It’s time to pack the things that you will really need when you’re on the road. They’re easy to identify – they’re the items you realise you need when, usually, it’s too late!
But no more!
Here’s a list you can refer to refer to for future trips.
A compact BBQ cooks meat, and just about everything else beautifully, without burning — like a campfire sometimes can. The flame is fully enclosed, so it’s OK on most fire ban days and isn’t affected by wind.
But, most of all, a portable BBQ means you can shut the lid and pack it away as soon as it cools down and clean what little mess it leaves at a convenient time.
If you’re going to be accessing a powered site, bring a coffee machine. If you’re going to be free camping or in a national park, revert to a plunger.
Because of all the appliances that need recharging these days (phones, tablets, laptops, sat phones, camera batteries, etc.) plus other appliances (TV, portable radio, etc) that need to be connected to 12V, always take a bag of various plugs, connectors and cables.
There’s nothing more frustrating for a tech nerd than discovering that a vital cable is back at home!
Some things can also be charged via a solar panel and so carry a battery solar charger. Note that it will take a long time to charge an iPad, which requires a 10W charge – better charging that via a regular inverter and your caravan’s battery.
Pack a spare plastic tarp, a couple of guy ropes, pegs and two expanding poles so that you can find some extra shade – or privacy – if you need it. This is ideal for outdoor showering, as well!
Create an outdoor shower of your own for warm-weather camping. Plug a length of hose and a trigger spray to the drawbar water tap of your caravan, stand in a cheap laundry bowl to avoid muddy feet and wash off the dirt. Put your smalls in the bowl and trample while showering for a combined and very cheap laundry service. Cleans up camping feet beautifully too!
Remember a pair of low folding beach chairs to carry to a pleasant lunch or pre-dinner locations when you want to watch the sun go down in comfort.
Thongs or Crocs are essential. Wear the thongs whenever you take communal showers and the Crocs are for wading into rocky water.
While you might make any friends playing loud music in a national park, you don’t want to miss out on the radio. Not only does the PAL radio, designed to pick up AM and FM radio, but it delivers great sound from your music library when connected to your iPhone/iPod via a cable to its rear auxiliary port.
Bung an axe, some old newspaper or firelighters, matches and a short shovel in the boot. The axe, paper/firelighters and matches are for lighting the fires; the shovel and matches are for life’s other necessities when there are no suitable facilities!
We’re sure every traveller will have many other items to add to this personal list, such a head torch or a cool bag for carrying drinks to great places, so tell us what we’ve missed from your usual packing list.
At Mars Campers we work hard to develop the best value for money camper trailers with a view of helping you create memorable experiences with your loved ones.
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