Camping - the fun way to save money
If you want to travel, and you don’t want to spend a lot of money, then one thing you might consider, especially when visiting more rural areas, is camping. Obviously, some areas and seasons will be more amenable to camping than others. For cooler areas such as Britain, camping is definitely best in the summer, but for some warmer climates, such as Japan, camping might be more comfortable in spring and fall, when the heat is less intense – you can’t exactly turn the cooler on if you are camping!
Camping may not be entirely safe in areas where there are bears such as parts of North America, or the northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaido, but nevertheless, people do camp in these areas. One intrepid camper, who enjoyed his fishing holidays in bear country, told me that they use a bell to scare off the bears, and in case of attack have a canister of tear gas handy.
In much of western Europe camping is a popular way to spend a holiday, and there are numerous campsites all over the major tourist areas. These are usually with good facilities such as bathrooms, showers, laundry facilities and a maybe a small shop. For many people, the experience of camping is part of the fun of the holiday.
For many wilderness areas, camping is an excellent way to enjoy and appreciate the natural environment, and there are usually plenty of campsites to be found in the countryside, places of natural beauty such as national parks, and coastal areas. For example, in the UK, camping is a great way to see the Yorkshire Dales or the Peak District.
Campsites can even be found close to, or within, major cities that are popular with tourists, for example Paris has a campsite in the Bois de Boulogne, and Florence has a campsite a bus ride away from the city center.
If you are going to go camping it is important to be well equipped with a good waterproof tent, and warm sleeping bags. You will also want to take cooking equipment, and there are a number of different types of stove available, such as primus stoves, and camping gas stoves.
Campsites tend to be relaxed friendly places, and it is easy to get talking to other travelers, with many an evening spent sitting outside sharing a cup of tea, or a glass of wine.
So, discover the world of camping, and save yourself some money when you travel.
