Much to my Mr's disappointment as he loves it. I think it sounds so lovely but actually, all the things you do without just make me grumpy ie. loo, shower, mattress, coffee machine! Then, working in the tourism industry, I was very spoiled so now I'm very, very, very fussy about our accommodation. I think the Mr and the Bebito will enjoy camping in future years though.
Hehe this is a popular topic at Chez Elliott! Hubby loves camping and I can't do it. It's 5 stars or nothing. I got marked down in my Year 12 geography class because I refused to go to the camp. I didn't get in trouble from my parents though, they totally understood! 😛
Camping is most definitely not my cup of tea! I'm a woman who enjoys all the luxuries of a nice hotel. I love opening the door onto a beautiful room. I love feeling special and being spoilt. I love the 'escape' from reality.
If you are ever up Broome way, come and check out our teeny little tourist venture, very glam camping
http://www.mercedescove.com.au
x
I have never actually been camping. My husband is a former outward bound leader but disposed of his tent and stove when I moved in! I would love to go though, as long as someone else was responsible for the food!
I have been glamping a few times. Onces to Longitude 131 at Uluru and twice to Wilson Island which is off the coast of Heron Island. Wilson is amazing. A tent with a hardwood floor and king size bed, your own beach a the chef that you share with a few others. Not sure if this is the one you were looking at Chantelle? If so there is somewhere to plug your hairdryer – solar power!
Ooh, I like the idea of 'glamping' almost as much as I like camping!
My version would be like camping, but with pillows, air-mattresses and a generator for music and disco lights 😉