I used to like camping. Then my back got older and it wasn't so much fun anymore. The dirt, cooking over a finicky fire, the bugs, the setting up and tearing down of the camp. The hauling of the blender to the community laundry room to make margaritas...
Oh yes. I have done that. On more than one occasion. If I'm going to sleep on the ground then I'm going to be anesthetized when doing so.
These pictures make me want to rethink camping. There is even a term for this type of camping - it's called Glamping. Isn't that the dumbest word you have ever heard? I refuse to call it that. I think it's just camping the way it was intended to be.
Actually the first time I talked Rick into camping I set up the most luxurious campsite I could. I borrowed a big canvas tent from my sister and I set up a queen sized blow up mattress with satin sheets and fluffy down comforters. I had two 'bed side tables' (cardboard boxes covered with pieces of lace) for our lanterns. I even had a big thermos of frozen strawberry daiquiris (before I figured out the blender in the laundry room trick). It would have been quite the romantic camping trip if not for the troop of Cub Scouts in the next campsite.
My parents went on an Abercrombie and Kent African Safari back in the early 90's and their accommodations were very similar to the pictures here. My mother said that they would travel to a new spot every day and their tent would be set up for them and they would be served an incredibly gourmet dinner. She even marveled that about a week out they served ice cream for dessert. Out on the African plains, in the middle of no where, eating ice cream.
When I was ten or eleven I went to Summer camp and shared a big tent with three other girls. We slept on wooden cots and would roll up the walls of the tent every day to air out the place. It was a big canvas tent that was set up on a wooden platform. Sort of like the first picture in this post but without the Rachel Ashwell-esque bedding.
The morning of the last day we were all laying on our cots, too cold to get out of bed yet, when I noticed something dark on the roof of the tent above my head. I asked my tent-mate to hand me her flashlight and I shined it up and there were about 50 ginormous spiders just hanging out above us. You never saw four girls fly out of their sleeping bags faster. I'm just thankful I discovered it the LAST day otherwise none of us would have slept in there.
Come to think of it - camping still may not be for me.
These are all gorgeous camp sites. I love to camp (that's why I am a Girl Scout leader) and my family memebers are such city folks. My husband tried to scare a skunk away from our table that we ate dinner at. Are you kidding me?
Posted by: Donna | June 15, 2009 at 10:21 PM
My idea of camping is a 5 star hotel. But if you HAVE to sleep outside I like your pictures there. Given enough strawberry margaritas I could happily sleep just about anywhere.
Posted by: Karen Kissinger | June 16, 2009 at 02:39 PM
It is the bugs. You just cannot get away from the bugs.
Posted by: Nicole | June 16, 2009 at 03:04 PM
Let's never use the word "glamping!"
I LOVE camping, but I'm a large-tent/good food/aerobed-with-down-comforter type of camper.
You might change your mind, right? If you do, and decide to "camp" here: http://www.elcapitancanyon.com/ let me know and I'll come visit you! C'mon, they've got hot stone massages, wine-tasting nearby and even wi-fi throughout the campground so you could brag about it, I mean, tell us all about it while you're there!
Posted by: Maiz | June 17, 2009 at 10:31 PM
The photos remind me of the move Out of Africa. I don't think I'd even like glamping. Maybe if it's cool and somebody else do the set up and take down and cooking and dishwashing. Maybe, if there are no bugs and snakes. Then again, maybe not. I love sleeping inside.
Posted by: Susan Ramey Cleveland | June 19, 2009 at 06:49 PM
M-m-m camping isn't THAT bad! We just got back from just a three day trip - but we had a very nice time! Of course the hubby does all the cooking, so that helps. And we have an extra high queen size air mattress (our bed at home is just full size) and it was wonderful being able to turn over, without having to stay in the same place! One improvement I would like to make tho, is our tent is tall enough to stand in, but only where we put the air mattress, and I don't really care too much for the bending over and trying to move around/get dressed/etc. And our nights were cool, and the day was warm, it was perfect camping this time! AND it started raining - on the way home! (perfect again!) But I did bring my pink plastic table cloth along to bring a little glam! And now that my kids are all grown up, they love to camp too, which is great too. And if it is either that or no vacation, I will take it! (I should have known what I was in for - when we went camping on our honeymoon!) Hrm.... Anyway - it can be a wonderful thing!
Hugs from Michigan - Diane
Posted by: Diane | June 25, 2009 at 07:44 PM
Hi. I have a blog at www.picturecamping.com where I feature people's posts about camping, and I would like to send my readers your way. Of course I would give you credit for quotes and would link back to your site.
Thanks for considering this,
Jean B. in SC
Posted by: Jean Beasley | July 14, 2009 at 06:27 PM