So, you’re thinking about camping abroad

Usually when people talk about going abroad, they are thinking swanky hotels, beaches, and city shopping.  Yet, whilst people are poring over the glossy brochures of bright blue seas and hot sands, some of us are wondering what the wilderness is like under foreign skies.

The idea of camping in an entirely new country is at once daunting and exhilarating.  There are a whole new set of complications, but the sense of discovery is so much more exotic.  Why wouldn’t you try it?

So, if you are considering it for the first time, then you probably have a lot of questions.  This article, one hopes, will provide the answers you seek.

Thoroughly research the climate

The thing about the UK is, we’re a temperate island.  We’re capable of dense hot humid weather, we can drop below zero at a moment’s notice, or a flash monsoon could arrive at any time.  It’s not that the rest of the world is more predictable, but other countries have it different.

If the UK rockets to 30 degrees, it will feel different to the 30 degrees in Spain.  We might be sweating through the night, but another country’s temperature might drop below freezing.  You need to know all this before you leave so you can kit yourself out properly.

Protect against bugs and creepy crawlies

The worst thing we have to worry about in the UK is the rare nip of a false widow, or the night-time feasting of mosquitos.  Off the island, sometimes the creepy crawlies get a bit more serious.  The good news is, people have learned to live with them.

Once again, before you set off, have an extensive Google.  It doesn’t hurt to know, in advance, what you will dealing with.  Also, research the best possible ways to stop them turning you into a milky white smorgasbord. 

Make a plan and share it

You are not going to go blindly off into a Catalan sunset if you have never left Croydon before, are you?  You are going to need some sort of plan.  It only makes sense.  You have no idea who are going to run into, or what the people are truly like? 

Often, tourists in foreign countries come with a flickering neon sign.  That’s how easy you are to spot when abroad.  Whether you get into trouble with some locals, you lose your money, or something happens to throw the trip in jeopardy, you will want to make sure you know where you are and can be found.

Make sure your equipment is suitable

If you are going to a warm country, you will want some rugged pegs that can be driven into hard ground.  If you are going to a cold country, you will want to make sure that your sleeping bag is going to keep you toasty warm.

When camping abroad, sometimes it pays to make sure you buy the best possible equipment to keep you safe and comfortable.   You don’t want to find out when you are there that your equipment is unsuitable to support your adventure.

Think about your phone battery

As much as you are abroad to get away from the buzz and hiss of rampant technology, it makes sense to make sure that your phone isn’t going to run out of juice.  You don’t know when you are going to need it.

We recommend buying and charging spare battery packs so that your phone will not run out of power.  Not spending your time on selfies or frequent photoshoots will help.

Before you disappear abroad on your adventure, check our shop for all the equipment that you will need.